1 Jn 1:7

The Key to Understanding Biblical Holiness
1 John 1:7

Introductory Thoughts

· John’s epistle, a book of tests, a condemnation of heresy, and a call to holy living
· Tests

1. Preliminary statement—

a. First, let me say definitely that Biblical holiness is not some kind of perfectionism, like the “holiness movement” teaches.

(1) The idea that a believer will be free from the very presence and influence of sin in this life is simply not a Biblical idea—
(2) In fact, the two other heresies that John addresses are forms of perfectionism.

b. Well, if we are not talking about some kind of perfectionism, what are we talking about? We are talking about evidences of salvation.

2. The First Evidence of salvation—it is a lifestyle èIf we are walking—present tense

a. Life is not all about a mere transaction that settles your case for all eternity. If you are saved, there has been such a transaction, but eternal life does not end with that transaction, it begins. Life for a believer is about a WAY of life, about a WALK.

b. What the believer’s walk is NOT—Ps 1

(1) Psalm 1

Psa 1:1-2 "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.


(2) It is not according to the course of the world or of its “prince”—Eph 2:2 "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:"

(3) It is not as an enemy to Christ—Phil 3:18 "(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:"

(4) We don’t walk as we did in the past—1 Pet 4:3 "For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:"

(5) We don’t walk in a self-willed fashion—2 Pet 2:10 "But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities."

(6) We don’t walk as if there were no second coming—2 Pet 3:3 "Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,"

c. The Believer’s Walk—Psalm 1—2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night."

(1) We walk in newness of life, as the resurrected beings we are—Rom 6:4 "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."
(2) We walk by faith—2 Cor 5:7 "(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)"
(3) We walk in the Spirit— Gal 5:16 "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh."
(4) We walk worthy of Christianity—Eph 4:1 "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,"
(5) We walk in love—Eph 5:2 "And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us…”
(6) We walk wisely—Eph 5:15 "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,"

3. The Key phrase –In the Light as He is in the Light è Here is the guide for the normal Christian life.

a. What it means to walk in the light—
(1) Light is revelation and holiness. We live in the Light of His Truth, We live in the Light of His Person, We follow the Light of His Word
(2) To walk in the Light does not mean we are perfect, but it means that we accept and own what God’s word says about us, about our condition, and we confess and agree with God about who we are without Him. This is the light of revelation.
(3) But there is also the application of revelation to our lives, and those who are His have crucified the affections and lusts, are putting the body to death daily, and are learning to live for Christ.

b. As He is in the light—how do we DO THAT?

(1) God is always in the Light because it is His nature to be that way—He cannot and will not deny Himself—2 Tim 2:13
(2) God knows Himself, He is honest about His own nature, He knows His relation to His own Law. He knows His own moral and ethical sense and responsibilities. God knows Himself!
(3) So, We can know ourselves, we can be honest about our nature, our relation to the Law, our moral and ethical sense and responsibilities. Unlike God, we see flaws, sins, and other bad things in our lives, but we walk on in the light anyway, and allow His word to continue to conquer us. But if we are Christians, we have a new nature

2 Cor 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

Eph 4:21-24 "if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness."

Col 3:9-10 "Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,"

c. To walk in the Light as He is in the Light is to walk in and in accordance with our New Nature.
d. The Result è We are having fellowship—present tense

(1) If we are believers, we have a constant fellowship with Christ
(2) Again, koinonia

4. The cause of salvation èThe blood of Jesus is cleansing us from all sin—also present tense

a. Why is this present tense, and not aorist? Because, once again, salvation is not ONLY a transaction, it is about a continual, living relationship.
b. There is, first of all, initial cleansing
c. Then there is continual cleansing—we have not arrived, we still have humanness in us, we still fight against the flesh, the old man is dead, but we are stuck with his rotting carcass.


5. This is the consistent teaching of the Bible

a. Sanctification in the Gospels

(1) The Sermon on the Mount—dominated by the moral imperative for believers. I.e., members of the Kingdom have kingdom responsibilities as well as rights.

Mat 5:48 ""Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."

Mat 7:24 ""Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:"

(2) The call to take up the cross.


Mat 16:24 "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."

Mark 10:21 "Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me."

Luke 9:23 "And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me."

(3) John

John 10:27 ""My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me."

John 14:15 ""If you love Me, keep My commandments."

b. Sanctification in the Letters of Paul

(1) Romans 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14
(2) To Glorify God in our lives 1 Cor 6:9-20
(3) To Discipline our bodies—1 Cor 9:24-27 "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
(4) To not fellowship closely with unbelievers—2 Cor 6:14 "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For whatfellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?"
(5) To Walk in the Spirit—Gal 5:16 "I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh…."

b. Sanctification in the Other New Testament Writings

James 1:22-27 "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

James 4:7-8 "Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
1 Pet 2:11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,"

1 John 2:3-6 "Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked."

Rev 22:12-15 ""And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last." 14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie."

Applications

1. Sanctification is one of the most firmly-established doctrines in the New Testament.

2. God is Holy, we are to be holy unto Him.

3. Our goal as believers is to become like Christ.