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Paul, (one of my hero's), depicted his struggle with a sinful nature in Romans Chapter 7. Also he said in 1Tim1/15, this is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am Chief. One thing I point out to my brothers and sisters in Christ, is 1John1/8 was written to the saved, NOT the lost.
I disagree! 1 John 1/9 was written for UNBELIEVERS, not the saved!
For example, Confession of sin to be made righteousness appears only once in 1 John 1:9, and it is addressed to non-believers.
The clue is in the verse before 9, and the preceding verse itself gives the answer.
1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
Will a Christian say that he has "no sin"? NO!! Only an unbeliever may say that!
In the first place, a person became a Christian by acknowledging before God that he was a sinner in need of the Saviour. Furthermore, most Christians today are so sin-conscious, rather than righteous-conscious. In fact, some Christians still call themselves, as well as fellow Christians, sinners!
Obviously, the verse is not for Christians, but for non-believers who say that they have no sin. John tells such people that they are deceiving themselves. But he also assures them that if they acknowledge that they are sinners, then there is a way out for them -- if they confess their sinfulness to God, God is faithful and just to Christ and His finished work, and will forgive them and wash away all their sins, and make them righteous forever by the blood of His Son.
Another clue as to why this verse is not for the Christian is the phrase, "the truth is not in us". Christians have the Spirit of truth, which is the Holy Spirit, in them. Non-believers don't.
John 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you [after Pentecost].
If you were to be correct Jeff, which you are not, that would mean Believers in Christ has no truth in them. So as we can clearly see, the phrase, "the truth is not in us", shows that it was written for unbelievers, not believers!