Beyond Sunday: The Requirement of Justice - And Love

Beyond Sunday: The Requirement of Justice - And Love

[Editor's note: Beyond Sunday is a Monday refresher to carry you through the week.]

Focus Verse of the Week

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. (1 John 1:8)

Classic Commentary

1:8 -- If we say - Any child of man, before his blood has cleansed us.We have no sin - To be cleansed from, instead of confessing our sins, 1 John 1:9 ,the truth is not in us - Neither in our mouth nor in our heart.

1:9 -- But if with a penitent and believing heart, we confess our sins, he is faithful. After all, he had promised this blessing by the unanimous voice of all his prophets. Just? Surely then he will punish; no, for this very reason he will pardon. This may seem strange; but upon the evangelical principle of atonement and redemption, it is undoubtedly true; because, when the debt is paid, or the purchase made, it is the part of equity to cancel the bond, and consign over the purchased possession. Both to forgive us our sins - To take away all the guilt of them. And to cleanse us from all unrighteousness - to purify our souls from every kind and every degree of it.

1:10 -- Yet still we are to retain, even to our lives' end, a deep sense of our past sins. Still if we say, we have not sinned, we make him a liar Who says, "All have sinned." And his word is not in us - We do not receive it; we give it no place in our hearts.

(Adapted from John Wesley's Explanatory Notes, 1 John 1.)

A Thought to Keep

God love does not negate his justice. Instead, his love is so great that it satisfies the requirements of justice.