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Sin and Sinlessness in I John

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 February 2009

Harry C. Swadling
Harry C. Swadling
Affiliation:
19 Allendale Road, Mt. Albert, Auckland, 3, New Zealand
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Extract

Perhaps the most striking feature of 1 Jn. is the teaching which it contains on sin. On the one hand there is the attitude taken by the author in 1:8ff- the Christian ought not to sin, but in fact does. He cannot claim to be sinless without lying. Nevertheless, if they confess their sins, Christians are consistently being forgiven through Christ. On the other hand there is the teaching in chapter three that the Christian does not sin and indeed cannot sin. This teaching is recapitulated in chapter five. The purpose of this article is to show that, far from being inconsistent, the writer of 1 Jn. is perfectly orthodox in his doctrine of sin and is, in fact, writing in a way completely appropriate to the circumstances.

Type
Research Article
Information
Scottish Journal of Theology , Volume 35 , Issue 3 , June 1982 , pp. 205 - 211
Copyright
Copyright © Scottish Journal of Theology Ltd 1982

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References

1 cf. Robinson, J. A. T.—N.T.S. 7(1960–1961), pp. 56–65Google Scholar; also Filson, Floyd V., ‘1 John, Purpose and Message’, Interpretation 1969, pp. 259ff.Google Scholar

2 Brown, R. E.The Community of the Beloved Disciple, pp. 127, 151 ff.Google Scholar

3 A.U.S.S. 7(1969), pp.47ff.Google Scholar

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7 cf. Corpus Hermeticum 13:2 and 13:7; Gospel of Truth (ed. Grober, ), p. 200Google Scholar; Irenaeus, Adv.Haer. I.vi.4.

8 cf.1 Jn.2:6.

9 1:6, 1:8, 1:10, 2:4, 2:6, 2:9,4:20, see R. Brown, opcit., pp. 123 & 124.

10 originally by von Dobschutz in 1907.

11 The Tests of Life. Edinburgh, 1909.Google Scholar

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13 1 Jn. 2:1.

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