What does claiming sinlessness reveal about our relationship with God's truth?

What 1 John 1:10 Says

“If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”

Why Claiming Sinlessness Matters

- It calls God a liar.

- God’s testimony is clear: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

- Denying personal sin directly contradicts His revealed truth.

- It exposes the absence of God’s word in us.

- Scripture is truth (John 17:17). If that truth is not shaping us, we remain self-deceived.

- It breaks fellowship.

- Walking in the light requires honesty about sin (1 John 1:7).

- Concealing sin keeps us in darkness, outside the joy of shared communion with the Father and His people.

The Heart Behind the Denial

- Pride: trusting human goodness instead of God’s grace (Luke 18:9-14).

- Ignorance of God’s holiness: His law reveals our need (Romans 7:7).

- Resistance to conviction: the Spirit exposes sin; rejecting that witness hardens the heart (John 16:8).

Evidence That God’s Truth Is Absent

- No confession of daily failures (James 3:2; Proverbs 28:13).

- No dependence on Christ’s cleansing blood (1 John 1:7).

- No growing humility or gratitude for mercy (Psalm 51:17).

Contrast: The Mark of Those Indwelt by Truth

- They admit sin (1 John 1:9) and receive cleansing.

- They walk in ongoing repentance and faith (Acts 3:19).

- They display increasing conformity to Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Key Takeaway

Claiming sinlessness is not a harmless boast; it reveals a rupture with the very truth God has spoken. Honest confession, not denial, is the doorway to fellowship, forgiveness, and the indwelling word that transforms lives.