Sovereign Grace Church

If we say that we have not sinned, 
we make him a liar, and his word is not in us

[1 JOHN 1:10]

[Beloved], the believer knows, that “in the flesh no man can please God.” Yes, the believer is still a sinner. My friend, if we do not understand this principle, if we don’t understand and accept this fact, that the believer is not perfect; He is perfect in Christ. He is perfect in the Holiness of Christ. Thank God for that! Beloved [you’re] complete in Christ, but [you’re] not perfect in the flesh! Indeed, the believer doesn’t go a day without sin. He doesn’t go a day without a conflict of sin. He is never without sin, sinful thoughts and attitudes. [My friend] if you don’t understand that, and face that, or admit it, one of two things will be the result.

If you don’t admit that and you don’t face that fact or understand it, then one of two things will happen. You are either going to lie to yourself, lie to others or lie to God in claiming you are without sin. If you claim to be without sin, you are lying to yourself and you are deceiving yourself. If you say you have no sin, you deceive yourselves. We are lying to ourselves, if we say we have no sin, we are lying to other people. “If we say that we have not sinned, we make [God] a liar” (1 JOHN 1:10).

I encourage you, walk in the Spirit. Don’t walk in the flesh. Strive against that old nature. Strive against that old flesh. Strive against that old sin. Mortify that flesh and put down that lust, envy, pride, anger and jealousy; put it down! Push your flesh down and mortify it and press it down. It will be a constant battle. It will constantly come up again because you are still in the flesh and you are still a person. “I write unto you little children, that you sin not, but if any man sin, [if you do] we have an advocate with the Father.” I think that word “if” ought to be said, “when.”

God cannot and does not command you to sin. He commands you not to sin. The apostle has to command us not to. That is what the Word commands us. Don’t sin. Fight it, mortify it, suppress it, and strive against it. But, when a man sins; “We have an advocate with the Father.”

What is an advocate? [My friend,] an advocate is a mediator. An advocate is a lawyer. An advocate is one that pleads your case, and who pleads your cause. We have an advocate, we have a mediator. When we sin, we have somebody that can go to the Father for us. His name is Jesus Christ the Righteous.

Did you hear that? What did it say? “If any man sin, we have an advocate,” we have a mediator.

It does not say that “If any man sin, he is lost.” It does not say, “If any man sin, he will have to get re-saved.” It doesn’t say, “If any man sin, he has forfeited his place in the Kingdom.” It doesn’t say, “If any man sin, he no longer has a mediator.” It says, “If any man sin, He has an advocate.” 

My friend, a man who is not a sinner, does not need an advocate. A man who is not a sinner does not need a mediator. Maybe that is the reason so many people in my day are not coming to Christ. They are not believing on Christ or looking to Christ. They are trying to find salvation in a church, a profession, or a baptism. Maybe they aren’t sinners.

I’m a sinner! [The pastor of this church is a sinner!] I need a mediator. It does not say, “If any man be Holy, he has and advocate.” What does a holy man need with an advocate? It doesn’t say, “If any man be perfect, he has an advocate.” What does a perfect man need with an advocate?

It says, “If any man sins, we have a mediator. We have an advocate with the Father who is Jesus Christ the Righteous.” Now, that is a man that needs a mediator, that is a man who needs a Saviour.

I will tell you this; the gospel demands honesty. It is time for us to be honest before God. God does not show mercy to liars, those who deny they are sinners. No He doesn’t. God is truth and we’ll meet God in truth or we will meet God in judgment. [AMEN!]