Understanding 1 John 1: Walking in Light and Freedom

In this practical episode, Liam and Dean tackle one of the most misunderstood passages in Scripture: 1 John 1:8-9, which is often used to undermine the believer's true identity in Christ. Through careful contextual analysis, they reveal how John was addressing Gnostic heresy rather than teaching that Christians retain a sin nature. The discussion transitions into powerful practical applications, including personal testimonies of freedom from addiction and concrete strategies for living from the new nature rather than striving to avoid sin. This episode bridges theological understanding with everyday Christian experience, providing listeners with both biblical foundation and actionable insights for authentic spiritual living.

The episode reveals that 1 John 1:8-9 has been widely misinterpreted to suggest that Christians retain a sin nature, when John was actually addressing Gnostic heretics who claimed perfection through knowledge alone while denying the necessity of Christ's incarnation and sacrifice. Understanding this context transforms how believers approach confession, spiritual growth, and their relationship with God.

The hosts demonstrate that true Christian living flows from understanding identity rather than focusing on behaviour modification. When believers grasp their righteous nature in Christ, they naturally desire holiness and find practical victory over sin patterns that previously seemed insurmountable. This represents a fundamental shift from performance-based Christianity to relationship-based spiritual life.

The distinction between living to avoid sin versus living in union with Christ provides the foundation for authentic spiritual freedom. Rather than measuring spiritual success by what they avoid, believers can focus on intimacy with God, allowing their new nature to express itself naturally through daily choices and responses to life's challenges.

Digging deeper - Biblical Foundation

Primary Scriptures Referenced:

• 1 John 1:5-2:2 - Walking in light, confession of sins, and Christ as advocate

• 1 John 1:1-4 - John's eyewitness testimony against Gnostic denial of Christ's incarnation

• Hebrews 3:13 - Daily encouragement against sin's deceitfulness

• 2 Corinthians 5:17 - New creation reality in Christ

• Galatians 5:16-25 - Walking by the Spirit versus walking by the flesh

• John 15:1-11 - Abiding in the vine for fruitful Christian living

Supporting Biblical Connections:

• Romans 12:1-2 - Transformation through renewed thinking

• Philippians 4:19 - God's provision for His children's needs

• 2 Corinthians 10:5 - Taking thoughts captive to Christ's obedience

• Romans 8:15-17 - Spirit of adoption as children of God

• 1 John 3:1-3 - Identity as children of God and hope of transformation

• John 8:32 - Truth's power to set believers free

Transformational Quotes

Dean (on 1 John's context): "John's addressing the Gnostics who were saying anything of the flesh couldn't be good, and the way to higher enlightenment was through just knowledge. So they were challenging Jesus coming as a man, fully man, because God wouldn't become evil in their thinking."

Liam (on practical freedom): "For me, the revelation of like hang on, sin in me has been crucified and it's outside but it's trying to deceive me to think that it's inside. I was shadow boxing because I'm fighting an enemy that actually has been defeated, but I'm still coming under it as a slave because of a belief system."

Dean (on living from peace): "I'm not being like 'Oh, just don't worry, Dean. Just don't worry. God's got it.' To me, it's like if I feel that worrying come, I'd be like 'Oh, thank you, Jesus, that I have your peace. I thank you that I carry your peace. Thank you that you're my provider.'"

Liam (on relationship focus): "I'm not walking out my front door going 'all right, I've got to try and not have an affair today.' But I think so many Christians are like their high point of their life is 'I'm not sinning.' Their measurement of their relationship with God is what they're not doing."

Discussion Questions from the Episode

The hosts directly posed several questions for listener consideration:

• What is John referring to when he discusses sin in 1 John 1?

• How does understanding the Gnostic context change interpretation of these verses?

• What does it mean practically to live from your new nature rather than trying to avoid sin?

• How does focusing on relationship with God differ from measuring spiritual success by behaviour avoidance?

Extended Reflection Questions

• How might your daily spiritual experience change if you viewed temptation as external deception rather than internal struggle?

• In what areas of life do you find yourself measuring spiritual success by what you avoid rather than by intimacy with God?

• What practical differences would emerge in your prayer life and Bible reading if you approached them from desire for relationship rather than religious obligation?

• How does understanding that worry, fear, or other struggles contradict your new nature affect your response to these challenges?

• Consider your thought patterns during difficult circumstances - how could meditating on your identity in Christ and God's character transform your automatic responses?

• What would it look like to live so connected to God's peace that anxiety rarely enters your mind?

  
  

Implementation Steps: Begin each day by acknowledging your righteous nature and thanking God for His character rather than focusing on potential sins to avoid. When facing challenges, immediately turn to declarations of God's provision and your identity as His child rather than allowing worry or fear to dominate thinking patterns.

Develop intentional times of Bible reading and prayer motivated by desire for relationship rather than religious duty. Practice taking thoughts captive by recognising when patterns contradict your new nature and replacing them with truth about God's character and your identity in Him.

Weekly Challenge: Shift your spiritual focus from avoiding negative behaviours to cultivating positive relationship with God. Each morning, spend time acknowledging who you are in Christ and who God is as your Father. Notice how this affects your responses to daily challenges and your overall sense of spiritual freedom.

Father, thank You that I can walk in Your light because You have made me clean through Christ. Help me to live from my new nature rather than striving against my old patterns and ways - May I live as a new creation!

Trinity Please Give me revelation of Your goodness and my identity as Your beloved child. May I experience the freedom and liberation that comes from abiding in You Father, rather than focusing on behaviour management. Jesus Christ, Transform my thinking to align with Your truth about who I am in Christ - Be upon my mind! Teach me to rebuke every thought that is not of You Jesus Christ - That I may know your voice and walk in your ways!

Amen.

Episode Timestamps

Apply the principles

Continue growing in practical Christian living by examining your daily spiritual practices and motivations.

Discussed by shifting focus from behaviour management to relationship cultivation with God. Share this content with others struggling with performance-based Christianity or addiction patterns. Engage with upcoming episodes exploring further practical applications of righteousness doctrine and spiritual freedom.

Prayer by Liam: "Well, Father, we just we just thank you for every single person listening to this. And I pray they would have a revelation that their eyes, their heart would be enlightened to know the hope of which they've been called to to know who they are and whose they are. That they are a child of God and that they can actually live their life in full freedom. That they can live their life in oneness and in union with you. God, I just thank you. I just pray I I just pray if anyone is struggling especially with addictions right now, I pray they'd have a revelation of who they are and who you are in Jesus name. Amen."

Addressing 1 John's Challenging Passage

Liam and Dean return to continue their exploration of Christian identity, acknowledging that while they have established the theological foundation through Romans 6 and 7, many believers encounter confusion when reading 1 John 1:8-9. This passage is frequently cited to argue that Christians retain a sin nature, directly contradicting the freedom they have been teaching.

Dean provides essential historical context, explaining that John wrote to address Gnostic heresy that had infiltrated early Christian communities. The Gnostics taught that physical matter was inherently evil, making it impossible for God to truly become human. This led them to deny either Christ's genuine humanity or His divine nature, fundamentally undermining the gospel message.

Contextual Understanding of Sin and Confession

The conversation reveals that John's reference to being "without sin" addresses Gnostic claims of perfection through knowledge alone, while simultaneously denying the necessity of Christ's atoning work. John's assertion that "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us" targets those who claimed no need for a saviour rather than establishing ongoing confession as proof of retained sinfulness in believers.

The hosts demonstrate that verse 2:1 provides the proper perspective: "I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father." This indicates that John expected believers to live without sin as their normal experience, with provision made for exceptions rather than constant failure.

The word "advocate" (parakletos) connects directly to the Holy Spirit's ministry, revealing that when believers do sin, their response should come through divine conviction toward righteousness rather than human condemnation toward guilt and shame.

Personal Testimony of Practical Freedom

Liam shares his transformative experience with pornography addiction, demonstrating how understanding identity revolutionised his approach to spiritual struggle. Rather than engaging in behaviour modification techniques or willpower-based resistance, the revelation that sin nature had been crucified and replaced with righteous nature provided genuine freedom.

The key insight involved recognising that sin operates through deception, attempting to convince believers that corruption remains internal when Scripture declares it has been removed. This understanding eliminated the performance cycle of temporary victory followed by guilt-induced defeat, replacing it with confidence rooted in completed transformation.

The practical result involved shifting focus from fighting sin to feeding on identity in Christ. Rather than concentrating on avoiding negative behaviour, Liam learned to cultivate understanding of his sonship, allowing the byproduct of righteous living to emerge naturally from renewed thinking patterns.

Marriage Analogy for Christian Living

The hosts develop a powerful analogy comparing Christian spiritual life to marriage relationship. Just as a healthy marriage focuses on intimacy, connection, and mutual blessing rather than merely avoiding adultery, authentic Christianity emphasises relationship with God over behaviour management.

This perspective reveals the inadequacy of measuring spiritual success by sin avoidance. While faithfulness remains essential, the primary indicators of spiritual health involve intimacy with God, understanding of identity, and natural expression of righteous character rather than white-knuckle resistance to temptation.

The analogy demonstrates why performance-based Christianity produces anxiety and eventual failure, while relationship-focused faith generates sustainable transformation rooted in love rather than fear.

Practical Examples of Living from New Nature

Dean provides concrete illustration through financial stress scenarios, showing how believers can respond from their righteous nature rather than defaulting to worry patterns. Instead of fighting anxiety through willpower or religious commands not to worry, he demonstrates turning immediately to declarations of God's character and provision.

This approach involves recognising that worry contradicts the believer's nature as a child of the God who supplies all needs according to His riches in glory. Rather than battling negative emotions, the focus shifts to building relationship with God in the secret place, establishing patterns of peace that become automatic responses during challenging circumstances.

The distinction between this approach and positive thinking or self-help techniques lies in its foundation upon objective truth about God's character and the believer's standing rather than subjective emotional manipulation.

Spiritual Disciplines from Relationship Rather Than Religion

The conversation addresses daily spiritual practices, emphasising motivation rooted in desire for relationship rather than religious obligation. Dean describes his commitment to daily Bible reading and prayer as natural expressions of love for God and hunger for His presence rather than duties to be completed.

This perspective transforms spiritual disciplines from burden to blessing, allowing believers to engage Scripture and prayer with expectation of encounter rather than fear of failing to meet requirements. The Holy Spirit becomes the teacher and companion rather than the taskmaster monitoring compliance.

The practical result involves sustainable spiritual growth rooted in joy and anticipation rather than guilt-driven performance that inevitably leads to burnout and discouragement.

Direct Access to the Father

Liam concludes by emphasising the believer's direct access to God as Father, using his relationship with his four daughters to illustrate the absurdity of approaching God through intermediaries or complex religious systems. Just as his children would never ask someone else to speak to him on their behalf, believers have been granted immediate access to their heavenly Father.

This truth addresses the guilt, shame, and condemnation that prevent many Christians from experiencing authentic relationship with God. The Father is not distant, hiding, or angry, but rather delights in providing for His children and desires intimate fellowship with them.

The episode closes with prayer specifically targeting those struggling with addictions, recognising that identity revelation provides the foundation for practical freedom in areas where behaviour modification has failed repeatedly.

Throughout the discussion, the hosts demonstrate how proper theological understanding directly impacts daily Christian experience.

Rather than treating doctrine as abstract academic exercise, they show how biblical truth about identity, nature, and relationship transforms practical responses to life's challenges.

The integration of personal testimony, scriptural exposition, and practical application provides listeners with both intellectual foundation and emotional connection to the truths being presented. This approach bridges the gap between theological study and authentic spiritual transformation.

The episode establishes that Christian living flows naturally from understanding who believers are in Christ rather than from striving to behave according to external standards, providing both freedom from performance anxiety and power for authentic righteousness.