A Warning Message to Heed

"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." —I John 5:8 [KJV]

Sincere upright souls before God, the scriptures deem PERFECT. They are free from hypocrisy and dissimulation; they judge and speak of themselves according to truth; Christ who is essentially THE TRUTH, dwelleth in their hearts by faith; the Spirit leads them into all truth, concerning themselves and salvation in Christ. Satan, who abode not in the truth, is ever blinding souls to the truth, striving to seduce them from the truth, and to make them not only deceive others, but themselves also. 

He never baits his hook with a more alluring bait than pride. He aims to make us think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think, and to judge of ourselves, and say, "I am not like other men," I have no sin, I am perfect. This is the very essence of Pharisaism. That very moment any soul says so, he is under the influence of a lying, deceitful spirit; "he bridleth not his tongue, he deceiveth his own heart, his religion is vain."—James 1:26. "He flattereth himself in his own eyes, till his iniquity be found hateful."—Psalm 36:2. 

But if we see no sin, if we feel no sin in us, are we not to tell of our happy state? Is not Jesus glorified hereby Who hath thus PERFECTLY saved us? Seeing and feeling! If one in a high fever says, "I am quite well, I feel no disorder," we are sure he has a deceitful sense, he is not in his right mind. Alas! our senses are deceitful judges; they may delude us; they most certainly do, if they testify contrary to the truth of God's word. Our Saviour is only glorified by the truth. 

What! shall we give the lie to the Spirit of truth and the word of truth, under pretence of glorifying Jesus? Beware, O soul, "Satan transforms himself into an angel of light, and makes thee think and say, thou hast no sin," for another reason than to glorify Christ, even to glorify thyself in thine own eyes, and in the sight of others. Hear confident Peter. Little did he think what was in his heart when he said, (perhaps he saw no sin, nor felt no sin at that time) "Though I die with thee, yet will I not deny thee." 

Think of his awful fall, his horrid oaths and dreadful imprecations, and be humble. Awful effects are not wanting in our day, of such whom Satan has puffed up with this unscriptural notion of being SINLESS; but dreadful effects have followed. The higher the elevation, the greater the fall. O soul, ever remember, "thou standest by faith;" this leads us entirely out of ourselves to the perfection of Jesus. "Be not high minded," exalted with the notions of a state contrary to God's truth, here styled self-deceit, "but fear;" ever be afraid of setting up thyself in opposition to the positive assertions of the Spirit of truth. He who says he has no sin, commits sin in saying so; for he lies, the truth is not in him, he is deceived by the father of lies.

-preacher William Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)