Thank you for that advice. I wish I had thought of it, and I should definitely listen to it.radarmark said:
It depends upon whom you ask. In a general we can all be better than we are at something, so in that sense we are sinners. In the context of 1John 1:9 a person should consider themselves a sinner compared to God in terms of truth and importance with no extra levels between any two people. Confessing you are a sinner is admitting there is no right person to ask questions of, nobody whose ideas are above another's ideas. In the original (I suggest) context this verse goes so far as to equate people of different intellectual strengths, backgrounds and perhaps even undermines the right to own claim property, though that is unclear. Romans 3:23 says "All have sinned" and moving towards verse 27 adds "where, then, is boasting?" We have James 2, too, who says not to show any favoritism, to love your neighbor as much as you love yourself, not to boast, to accept that wisdom comes equally to all from God. The ones who don't accept this it calls double minded (division minded?). James 3:17 says " But the wisdom that comes from heaven is..impartial and sincere," contrasting it with the wisdom that comes through people.Paladin said:
I don't think you have to be labeled. This is a Christian text that I'm explaining in its ancient context as well as I'm able to understand it. The label is a more recent development whereas originally this confession places God in such a superior position to people that we are all small in comparison. It is a way of getting around the inability to label God by trying to make a comparison between God and people, so it is attempting to characterize God. Today it is often used as a label people put upon themselves and say "I am a sinner," but I'm not in agreement with taking it as a label on people. I still agree with radarmark about looking at areas in which we need to improve. That is a great idea.Paladin said:
Definitely that is related. In the Christian context we are both made in God's likeness and also inspired by the Spirit. Christians are then exhorted to see God in themselves but more in those around them on the whole allegorically as if they were all parts of a huge tent in which God was present. (This is another of John's allegories taken from chapter one of his gospel.) The Christian does look to themselves and does have an opinion, but they don't place their opinion in a pedestal. It would be extremely difficult to fulfill John's allegory to the letter, to fulfill his high ideal of behaving in this way. In some places you would get walked upon constantly. To that degree you'd have to look to yourself just to survive I imagine. You would be unable to submit to other people perfectly unless surrounded by people of the same mindset as yourself.A Cup of Tea said:
Nothing could be better than this. The Jains have a particular day on which they would seek excuse for any mistake they might have committed with that person unknowingly (because knowingly, we are not supposed to commit any mistake.
That is 'pap' (sin), and that will only be squared by the Lord of Death, Yama, when we reach his office). This is known as 'Paryushan Day'. We, Hindus, do it the day after Deepawali (Diwali). Person to person, and not to any God or Goddess.