1 John 1:8

If we say See on 1 John 1:6. Doubtless there were some who said so, and more perhaps who thought so; -say" need not mean more than -say in our hearts". S. John's own teaching might easily be misunderstood as encouraging such an error, if one portion of it (1 John 3:9-10) were taken without the rest.

we have no sin -To have sin" is a phrase peculiar to S. John in N. T. There is no need to inquire whether original or actual sin is meant: the expression is quite general, covering sin of every kind. Only One human being has been able to say -The things pleasing to God I always do"; -Which of you convicteth Me of sin?"; -The ruler of the world hath nothing in Me" (John 8:29; John 8:46; John 14:30). The more a man knows of the meaning of -God is light", i.e. the more he realises the absolute purity and holiness of God, the more conscious he will become of his own impurity and sinfulness: comp. Job 9:2; Job 14:4; Job 15:14; Job 25:4; Proverbs 20:9; Ecclesiastes 7:20.

we deceive ourselves Not merely we are mistaken, or are misled, but we lead ourselves astray. In the Greek it is neither the middle, nor the passive, but the active with the reflexive pronoun: the erring is all our own doing. See on 1 John 5:21. We do for ourselves what Satan, the arch-deceiver (Revelation 12:9; Revelation 20:10) endeavours to do for us. The active (πλανᾷν) is frequent in S. John, especially in the Apocalypse (Revelation 2:26; Revelation 3:7; Revelation 2:20; Revelation 12:9; Revelation 13:14; Revelation 19:20; Revelation 20:3; Revelation 20:8; Revelation 20:10). An examination of these passages will shew that the word is a strong one and implies serious departure from the truth: comp. John 7:12.

the truth is not in us Because we are in an atmosphere of self-made darkness which shuts the truth out. The truth may be all round us, but we are not in contact with it: it is not inus. One who shuts himself in a dark room has no light, though the sun may be shining brightly. All words about truth, -the truth, true, truly," are characteristic of S. John. Note the antithetic parallelism, and see on 1 John 1:5.