You have probably heard several definitions of sin. Some of the definitions I have heard are that sin is selfishness or that sin is anything short of the glory of God (whatever that means). I am sure there are other definitions of sin. But did you know that the Bible actually gives us a definition of sin? This is that definition. “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law”, 1 John 3:4. Breaking the laws of God is sin. Simple and understandable. Sin as selfishness or self-gratification as the end for which we live also makes sense. Sin as anything short of the glory of God is not at all helpful because it is not precise.
Being born a human being is not and can’t be sinful because there is no law against being born. The dogma that we inherit the sin and guilt of Adam is widely believed by most Christians, I suspect. However, the Bible doesn’t teach this at all. The Bible makes it very clear that we can’t sin for someone else. Moreover, the Word of God declares that the person who sins will die. The father will not be put to death for the sins of the son, nor will the son be put to death for the sins of their father. The soul that sins shall die, see Ezekiel 18:4. Each individual is responsible for their own sins. This is the teaching of the Word of God, and it resonates with reason and rational thinking.
But many have been brainwashed Christians to believe that being born a human being means that they are born with a sinful nature they inherit from Adam, which forces and causes them to sin. They have believed the lie that they are born sinners, who can do no good, and can’t understand the things of God. They are also taught to believe that when they do “accept Christ” or “receive Jesus” or “believe in Jesus”, their lives will still continue to be characterized by sin. But no worries, because they are told that the Spirit of God seals them and they are going to heaven no matter how much bad fruit (sin) they continue to produce.
Jesus said that you shall know them by their fruits in Matthew 7:17-18. He said that a good tree can’t produce bad fruit and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. A tree is known by the fruit it produces. Likewise, we are known by the fruit we produce and not simply by what we profess to believe. If our fruit is lawlessness and sin, then our fruit is bad fruit. If our fruit is lawfulness and righteousness, then our fruit is good fruit. If you really think about this statement, you will notice that Jesus was referring to our habitual character, not a rare instance of either good fruit or bad fruit. The idea in evangelical Christianity that we can be both holy and unholy at the same time is not the message of scripture.
In 1 John 3:6-10, we are told that, “Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil, for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.” Could this passage be any clearer? Yet, few Christians actually believe any of this. They profess to believe the Bible is the Word of God, including this passage, but their blatant, sinful unbelief has blinded their hearts and minds.
“He that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as Christ is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil.” I would be pleasantly surprised to learn that as many as one in ten thousand “Christians” actually believe this passage. This section is directly opposed to the teaching of most evangelical churches in America. Most of these churches tell Christians that they should expect to sin in thought, word, and deed every day until they die. Yet the Bible says that if this fruit of sin continues, then you are not born of God but are born of the devil.
Listen to what God told the prophet Isaiah, “Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin;” Isaiah 30:1, KJV, emphasis added. In the prophet’s day, there were false prophets telling the people that God would overlook their sin, even without their repentance. God rebukes that false teaching, “that they may add sin to sin” and not be condemned by God. Who are you going to believe? Are you one of those “rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of me?” Most Christians today, I fear, do not take the counsel of the LORD but are, in fact, rebellious children, that they may add sin to sin.
Simply put, he who does what is right is righteous. He who sins or transgresses the law is of the devil. Loosely translated, the word ‘practice’ is used in the modern versions. Practice does mean repetition. Although that is part of the meaning of “doeth”, it does not express the full impact of the passage. John is not saying that you are ‘practicing’ to do what is right someday; he says you are actually doing it right now. Sin is refusing to do what the law or the right thing requires. The pattern of those born of God is a habitual production of good fruit or law-keeping. In this, the children of God and the children of the devil are known. Whoever produces righteousness is of God. Whoever continues to sin is of the devil, according to the Word of God. Therefore, it is essential that we possess a free and independent will, capable of obeying God and doing what is right. From that foundation, we can clearly understand what the Bible teaches about sin. Sin is the voluntary transgression of the laws of God. Sin is lawlessness.
The broad way leads to destruction
Many Christians define sin so broadly that simply existing as a human being, subject to all our frailties, is considered a sin. But that is not a sin. Being born a human being means we see in part, we know in part, and like the grass, we fade away all too soon. It means we are born with limitations. Some of the religious elite want sin to be understood very broadly to justify their belief in a “sinning Christianity”. If you wonder why it is that our nation, including the nominal Christian church, is in a moral freefall, look no further. For if sin is defined so broadly, it becomes obvious that no person can live without constant sin in their life. Just do the best you can, and trust in God’s unconditional love for you, is the message of many evangelical churches.
If that carnal message is true, what are we left with? We are left with God commanding us to stop sinning when we are utterly unable to do so. Does that sound like the God of the Bible? Is that a God you can trust? This false message makes God out to be a despot, commanding the impossible from us and then damning us for not doing the impossible. We are also left with a religion of constant sinning and a man-made theology of legerdemain where we have “sinning saints” and “unholy holy” Christians. Even temptation is considered to be a form of sin itself. Do holy people get tempted to sin? Wasn’t Jesus holy? Was He not tempted to sin? And if temptation itself is sin, then Jesus was a sinner, for He was tempted in all points as we are, according to the Word of God. We know that is not true, for Jesus never sinned. Moreover, Jesus was not born a sinner with a sinful nature. Neither are we.
Is temptation sin?
“Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” James 1:13-15
This passage tells us that desire must be united with our will for sin (or transgression) to occur. If the temptation is refused and halted in its tracks as 1 Corinthians 10:13 promises, the desire is not enticed into sin. When we yield to sinful impulses and lusts, we sin. The way of escape is to believe the Word of God and our own free will to choose the right way over the wrong. ‘Full-grown’ sin is the transgression accomplished, whether in actuality or in the heart. (If you lust after another person in your heart, Jesus said you have already committed adultery). The violation results in spiritual/eternal death. Repentance (confessing and forsaking the sin) is the only remedy. It is the only antidote.
We were never promised that we would not be tempted. Even Jesus was tempted to sin. Temptation will be a part of our lives during this time on earth. Good news, we can say no to temptation. And God will help us say no to temptation, but the final decision is ours. The Word of God tells us that God will never allow us to be tempted beyond our ability to resist sin. That truth should be obvious to all of us, but it is not because many Christians are sheep who believe just about anything they are told, except the clear teachings of the Bible. How sad it is.
“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13.
All sin is the same, or is it?
Not all sin is the same. But many Christians mistakenly claim that it is. This is all done in an effort to make the thought of ever being free from sin seem so ridiculous that no one would think that is possible or that God would actually expect us to be free from sin! If you know your Bible, you know there are lesser and greater sins. And all sin, including lesser sin, is a transgression of the law. If we sin, we break the law, but not all sin is the same. Obviously, stealing a car and killing someone in the process is a greater sin than stealing a candy bar from a grocery store.
Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore, the one who delivered me to you has the greater sin.” NKJV, John 19:11. Clearly, Jesus taught that levels of responsibility exist toward God. He taught that there are lesser and greater sins. In the parable of the faithful and evil servant, as found in Luke 12:35-48, knowing the master’s will and failing to do it resulted in a more severe punishment. Although the parable also shows that intentional ignorance is never an excuse, either. The Greater Sin is the transgression that incurs the greater condemnation. Just as all the commandments are not the same, neither can all sin be the same.
When Lies Become Truth and the subject of sin
If you are interested in a deeper discussion on this subject, I recommend my book, When Lies Become Truth. In that resource, I cover this subject of sin in much more detail and include the dogma of mortal and venial sins. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that some sins are so egregious that the penalty is eternal death. Other sins are venial in nature and can eventually be forgiven. In Daniel Corner’s book, The Believer’s Conditional Security, the author refers to 1 John 5:16 and the passage that discusses sin not unto death and sin unto death. He has adopted something that seems like mortal and venial sins. In that book, I address King David’s sins of adultery and murder and what the Bible says about the wages of sin being death. Are we a sinner even if we just sin once? Do we die, when we sin? Or does God give us all some time to repent before we die? If he does, how much time do we have before the wages of sin are death?
What is a sin unto death, and what is a sin not unto death?
“If any man sees his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.” 1 John 5:16.
Some interpret this to mean that there is sin unto death, as in eternal or spiritual death, which is eternal separation from God. This is understood to be a willful sin and an unrepentant rejection of God and His law, or of apostasy, as in a complete rejection of God. I believe Hebrews 6 may describe a situation like this. Some may even tie this sin unto death, to the unpardonable sin in Matthew 12:31-32, which Jesus said is unforgivable.
“The sin not unto death is a sin that, while serious, doesn’t result in eternal separation if the person repents. These are thought to be “everyday sins” that believers might commit but can be forgiven through confession and repentance,” ChatGPT author. Notice that this AI application makes the assumption, based on Christian literature, that Christians commit “everyday sins” all the time.
Another view, which I call the eternal security view, is that the “sin unto death” are sins that lead to physical death as a judgment from God but not eternal separation from God. These Christian folks believe that the sin unto death refers to believers who persist in sinful living and who refuse to repent. And what is their punishment for this awful crime against God and man? Are you sitting down? God takes them to heaven prematurely so they can’t continue to enjoy the pleasures of wickedness on earth. What a deterrent to sin that is! How could God be so cruel?
Sins not unto death are sins of weakness, not sins of rebellion. These can be forgiven upon repentance, but they do not result in eternal separation from God, nor do they result in physical death. The penalty is loss of position and fewer rewards in heaven. This, too, is part of the eternal security viewpoint.
In the Old Testament Book of Numbers 15:22-32, the sins of presumption automatically expelled a Jew from the covenant. Unwitting sins and sins of ignorance required atonement to remain in the covenant of God and Israel. The Bible Hub website makes the following comments.
“Some sins are more heinous in the sight of God than others; more heinous in their own nature, or by reason of aggravating circumstances. The distinction is familiar to all. Murder is a sin more heinous in the sight of God and man than petty theft. Armed rebellion against just authority is a greater sin than heedless omission to pay due honor and courtesy to a superior in office. Yet old and familiar as the distinction is, it is one in connection with which many have often fallen into mischievous error. Hence, the value of texts like this in Numbers, which throws light upon it”.
The Bible Hub continues, “Some sins are described as sins of ignorance or unwitting sins. The reference is to faults that are due to error or inadvertence. We all know, to our cost, how liable we are to these. Never a day passes but we omit duty and commit faults, either because we knew no better, or because we were “off guard” and stumbled before we were aware. These are sins of infirmity, such as cleaving to the best of men in the present life.” This comment is why nearly the entire Evangelical church thinks it is absurd to even talk about living without constant sin in your life. The Bible Hub author gives this kind of interpretation, which feeds into the idea that all Christians sin in thought, word, and deed every day. There are many passages of scripture that declare the exact opposite. We will go over many of them.
The Bible Hub author writes, “The other sins are done presumptuously, literally with a high hand. The matter is one about which there is no dubiety; the person knows well what is right and what is wrong; knowing this, he deliberately and purposely does the wrong. He offends against light, conviction, and conscience. This is presumptuous sin. I (referring to the author of the Bible Hub) have said that the distinction between greater and lesser sins is old and familiar. Turning to any Roman Catholic book of devotion, you will find tables in which are enumerated respectively the “mortal sins” and the “venial” sins. That is one way of describing the two classes. I very much prefer the terms employed here in God’s word. And the superior wisdom of God is to be seen not only in the fitter terms employed, but also in the absence of any attempt, here or elsewhere in the Bible, to give a tabular enumeration of the sins belonging to either class. For one thing, a correct distribution is impossible. The same act which, in ordinary circumstances, one might deem trivial, may in other circumstances be a most heinous crime; whereas what seems to be heinous crime may be found to have been committed in circumstances of extenuating, that hesitant to pronounce it a crime at all. Besides, the distribution, if it were possible to be make, could do mischief. It is not good for men to be trying find out how near they may do the line which separates sins of infirmity from presumptuous sins, without actually passing over. The Bible refuses to give help in that sort of study. It indicates the quality which aggravates offences, so that we may learn to fear it and keeps as far off from it as we can.”
I did not find this comment from Bible Hub particularly helpful. I found it confusing, even though there is some truth in these statements. However, some sins are easily and appropriately deemed egregious and presumptuous. Sins such as adultery, fornication, homosexuality, premeditated murder, and theft immediately come to mind. Might it be that an unwillingness to call such sins to mind and declare them to be what they are might in fact cause more mischief than saying nothing?
My articles are not primarily about “sins of ignorance or unwitting sins”. God is not a cruel taskmaster; He is our heavenly Father. When God makes us aware of something we have done, are doing, or are neglecting to do, whether unwittingly or because we were not aware of the duty or prohibition, it is then that our responsibility before God becomes active, and we are immediately responsible for it. Many Christians believe in a God who created them unable to obey His commands, yet they are accountable to obey God under the pain of eternal death. I do not believe that is the character of the one true God. What would you think of a parent who treated their children the way some Christians believe God treats His children?
Being willingly ignorant of truth is itself a terrible sin for which there is no escape because it is, in actuality, a presumptuous sin. One might also think of it as an unpardonable sin, just like impenitence.
What is the problem?
In the evangelical church today, presumptuous sins are being considered as lesser sins of ignorance and expected as normal Christian experience. That is another reason why Christians refuse to believe that they can stop sinning. Equating sins of ignorance and presumptuous sins, and adding that to the error of an inherited sinful nature, has created the impression that Christians never stop sinning in this life and that God doesn’t really expect us to stop sinning. I do not believe that in the New Testament, God is primarily focused on unwitting “sins”. His true children will receive correction and amend their ways when new light is given to them by God. God’s keen displeasure is focused on our sins of presumption. “Sins” of ignorance were fully atoned for by the suffering and death of Jesus Christ once and for all. No one can repent of an unknown sin. Only when it is known is repentance possible. Presumptuous sins are in a different category, and they must be confessed and repented of before pardon will be granted.
The sins that Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 6, Ephesians 5, and Galatians 5 are primarily sins of presumption, almost exclusively. In addition, if sins of ignorance are still critical in the New Testament, how could John the apostle repeatedly say that “no one born of God sins”? And how could Paul say in Romans 6 and 8 that we are dead to sin, freed from the bondage of sin, and alive to God in righteousness? Can anyone commit the sin of adultery, fornication, homosexuality, theft, idolatry, murder, ignorantly or unwittingly? I do not believe it.
The Bible Hub goes on to say that sins of ignorance required sacrifices to atone for sin. As for sins of presumption, there is no hope for the transgressor, as stated clearly in verses 30 and 31. No sacrifices were provided to atone for such sins. This, says Bible Hub, reminds us that there is a sin unto death. (Hebrews 10:26, 27; 1 John 5:16). And I add that God’s patience and mercy don’t last forever. The unrepentant “Christian” may sin away the day of grace and be lost forever.
How many sins?
How many sins can we commit and still be a child of God? Is there any limit to the number of sins we can commit and not be condemned to hell? If you believe in eternal security and imputed obedience, there is no limit at all to the numbers or kinds of sin Christians can commit and still be on their way to glory. Can a genuine Christian commit an act of ‘occasional or even somewhat frequent’ adultery or sodomy, without repentance, and still be on their way to glory? It is shocking how many Christians do not see that as a problem. And that is the moral confusion prevalent in so many of our evangelical churches. In my book, I delve into the question of how many sins, if you’re interested. (When Lies Become Truth). This is why Jesus warned us so severely in Matthew 5:27-30. Jesus said if your right hand or eye causes you to sin, it would be better for you to live with one less hand and one less eye than to enter hell with all your body parts intact.
As repeatedly mentioned, for many Christians, they are taught to expect that they will continue to sin all the days of their life. Hopefully, the sinning will decrease over time. But that is not what the Bible teaches and demands. Sin is not the foregone conclusion except in most evangelical churches. But in the Bible, we read, “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace”—Romans 6:14 and 1 John 3 passages above. Also consider Romans 6 and 8.
Children of God, walk in victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil, not defeat
In 1 John 5, we are told that by our faith we overcome the world, and the world of sin doesn’t overcome us. “Whosoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” 1 John 5:4. Real Christians live in the victory that Jesus Christ accomplished on our behalf. Genuinely saved Christians are victorious over the world, the flesh, and the devil. Christians were sinners, but they are now saints of God, who rarely sin anymore. And when they do sin, they quickly repent of it. Don’t believe me? Please read the next verse, which follows.
“We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.” In John 5:18, as well as in other passages in the book of 1 John, it is clearly stated that no one born of God continues to sin. Those who walk in sin are children of the devil, not of God. But evangelical Christians have been taught continuously not to believe what the Word of God clearly proclaims. Evangelicals have twisted and rewritten the Word of God. When the Word proclaims, “We know that whosoever is born of God does not sin,” it now means, “We know that whosoever is born of God does continue to sin.”
Sinning daily in thought, word, and deed (as just about every evangelical pastor claims) is certainly not producing the fruit of right behavior that 1 John teaches. The confession of sin John speaks of in 1 John 1:7-9 is the RARE occasion of sin, not habitual sinning. It is written ’IF ANYONE SINS’. It is not written that ‘WHEN WE SIN’ as if it were a foregone conclusion that we would continue to sin habitually. The inspired writer, John, is teaching the EXACT opposite of a ‘sin-confess’ lifestyle of constant transgression that many professed Christians live under. The forgiveness of the sin is contingent on WALKING in the Light, Abiding in Him, and being Faithful to Him. This is not a formula for the automatic recovery of immoral acts that bring about spiritual and eternal death.
Let us not forget that we are a slave to the one we obey. If we obey sin, the end result is eternal death. If we obey righteousness, the end result is eternal life. If sin has dominion over you (sinning daily in thought, word, and deed), you are a child of the Devil and not of God. Jesus’s purpose was to destroy the works of the devil, not to cover our sin with some kind of fictitious cloak of righteousness. Sinning against God is serious business. That’s why real repentance is so important. There has to be a clearing of the wrongdoing before mercy can be granted. Otherwise, the desires will never change. Godly sorrow breaks down the stubborn heart, causing it to yield to God and stop the sin. That’s where the Fear and Diligence come in. In the end, the heart is PURIFIED by faith. (2 Corinthians 6:10-11) The new birth begins on the solid ground of truth and a ceasing of iniquity. The Divine Nature is imparted to the repentant soul.
This can’t possibly happen by degree or gradually over time, as many pastors claim. The Bible states that for a person to know to do right and not do it, to them it is sin (James 4:17). How can you constantly be doing the wrong thing and be the person the apostle John is talking about in 1 John 3:9-10, born of God? Scripture constantly warns us not to stumble others with our behavior or fail to act out of faith in matters of food, drink, and apparel. Although many of these things are not sins in themselves, they can become a source of stumbling to others if indulged in. Then the sin becomes an offense that can destroy the faith of another. Jesus was very severe in His warning in Matthew 18:6 about these things. Woe unto the person from whom the offense comes. Better to adopt Paul’s direction and be safe. Exercise care in everything. “It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.” Romans 14:21
What about such things as smoking, drinking, obesity (overeating), crude talk, and forms of entertainment that bring forth impure lusts? All these sins fall under Paul’s admonition and should be avoided. Indeed, some of them can quickly become an awful source of indulgence and enslave you into sin. The problem with these types of things is the unethical behavior they promote in the churches, unabated because no one will say a word about the socially accepted “sins”. In fact, it’s commonplace among professed Christians today to assume everyone is the Romans 7 wretch, and Chief of all Sinners. Therefore, they heap all sin into one lump and indulge themselves in all of it.
The absolute necessity of repentance
If professing Christians really cared and had come to God through real repentance and faith, their lives would reflect the standards of the Bible. When Christians have not really repented, they most often try to explain away and dismiss the Biblical standard. Real Christians, like Paul, are deeply concerned about their own personal conduct and the sins of others. They do not shrug off all the immoral activity going on around them as though nothing is wrong, and all these people are on their way to heaven. The very real possibility of being castaway or disqualified is a present danger. Even if the Pastors are numb to it, the scriptures make it clear. “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified (castaway).” 1 Corinthians 9:27, emphasis added.
Just because your Pastor and friends won’t warn you of certain types of sinful behavior that will disqualify you from the Kingdom, it doesn’t mean that you can do them anyway and get away with it. As Paul said, “Be not deceived.” “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore, do not be partakers with them.” Ephesians 5:6-7. The sons of disobedience are those who habitually disobey God. The sons of obedience are those who habitually obey God, and only these are sons and daughters of the Most High God.
What sins will disqualify Christians from inheriting the Kingdom of God and of Christ?
What sins is the Apostle Paul talking about? Read the previous verses in Ephesians 5: ‘Fornication, uncleanness, covetousness, filthiness, foolish talking, coarse jesting, drunkenness, idolatry.’
Specifically, in Galatians 5:19-21, we are given this list of “the works of the flesh:
adultery,
fornication,
uncleanness,
lasciviousness (unbridled lust, wantonness, shamelessness, debauchery, insolence),
idolatry,
witchcraft,
hatred,
variance (contention, discord, strife),
emulations (act of trying to surpass or imitate someone, often out of envy or rivalry, jealousy),
wrath,
strife,
seditions (disturbances leading to fighting),
heresies (teachings that go against central teachings of the Bible),
envying,
murderers,
drunkenness,
revellings (excessive, disorderly and sinful partying, intemperance and sinful indulgence),
and such like, of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21, emphasis added.
This next verse is in the first book of Corinthians, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind (homosexuals), nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God” 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. Verse 10 goes on to declare that such were some of you, but you were sanctified and justified in Christ. It most certainly does not state, in any way, that such are some of you, does it? No, it does not. Sin has been put off, and righteousness is now habitual.
I trust you already understand that almost all evangelical churches and pastors do not believe this verse of God’s word, for they teach that “Christians” do, in fact, and should expect to remain unrighteous in some or all of these ways listed specifically in Ephesians 5, Galatians 5 and 1 Corinthians 6. Could the apostle Paul been any clearer that those false Christians, who are unrighteous in reality (forget the false idea of an imputed righteousness and imputed obedience), will not inherit the kingdom of God. But our evangelical leaders today tell all of us that the unrighteous (Christians) do, in fact, inherit the kingdom of God in direct opposition to the truth of the Word of God. If you entrust your soul to these lies, you will lose your soul.
Don’t fall for the lie that these things do not apply to the ‘Christian.’ Who else would they be written to? The heathen was already doing these sins. Don’t be foolish enough to assume this doesn’t apply to ‘Christians’ or that they can do them occasionally or even often and still be safe in their sins.
No one is perfect, not even a Christian.
Another snare you can fall into concerning the sin issue is the often-heard excuse that ‘No one is perfect.’ Again, this assumes sin is the foregone conclusion from start to finish for the Christian. Since we came to God ‘in sin’ and were forgiven while still sinning, God doesn’t really expect much of an improvement in us. Just trust that God will take away your sin even if you never stop committing sin. If that isn’t a get-out-of-jail-free card, then what is? Imputed obedience is a devil-inspired false teaching; don’t fall for it.
Is being willing to stop sinning and desiring to stop someday, the same as actually stopping sin?
We are also told that all God expects of us is just a ‘desire’ to change, somehow and someday. That is good enough. Your present wicked behavior isn’t a crime against God to be cleared and repented of, but only a ‘symptom’ of your sinful nature that you are born with and that you must learn to cope with. The bottom line is that repentance from all sin is neither a possibility nor an expectation.
And actual obedience can be substituted for a ‘desire’ to do better, even if you never do better. Satan could not have thought of a better and more damnable theology. No wonder it is so well-received today. In the devil’s religion, a person can live like a demon, accept Christ, trust Christ, and receive Christ, and still go to heaven.
God’s focus is on the heart, and it is perfectly capable of yielding to Him in humble obedience and rendering due service. Who produced a crop in the parable of the Sower? The Seed that fell on the good soil or the good heart that took root. That’s the difference between life and death, heaven or hell. Whether you will obey or excuse yourself from obedience. It’s not a matter of who is perfect. No sinner is absolutely perfect. No saint is absolutely perfect because a saint is a repentant sinner. But we are to change from sinners to righteous believers. That is the servant who will be found so doing when the master returns. The others will be rejected, cast away, and disqualified for missing the mark (sinning).
The danger of sin
Every sin has the potential of disqualifying us from the Kingdom. Some sins do so much more rapidly than others, and some can place you in a state of hopelessness. Willful acts of deliberate sin are said to crucify Christ afresh and hold Him to open shame. Many people never recover from these types of sins because they insult the Spirit of grace and trample the blood by which they were sanctified, treating it like the blood of animals, with no power to eradicate sin from their lives. (Hebrews 6:1-6 and Hebrews 10:26-29). Like Esau, they went past the point of no return. The root of bitterness defiled their conscience, and they could no longer find repentance unto God, although they sought it with bitter tears. (Hebrews 12:15-17).
Hebrews chapter 6 addresses those who can no longer be brought back to repentance, as their apostasy has progressed too far. Not even God can convince them to repent of their sins and find mercy. They are now reprobate.
Hebrews chapter 10 refers to those who crucify Christ again, but can be brought back to repentance, albeit it is very difficult. “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins. But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses. Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worth, who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace.” Hebrews 10:26-29.
Under the Old Covenant, sins of presumption meant automatic expulsion from the commonwealth of Israel. Sins of ignorance or unwitting sins were dealt with under the law of sacrifice and offerings. Hebrews 10 relates especially to sins of presumption or willful sins. These sins of presumption are particularly prevalent in our day. Pastors and teachers tell their congregation to expect to continue to sin regularly as a child of God. Moreover, they tell these duped sinners that they are eternally secure in their willful and presumptuous sins. That is the very foundation of presumptuous sinfulness, is it not? Run from these blind guides while you can. Do not fall into a Hebrews 6 hole from which you will never escape.
Are Christians saved in their sins or from their sins?
The Bible says, Love covers a multitude of sins. Some may mistakenly think that applies to God’s love for us and that God will allow us to hold onto some sinfulness without being damned. That is a fatal misunderstanding of this verse. In our personal relationships, love covers a multitude of sins. We are to be forgiving people. However, to enjoy and benefit from the salvific love of God, we must be turned from our sins and the error of our ways to be saved (James 5:19-20). Nothing is more dangerous to the soul than a complacent, flippant attitude toward sin in general and our personal sins in particular. The present-day evangelical gospel breeds carelessness, complacency, and a nonchalant attitude among professed Christians. Christians are told repeatedly that God saves them “in” their sins because they were born with a sinful nature, which is unable to obey God. They indulge themselves in all manner of sin without fear of damnation because they have been repeatedly lied to and told that they are eternally secure, once saved-always saved. Ultimately, all false teaching numbs the conscience, dulls the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and renders genuine repentance impossible.
The outcome of our salvation is not going to be decided by balancing our successes against our failures, but on whether or not our heart was fully yielded to God in faithful obedience to all His will and commandments (repentance). Does that not make perfect sense, even if we are ignorant of the teachings of the Bible? Our actual behavior will reflect our level of love for God and our devotion to His will. That’s why few there be, that will find the small gate and walk the narrow path.
A promise of Victory over sin!
“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13. If the dogma of inbred sin/sinful nature and inability to obey God is true, then this verse is a lie. How few Christians believe and practice what the Word of God actually teaches. This is a promise from the Holy Ghost that sin can be conquered. Why is the greater part of the evangelical church telling us, sin can’t be conquered?
