Can you continue to knowingly sin and remain a Christian?

[Hopeful]

If I am led of the Spirit, I am not under the law (Galatians 5:18).

If you are led by the Spirit, you won't commit any sin.

 

[Hopeful]

If the interpretation is as I say, then it applies to believers; in saying that all believers have sinned in their past (while they may not continue to sin in their present and future).

No, it doesn't apply to believers, as believers walk in the light, which is God.
Don't accommodate future sin.

And also, it is possible that it is not saying that Christians have indwelling sin; that they are completely cleansed from all sin; but that this does not mean that they haven't sinned in their past.

Indwelling sin is not in the bible.
One either commits sin or one doesn't.
Black or white.
Rebirth excises the old, and a new creature reborn of God's perfect seed is raised with Christ to walk in newness of life.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Do you think 75% characterization will be enough to save a man?
60%?
10%

A man is not declared righteous by how much like God he is. That's the works justification gospel condemned in scripture.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

If you are led by the Spirit, you won't commit any sin.

That goes without saying.
The question is whether or not you're going to choose to be led by the Spirit in any one situation. You will more and more as Father God trains you, his child, up in the ways of righteousness.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

It means that where no law is, there is no transgression.

In context, there is no law for some because they do not have knowledge of it, not because they've risen above it and don't sin anymore:

13For sin was in the world before the law was given; but sin is not taken into account when there is no law. Romans 5:13

And if we are not under the law (Romans 6:14), are dead to the law (Romans 7:4, Galatians 2:19), and are delivered from the law (Romans 7:6), it is as though there is no law; the law does not apply.

Hmm...my Bible says faith upholds and establishes the law:

31Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Certainly not! Instead, we uphold the law. Romans 3:31

That's hardly speaking of it being as though there is no law.

Also, sin is not imputed where the law does not apply (Romans 5:13).

Read it again. Sin is not imputed where the law has not been given!

13For sin was in the world before the law was given; but sin is not taken into account when there is no law. Romans 5:13

The believer's deliverance from the law is his deliverance from the condemnation of the law (among other things). Not because he doesn't sin anymore, but because of the forgiveness of God in this New Covenant:

39Through Him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses. Acts 13:39

So, sin is not imputed to me because I am not under the law, am dead to the law, and am delivered from the law.

That means that from the perspective of God the Father, I do not sin.

No, in the context of our discussion here, not being under the law means the forgiveness of God delivers you from it's condemnation.

He looks down on me from heaven and sees the blood and righteousness of His Son.

That is in fact the truth, in regard to justification.

In the context of justification (being made righteous), God sees the declaration of his righteousness that he has given you, not your righteous deeds.

And in regard to the justification of being shown to be righteous, as James talks about that, you don't need to be 100% sinless to be justified by your works (James 2:24). The ever-increasing traits and fruit of the Spirit does that (2 Peter 1:8 NIV), not your 100% sinlessness. That is how you confirm your calling and election, knowing that you are prepared to meet God in judgment and enter into the eternal kingdom of God (2 Peter 1:10-11).

 

[Jethro Bodine]

The Central Bank of the Russian Federation denied information about the theft by hackers of 2 billion rubles from correspondent accounts or Playgrounds

Ðак вÑбÑаÑÑ Ð¿Ð»Ð°ÑнÑÑ ÐºÐ»Ð¸Ð½Ð¸ÐºÑ?

ЧаÑÑнÑе клиники и многопÑоÑилÑнÑе ÑенÑÑÑ Ð´Ð°Ð²Ð½Ð¾ ÑÑали попÑлÑÑной алÑÑеÑнаÑивой гоÑÑдаÑÑÑвенной медиÑинÑкой помоÑи. Ðни имеÑÑ Ð²ÐµÑомÑе пÑеимÑÑеÑÑва пеÑед бÑджеÑнÑми ÑÑÑÑкÑÑÑами: оÑÑÑÑÑÑвие...

yourdesires.ru

Something about choosing a paid clinic, and the central bank of Russia getting ripped off.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

You would like that, wouldn't you? Because you would have an excuse to continue on in a lifestyle of sinning.

No, not a lifestyle of sinning, but rather, the righteous struggle with sin without the weight of an erroneous, sinless perfection doctrine hanging over my head.

Grace is not a license to live a life of deliberate and thoughtless sin. That is the life of an unbeliever. But for us believers, grace is the agent by which God the Father patiently and lovingly grows his children up into the image of himself, like his Son and our big brother, Jesus, is the image of our Father.

 

[justbyfaith]

If you are led by the Spirit, you won't commit any sin.

I may fail to wear tzitzut and tallit, or to blow the chofar in the new moon.

That would be a violation of the law; and therefore sin (1 John 3:4).

 

[justbyfaith]

Indwelling sin is not in the bible.

I think that it is (Romans 7:18 and context).

 

[justbyfaith]

Hmm...my Bible says faith upholds and establishes the law:

31Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Certainly not! Instead, we uphold the law. Romans 3:31

That's hardly speaking of it being as though there is no law.

Yes, faith establishes the law.

We are under the law to Christ as concerning obedience (1 Corinthians 9:21, Hebrews 8:8-10, 1 John 5:3, 2 John 1:6, Romans 13:8-10; Romans 5:5, Romans 8:4).

As concerning condemnation, we are not under the law (Romans 6:14), are dead to the law (Romans 7:4, Galatians 2:19), and are delivered from the law (Romans 7:6) because we are led of the Spirit (Galatians 5:18).

Also, the spiritual mind is at peace with God, for it is subject to the law of God, and cannot be otherwise (inverse of Romans 8:7).

Read it again. Sin is not imputed where the law has not been given!

Same thing.

The reality is that sin is not imputed where the law does not apply (Romans 5:13); and where the law does not apply, there is no transgression (Romans 4:15); and sin is the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4)

Not because he doesn't sin anymore, but because of the forgiveness of God in this New Covenant:

Because he is forgiven, it is as though he doesn't sin any more in the sight of the Father; who looks down at him and sees, not his sin, but the blood and righteousness of His Son Jesus Christ.

No, in the context of our discussion here, not being under the law means the forgiveness of God delivers you from it's condemnation.

It means that in God's (the Father's) sight, he doesn't sin. That is what perpetual forgiveness is all about.

In the sight of the Holy Ghost, His job is to sanctify us by pinpointing our sins so that we can confess them. So, from His perspective, He still sees our sins.

No, not a lifestyle of sinning, but rather, the righteous struggle with sin without the weight of an erroneous, sinless perfection doctrine hanging over my head.

Properly understood, the doctrine of "entire sanctification" doesn't hang over your head; but it is held out to you as a promise if you have not obtained it, and as a hope.

It is good news to those who are discontented with a lifestyle of sinning; who say with Paul what he said in Romans 7:24.

 

[justbyfaith]

If I don't have to sin and also don't want to sin, how can I sin?

Fear, ignorance, immaturity, lack of experience dealing with temptation, etc.

If I don't have to sin, the only way I am even able to sin is if I want to sin.

Giving in to temptation means that you are carried away by your own desire (James 1:14-16).

 

[PeterJens]

Yes, we are to confess our sins, but to continue in known sin will void one's Salvation.

Galatians 5
[19] Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
[20] Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
[21] Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, 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. (KJV)

This sounds a very dry interpretation of an action and its results.
Sin tares our souls, damages us and others, it puts selfish desires above what the situation needs.

To walk with Jesus is to accept the limitations of where we are and to work through love and its possibilities.
If one walks with a hard heart and become insensitive to the needs around us, we become deaf and dumb and blind. So many fail to see the opposites and destruction of their feeling, attitudes and behaviour. And it is a hard road, one which we fight to resist and convince ourselves these small desires are acceptable.

I stand among a broken people, who have been betrayed by parents, brothers and sisters, children, work, society, expectations. When these folk begin to feel and see reality and love at work, they feel its reality but the price is hard, because it starts with repentance. If I was to compromise with the inappropriate feeling thrown my way, I would lose my way and fall into the delusions and needs that cannot be met except through Gods work and grace.

To minister, to encourage, to be a real brother and sister in the Lord, we must have the power of love rooting us and grounding us into reality and eternity. Compromise this and all is lost. In one sense those who talk only grace without sight or love, they are blind, deaf and dumb and do not know Jesus. Unfortunately to a spoilt generation who just want forgiveness without change or a price, it is easy to claim the reward without the reality. These folk have made themselves an enemy to those who follow Jesus, by their own teaching and condemnation of those who know the freedom of Christ working in peoples hearts. I know because they condemned me for preaching love and its power in our lives as a work of the enemy. The clue if they knew what they were saying is they are making love their enemy.

God bless you

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Agreed.
Sinners are unbelievers.

DELIBERATE AND WILLFUL sinners are unbelievers.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

If I don't have to sin, the only way I am even able to sin is if I want to sin.

It's not really that simple.
Things like fear, and immaturity, lack of vigilance, etc. cause us sin when we had no intention of doing so.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

I may fail to wear tzitzut and tallit, or to blow the chofar in the new moon.

That would be a violation of the law; and therefore sin (1 John 3:4).

Actually, it's not.
John did not say transgression of the law is sin, he said sin is transgression of the law (lawlessness). A very important distinction.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Where in scripture is wrong-doing ever "covered up"?

Not covered up. Removed by the forgiveness of God. All the failings along the way for the born again person growing up into the ever-increasing traits of the Spirit are forgiven by the blood of Christ that they believe and trust in.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Where is the other Jethro?
Did you switch "teams"?
If you don't commit sin, you won't have any "sin guilt".

When you are forgiven by the grace of God you have no guilt remaining for your sin. That's how you got born again. And that same forgiveness continues to cleanse you of the guilt of your present sins and so you remain in your guilt-free, reconciled state with God.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Obedience is what is expected of us if we want to be saved.

Obedience does not make you a saved person, now, or on the day of Judgement. Justification is entirely on the basis of your faith in the forgiveness of God, apart from your works. Your works are the evidence that you are already saved and at peace with God, having accepted his terms of peace long before King Jesus comes to conquer and to rule over the whole earth. The day of Judgement is not to make saved children of God, but to reveal them. Their works testifying as to whether or not they are saved, born again children of God, or unsaved, unconverted children of the devil.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

To be a Christian, we must repent of sin. (Acts 2:38)

Every born again person has repented. And our Father is making sure every born again person is learning to perform deeds worthy of their repentance (Acts 26:20).

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Anyone born of God is perfectly sinless.

Only insofar as the absence of guilt for sins committed. That is the only sinlessness the born again person has.