Can you continue to knowingly sin and remain a Christian?

[justbyfaith]

Don't you realize, then, that you are also a slave to sin and will not inherit the kingdom?

I don't do that. I just seek to walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit on a moment-by-moment basis.

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

Where the law does not apply, there is no transgression (Romans 4:15).

Sin is the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4).

Therefore, in being led of the Spirit, I cannot sin (1 John 3:9).

 

[Paul Timothy]

If he has a moment of weakness does that mean he's an alcoholic? No, of course not.

If he goes back to a lifestyle of drinking, that is when he can not call himself a sober, ex-alcoholic.

The question In the OP is "continue to knowingly sin".

I would equate that with an alcoholic that intentionally goes to the bar every few days for a top up.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

The question In the OP is "continue to knowingly sin".

I would equate that with an alcoholic that intentionally goes to the bar every few days for a top up.

Assuming he's doing that to get drunk, yes, that would constitute knowingly and purposely sinning. That is what unbelievers and ex-believers do. That sin condemns them because they do not believe and trust in the blood of Christ.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

David knew that he had sinned from the first moment that he committed it. I believe it is Psalms 38, or some other Psalm, that declares how he was wasting away in his sin for that he didn't confess it immediately.

He realized after his sin was revealed that his wasting away during that time was because of his sin.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Where the law does not apply, there is no transgression (Romans 4:15).

What that means is where there is no knowledge of the law there is no transgression.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Therefore, in being led of the Spirit, I cannot sin (1 John 3:9).

The question is whether or not you are always being led by and walking according to the Spirit. Of course, the answer is 'no'. But because you belong to God as a son, you will more and more as he grows you up into the stature of Christ.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

I don't see why you couldn't. I even gave you a link to click on.

Just summarize your point in a couple of sentences so the flow of the discussion is not broken.

 

[07/07/07]

I'm sure he didn't do it on purpose either. He was scared. Christians don't willingly choose to live in sin. They fall into it because of fear, and ignorance, and things like that.

True, but that isn't really the topic of the thread. Some teach that even if a saved person falls back into willful sin, they're still saved. There is no truth to that. The person would need to repent, forsake their sin and come back into the fold to walk with Jesus again. For example, King David, he sinned and then bleached his bones in prayer and fasting before God in repentance. His son, Solomon, on the other hand never returned to the Lord after he sinned.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Some teach that even if a saved person falls back into willful sin, they're still saved.

Willful, deliberate sin is the sign of unbelief. That person is already lost because of their unbelief. But the Galatians and the Corinthians show us that God does take mitigating circumstances into consideration before turning the believer, now ex-believer, over to their unbelief. When the Lord refuses to grant repentance, that is when it's over for the ex-believer who has willingly gone back to his old life of sin.

 

[justbyfaith]

He realized after his sin was revealed that his wasting away during that time was because of his sin.

He knew that he was committing adultery even while he was having sex with Uriah's wife.

 

[justbyfaith]

The question is whether or not you are always being led by and walking according to the Spirit. Of course, the answer is 'no'. But because you belong to God as a son, you will more and more as he grows you up into the stature of Christ.

You would like that, wouldn't you? Because you would have an excuse to continue on in a lifestyle of sinning. I simply command those words to fall to the ground.

 

[justbyfaith]

What that means is where there is no knowledge of the law there is no transgression.

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

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.

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

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.

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

And God the Father is the God of truth.

 

[Hopeful]

What do you say to the idea that the moment we are justified by the law (the moment we stop sinning and find justification in that), we are fallen from grace (Galatians 5:1-4)?

As we cannot be justified by the Law, the subject will not happen.
Life without sin justifies God, and Jesus' suffering, death, and resurrection.
It proves it was worth it.

 

[justbyfaith]

Sinners Bound to Change Their Own Hearts by Charles G. Finney

 

[justbyfaith]

HOW TO CHANGE YOUR HEART by Charles G. Finney

 

[Hopeful]

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

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.

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

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.

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

And God the Father is the God of truth.

If you offend your conscience, sin, you are under the Law.
The Law was made for sinners !
"Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers," (1 Tim 1:9)

 

[justbyfaith]

As we cannot be justified by the Law, the subject will not happen.
Life without sin justifies God, and Jesus' suffering, death, and resurrection.
It proves it was worth it.

Rom 2:13, (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
Rom 2:14, For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
Rom 2:15, Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another; )

We inadvertently become law-abiding citizens of the kingdom of heaven when we consistently bear the fruit of the Spirit.

Gal 5:22, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

 

[justbyfaith]

If you offend your conscience, sin, you are under the Law.
The Law was made for sinners !
"Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers," (1 Tim 1:9)

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

 

[Hopeful]

Of course it produces faithful children of God, just not perfect children of God. Children characterized by the traits of God their new father, and not characterized by the traits of their old father, the devil. Characterization does not mean perfectly characterized by certain traits. It means largely characterized by certain traits, just as the sons of the devil are not perfect in their characterization of him.

Anyone born of God is perfectly sinless.
Characterized by the traits of their Father.

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

 

[Hopeful]

Only if compelled by some circumstance outside of my mind's desire not to.

Repentance does NOT mean perfection.

It depends on what you repent of.
To be a Christian, we must repent of sin. (Acts 2:38)