Question from a rather new Christian

My question is, after you have been saved, are you supposed to be sin-free in your life? I am saved, but turned away from my faith for several years. I have recommitted myself to the Lord. I feel the Holy Spirit within me, but I still sometime do things that I think are considered sin. If I recognize it I confess it, and ask for forgiveness. I know sometimes do things that are sinful that I don't even catch. I want to be a good Christian, and I just wonder if I'm doing the right thing or not. Can someone tell me if I am supposed to be living a sin free life, and if what I'm doing is right. Thank you for your help. God bless.

You're supposed to do your best to live a sin-free life. But it's not in a holding-your-feet-to-the-fire kind of way, if that makes sense.

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Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
Do not add to His words, or He will rebuke you and prove you a liar.
- Proverbs 30:5-6

Sovereignty is not racism.

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RE: after you have been saved, are you supposed to be sin-free in your life?

In the passage below, note the author's application of the pronouns we, us, our, and ourselves; indicating that the apostle John included himself in the statement.

†. 1John 1:8-10 . . If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

That particular epistle, the epistle of 1John, was sent to a group of Christians who were already in possession of eternal life even before the letter arrived. Note the grammatical tense of the "have" verb. It's present tense; not future.

†. 1John 5:13 . .These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.

So then, the answer to your questions is NO because the apostle John acknowledged even himself an active sinner, and the recipients of his letter were active sinners too in spite of the fact that they were in possession of eternal life.

However; since eternal life is a kind of life that cannot die, then it's impervious to the wages of sin.

†. Rom 6:23 . . For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

In point of fact, Jesus testified that those in possession of eternal life will not have to stand trial for their sins.

†. John 5:24 . . I assure you, those who heed my message and trust in God who sent me, have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from Death into Life.

So then, people passing themselves off as Christians, while not possessing eternal life, exist in a state of Death, and in grave danger of the reservoir of liquid flame depicted at Rev 20:11-15.

In addition, Christians who currently lack eternal life, currently lack God's son; viz: indeed they are quite christless.

†. 1John 5:11-12 . .And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in His son. So whoever has God's son has the life; whoever does not have the life, does not have His son.

Christless Christians are fake sheep.

†. Rom 8:9 . . Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ, does not belong to Christ.

C.L.I.F.F.
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Thank you for the answers, they are helpful. God Bless!

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Heather

Great answer John.

We cannot live our lives without sin - we have a sinful nature - but as we walk hand in hand with Jesus letting the Holy Spirit guide us, we learn to hear God's voice and a little tap on the shoulder when we are not walking our walk as best we can.

Just enjoy the Joy of the Lord and do the best you can - God knows our heart - just keep Looking up - keep prayed up because we are going up.

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There are two animals, which have a opposite likes and dislikes. One is the pig, and the other is the cat.
When the pig falls into the mud, and gets durty, it does not want to get cleaned, but enjoys itself in the durt and the mud, and even if you wash and clean it, it would go back to the mud, and have a nice time in it again.

On the other hand, the cat, when it falls into the durt or mud, it tries to get clean and out of that mud. By nature, the cat does not like to stay durty or in the mud.

This is a comparison of the two types of people. The born again, and the unbelievers.
The Christians, the born again, have the very nature of God in them, because they are born again from the Holy Spirit, and he lives in them. And because they have God living on the inside of them, his nature in them, makes them not to like to stay in the 'mud', that is sin. Galatians 5:17
So, the Christians are like the cat. Even if they fall in the 'mud', that is sin, they do not like to stay in it, but try to get out of it.

On the other hand, the unbelievers, are like the pig, which actually likes to stay in the 'mud', because they do not have the nature of God in them, and do not have the Holy Spirit in them, to make them like, to get out of the' mud' - sin.
They have only the sinful nature, inherited from Adam, and therefore, not only it does not bother them, that they are in the 'mud', that is in sin, but actually, they like to stay in it. That is their nature - the sinful nature, and it makes them to like to go in the 'mud'.

1 John 1:10

"If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and that his word has no place in our hearts."

Clearly God does not expect perfection. However, we are called to obey Him.

John 15:10

"When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father's commandments and remain in his love."

1 John 3:9

"Those who have been born into God's family do not make a practice of sinning, because God's life is in them."

We are saved because of the work of Jesus Christ alone, and by believing and trusting in that work.

This is my first question, then:

How do you know you are saved?

And what have you been saved from?

Not trying to test you, or get you to doubt anything, I just want to know your confession. I think this is a very important first step in questions like this.

Namely: What are you trusting for your salvation?

"Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame."
(Rom 10:9-11)

After that - the question of remaining sin becomes much clearer.

Answer:

How do you know that you love someone in your life, such as a child, a sibling, a parent, or a friend?

My personal answer - the Lord Jesus Christ converted me and my walk began with Him on that day months ago and I haven't been the same since. I'm not perfect, but I'm as sure of my salvation as the sun will rise tomorrow.

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For the scientist who has lived by his faith in the power of reason, the story ends like a bad dream. He has scaled the mountains of ignorance; he is about to conquer the highest peak; as he pulls himself over the final rock, he is greeted by a band of theologians who have been sitting there for centuries. (Robert Jastrow, God and the Astronomers, W.W. Norton, New York, 1978, p. 116)

Why are you asking Creation these questions? Go to the Father and ask Him yourself.
Remember how Jesus taught to pray, " Our Father ". Then ask him to guide you.
Better yet, enter into his Temple and ask Him yourself.

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Mark 15:38 Enter into the Temple it is now open
to all.