Do I have to be totally free of sin to retain my salvation?

[Bible Highlighter]

Well that's not quite what Paul says in 1st Corinthians 6 and we really don't need you paraphrasing it to know what it does say all we have to do is read it. Paul is referring to unrepentant sinners which is very evident by the fact that he says in v11; "that is what some of you were."

Paul is saying that they used to be sinners.
But they are not that way anymore.
Meaning they do not live like that anymore.
This does not equate with Paul agreeing that they will sin on occasion the rest of their lives (as part of their new life style). Paul says in Romans 6 that you are either a slave to sin or you are slave to righteousness. Jesus says he that sins is a slave to sin.

I mean, are you saying that a person can be an axe murderer on occasion and yet be a Christian?
Are you saying a person can sleep around with others on occasion and yet be a Christian?

How many sins does it take for you to be called a murderer or a liar or a fornicator?
Do you not know that Jesus defined repentance for us?

Jesus said in Matthew 12:41 that the Ninevites will rise up in Judgment against this generation because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. In Jonah 3:6-10 we learn that the King of the Ninevites had said for the people to cry out to God and to turn from their evil ways. Then God had seen that they turned from their wickedness and He did not bring Judgment or Wrath that He had originally planned for them (if they did not repent).

Jesus is our righteousness and we receive that righteousness when we confess him as our savior just as Paul says in Romans 10:9-11.

The passage says, confession is made UNTO salvation.
Paul does not say that we can have the mind set that we will always sin on occasion and that confession is our magic rabbit's foot to justify our sin. True repentance is when you are truly sickened by your sin and you want to put it away from your life. Yes, a believer can struggle with sin, but they do not seek to justify a lifestyle of remaining in their sin even on a occasion.

Let me give you a real world example.

Bob cheats on his wife Sarah and she finds out and admits his sin to her.
Now, if Bob told Sarah that he was going to cheat on her only on rare occasions as long as he admits his fault or sin to her, do you think she would be happy with that agreement? No. Of course not. Do you think she would think he repented of his sin? No. Of course not.
Yet, this is the same agreement you think you can get away with involving God.
It is absolutely preposterous.

Now, if Bob honestly struggled with trying to be faithful with his wife, then that is another matter. I believe God is merciful and can forgive a lot. 77 x 7 (Matthew 18:22). The Tax Collector vs. the Pharisee (Luke 18:9-14). But even still, if Bob did not clean up his act in time, Bob would have to realize that he could lose his wife. Why? Because it would show Bob loves his sin or another woman more than he does his wife. It is no different with God. If you love your sin more than you do God by remaining in your sin in this life (even if you hold onto doing just one sin on occasion the rest of your life - it is showing that you love your sin more than you do God). Jesus says you cannot serve two masters. For you will hate the one and love the other.

What both Paul and John indicate is a sinful unrepentant lifestyle not a repentant person who occasionally sins.
1 John 2:1-2
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

So God is just interested in you paying lip service with no real ultimate change in your life? No real recovery over your sin? No doubt you believe Jesus can heal a person physically. But heal somebody of their sinful condition? That would be wrong? That would be impossible? Is your sin stronger than God?

I say thee nay.

Jesus says, with God all things are possible.

As for John. John tells us to, "sin not." John does not say, "I know you will always sin occasion so please confess those sins when you do."
John says, "sin not." This means you are not to sin. Jesus says to a man he healed to sin no more unless a worse thing were to come upon him. In your belief we have to conclude that Jesus was playing a cruel joke on this man and that he was telling this man to do the impossible whereby this man was going to face a worse thing coming upon him anyways.

28 "But what think you? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard.
29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.
31 Which of the two did the will of his father? They said unto him, The first. Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the tax collectors and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and you believed him not: but the tax collectors and the harlots believed him: and you, when you had seen it, repented not afterward, that you might believe him."
(Matthew 21:28-32).

"...if your eye be evil, your whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you be darkness, how great is that darkness!"
(Matthew 6:23).

For how many sins did it take for Adam and Eve to commit for them to cause a separation between God and man?
It only took one sin.
God is not a respecter of persons.
God is fair and good in His Judgment with all people.
Yet, you somehow think God has changed.


...

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Only for those who are still under the law. I'm not quite sure what that has to do with OSAS though?

But in 1 John 3:23, John says it is a Commandment to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. If you are not under any kind of Law, then there would be no consequences in not believing on Jesus. This means that even an unbeliever would be saved if you believe people are no longer under any kind of Law under the New Covenant. For can a believer disobey the Command to believe on Jesus and be saved because they are not under any commands or Law?

Also, if John believed we were not under any Commandment or Law, then he would not mention any Commandment or Law for us as he did in 1 John 3:23.

Anyways, what you fail to realize is that Paul was not talking about ALL Law whatseover. Paul was talking about the Law of Moses. For in the book of Romans and Galatians, Paul addressed the heresy of circumcision as a means of how to get saved. In fact, in 1 Timothy 6:3-4, Paul essentially says if any man speaks contrary to the words of Jesus Christ and the doctrine of Godliness, they are proud and they know nothing. James says, God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). So it appears one cannot be proud and also a believer. A person is not eternally secure whereby they can continue any sin they like (on occasion) and still be in the loving arms of Jesus. It doesn't work like that. Now, again, can believers honestly struggle with sin within the Sanctification process? Yes. But they will in time overcome their sinful condition. This shows that they are truly faithful to their Lord instead of their sin.


...

 

[Bible Highlighter]

This is something a lot of Christians struggle with, and something that a lot of them fail to get away from.

When Christ died on the Cross, He said "It is finished!" This means that His work, His purpose for coming (that is, to die as a sacrifice for all the sins of the world) was fulfilled. Meaning that all your sins, from the day you were born to the day you die, were forgiven at the very moment he died.

No. Jesus paid the price for everyman's sin so as to offer him the free gift. But that does not mean all people are forgiven of their sin. A person has to accept Christ's gift and they have to maintain that gift (like all good gifts that are given to us in this life).

Please show us where you think the Bible teaches that future sin is forgiven us.

What this means is that you, having been rescued from sin, are now a new creation- it is no longer you who sin, but your flesh (that is, your imperfect body that has yet to be transformed), and that this sin, though still wrong, is no longer mortal (aka it no longer kills your spirit, for Christ has already forgiven you and given you a new, pure spirit at the moment of your salvation).

Where in the world does the Bible teach this?
This is just evil and wrong.
So can you be a Satanist and do Satanic things and still be saved?
Can you be a murderer still and be saved?

With this is mind, remember who you are (that is, who God says you are)- a Son of God, holy and set apart, a great and powerful King who has strength enough to run the race, so long as you rely on Him. Renew your mind (by reading His Word and conversing with His Spirit in prayer and worship) daily, and, should you stumble, know that you are forgiven, remember all that God has done for you, and let His Spirit empower you so that you may resist all temptation, so that you may not sin.

But it does not really matter if you do not stop sinning. In your belief, you will still make into Heaven anyways. No real change or transformation in one's life is not necessary. You can live like the devil and yet be saved. But the Scriptures say he that commits sin is of the devil (1 John 3:8). The Scriptures say all who do evil hate the light (John 3:20). Jesus says if a man does not do what he says he is like a fool who built his house upon the sand whereby when a storm came, great was the fall of that house (Matthew 7:26-27).


...

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Jesus says narrow is the way that leads unto life and FEW be there that find it.
The majority of Christianty today teaches Once Saved Always Saved or that you can have a little bit of your sin and yet also serve God.
However, does not even life teach us that you know a person is good or evil by what they do? For we know the good guys from the bad guys by what they do when we watch a movie, or turn on the news, or when we go out publicly amongst other people.


...

 

[Travis93]

So it's only the sins in verses tied to not inheriting the Kingdom of God or ending up in the Lake of Fire that jeopardize salvation(1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Revelation 21:8, Ephesians 5:5, Galatians 5:19-21), not all of them? I think I can manage most of them, but what about "unclean"? Does this mean physically, mentally, or both? And for lying, is that only when you know the truth and say something else, or do lies from ignorance count too?

 

[Jason Sanders]

So it's only the sins in verses tied to not inheriting the Kingdom of God or ending up in the Lake of Fire that jeopardize salvation(1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Revelation 21:8, Ephesians 5:5, Galatians 5:19-21), not all of them? I think I can manage most of them, but what about "unclean"? Does this mean physically, mentally, or both? And for lying, is that only when you know the truth and say something else, or do lies from ignorance count too?

No. If you commit one of these sins, you are still saved. A man who has lied and come to Christ afterwards is still saved, just as one who murdered or lusted/committed adultery.

We are free in Christ- free to sin, of we so desire (though doing so shows your lack of faith in both Him and what He has done), but also free to not sin. And, should we stumble on our journey with Him, we know we are forgiven, not by our own efforts but through His sacrifice on the Cross (for He died once, for all, so that all might be free in Him).

And should you commit one of the sins you listed, know that it too is forgiven, and remember that that sin has no power over you. Remember that God loves you and that you love God- do that, and allow God to fill you with the Holy Spirit, and you will not worry or suffer doubt about how you live your life, for you will live it with Him in mind, not out of fear but out of love.

 

[faroukfarouk]

No. If you commit one of these sins, you are still saved. A man who has lied and come to Christ afterwards is still saved, just as one who murdered or lusted/committed adultery.

We are free in Christ- free to sin, of we so desire (though doing so shows your lack of faith in both Him and what He has done), but also free to not sin. And, should we stumble on our journey with Him, we know we are forgiven, not by our own efforts but through His sacrifice on the Cross (for He died once, for all, so that all might be free in Him).

And should you commit one of the sins you listed, know that it too is forgiven, and remember that that sin has no power over you. Remember that God loves you and that you love God- do that, and allow God to fill you with the Holy Spirit, and you will not worry or suffer doubt about how you live your life, for you will live it with Him in mind, not out of fear but out of love.

John's First Epistle tells us that those who are walking in faith, trusting the Lord Jesus, are being cleansed (present continuous tense) from their sins. Hebrews 7.25 says He 'ever lives to make intercession' for those who come to God by Him.

 

[AGTG]

No, but you should be aware of Biblical standards for conduct and free from wicked practices such as drug abuse, sexual immorality, idolatry, and occult practices, among other really bad things.

Meaning, someone who is actively cheating on their wife is not in right standing with God even if they started out genuinely.

Jesus equated salvation to life for a reason. If you're humbly walking out your faith, trusting Jesus' work of the cross to get you access to Father God when you pray, studying His word and allowing it to shift your thinking and conduct in line with God's ways, you're fine.

Christianity is not walking on eggshells. It's peace in your heart knowing Jesus got you in right standing, and it's walking humbly before Him as you grow in the knowledge of God.

Repentance in a relationship is really just an attitude of humility and teachableness before God.

 

[AGTG]

Also, those sins Paul lists need to be "practices," meaning they're stuff you're indulging in regularly without care. If you stumble, get back on track, turn from such sins and call upon God to empower you to overcome those sins.

The prophet Isaiah said, "A smoldering wick He will not quench." That means as long as you want to follow Him, you can return and get back on track. He will receive you if you truly want to follow Him and set your wick ablaze with life by resurrecting you from the dead spiritually.

 

[Salem]

1 Corinthians 15:41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. 47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

 

[StanJ]

This is talking about sins that are confessed and forsaken. Nowhere does the Bible teach future sin is forgiven you. See 1 John 1:7, 1 John 1:9, Proverbs 28:13, Ezekiel 18:24.

Really?
What about;
Roman 6:10
Hebrews 7:27, 9:12 & 26, 10:10?

 

[StanJ]

Paul is saying that they used to be sinners.
But they are not that way anymore.
Meaning they do not live like that anymore.
This does not equate with Paul agreeing that they will sin on occasion the rest of their lives (as part of their new life style). Paul says in Romans 6 that you are either a slave to sin or you are slave to righteousness. Jesus says he that sins is a slave to sin.

They are still sinners but they are saved by grace. Paul was talking about a lifestyle not single actions of sin. 1 John 2:1

I mean, are you saying that a person can be an axe murderer on occasion and yet be a Christian?
Are you saying a person can sleep around with others on occasion and yet be a Christian?
How many sins does it take for you to be called a murderer or a liar or a fornicator?
Do you not know that Jesus defined repentance for us?

Those are Lifestyles and I'm pretty sure a psychopath cannot be a Christian unless he or she does repent.
Yes in Matt 3:8 Jesus said; Produce fruit in keeping with repentance

The passage says, confession is made UNTO salvation.
Paul does not say that we can have the mind set that we will always sin on occasion and that confession is our magic rabbit's foot to justify our sin. True repentance is when you are truly sickened by your sin and you want to put it away from your life. Yes, a believer can struggle with sin, but they do not seek to justify a lifestyle of remaining in their sin even on a occasion.

Recognizing that we can sin and justifying a lifestyle is not the same thing as you interpret them to mean.
1 John 1:8-10

Bob cheats on his wife Sarah and she finds out and admits his sin to her.
Now, if Bob told Sarah that he was going to cheat on her only on rare occasions as long as he admits his fault or sin to her, do you think she would be happy with that agreement? No. Of course not. Do you think she would think he repented of his sin? No. Of course not.
Yet, this is the same agreement you think you can get away with involving God.
It is absolutely preposterous.

I suggest you read Matthew 18 21- 22 and see what Jesus had to say about forgiving sin. I'm sure if he expected that from us, then God is able to forgive us much more than Seventy Times Seven. The problem with using human rationale to understand the Bible is that the Bible wasn't written using human rationale, it was inspired or breathed of God. We just have to believe what it says and obey it and not insert our personal points of view into it.

So God is just interested in you paying lip service with no real ultimate change in your life? No real recovery over your sin? No doubt you believe Jesus can heal a person physically. But heal somebody of their sinful condition? That would be wrong? That would be impossible? Is your sin stronger than God?
I say thee nay.
Jesus says, with God all things are possible.

Those are your words and it's definitely not what the Bible teaches. It's best if you learn what the Bible actually says before trying to explain it.

As for John. John tells us to, "sin not." John does not say, "I know you will always sin occasion so please confess those sins when you do."
John says, "sin not." This means you are not to sin. Jesus says to a man he healed to sin no more unless a worse thing were to come upon him. In your belief we have to conclude that Jesus was playing a cruel joke on this man and that he was telling this man to do the impossible whereby this man was going to face a worse thing coming upon him anyways.

Did you even read 1 John 2? Tried calling but it actually conveys instead of paraphrasing it negatively to suit your own purposes.
Do you know what inculcated means?

For how many sins did it take for Adam and Eve to commit for them to cause a separation between God and man?
It only took one sin.
God is not a respecter of persons.
God is fair and good in His Judgment with all people.
Yet, you somehow think God has changed.

The law of sowing and reaping has existed throughout time immemorial. This has never changed and despite us being Christians we will reap what we sow. That of course is not the issue that we're discussing. The issue is do Christians sin occasionally and are they forgiven when they confess it? The unequivocal answer is yes!

 

[StanJ]

So it's only the sins in verses tied to not inheriting the Kingdom of God or ending up in the Lake of Fire that jeopardize salvation(1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Revelation 21:8, Ephesians 5:5, Galatians 5:19-21), not all of them? I think I can manage most of them, but what about "unclean"? Does this mean physically, mentally, or both? And for lying, is that only when you know the truth and say something else, or do lies from ignorance count too?

There is only one sin that jeopardizes salvation. And quite frankly I'm not even sure that a saved person can actually perpetuate it.
Matt 12:31-32 and 1 John 5:16

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Been busy lately. So I did not have time to reply to each verse properly. So far there is nothing really new that I have not dealt with before. It is same old game of trying to justify sin because folks think that they cannot help but to sin on occasion over the rest of their life. But is just a man made excuse. It is a justifying of evil no matter how you look at it. God cannot agree with saving a person who plans on sinning even a little or on occasion. For God is holy and cannot agree with sin.

John 12:48 says that those who do not receive Jesus's words, those very words will judge them on the last day.


...

 

[shakewell]

God cannot agree with saving a person who plans on sinning even a little or on occasion. ...

That person doesn't have to "plan" on sinning. He'll sin just fine without planning. For a classic example of what I'm talking about, just go look in the mirror.

 

[sarah_beloved]

Romans 8:1 says there's no condemnation to those who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. Romans 8:6 says to be carnally minded is death and Romans 8:7 says that is is enmity against God. Romans 8:13 says if you live after the flesh you will die. Galatians 6:8 says whoever sows to the flesh reaps destruction and only those who sow to the Spirit reap everlasting life. Now since everyone dies, do these refer to spiritual death, as in loss of salvation?

Now I've made some progress in removing the sin from my life. I gave up playing video games, all secular movies/TV/music, my addiction to caffeine from sodas, masturbating, and so on. But I just can't seem to be free of sin even one day. Idle words, foolish thoughts, having the opportunity to do good and not doing it, these things just seem impossible to manage. Should I just give up and live however I want since I'm heading to Hell anyway?

No, of course not. A sinless life is our goal, but it is not possible for us to reach it, at least not now in our flesh. If you've indeed placed your trust in the Lord, your salvation is guaranteed. Hoping to achieve and secure your salvation through a sinless life is putting your trust in your flesh, not the Lord. You're trusting your human efforts, your self-righteousness and not His finished work. That's dangerous. Be Christ-conscious, not sin-conscious. Sin does not have dominion over those who are under grace. Slowly but surely, the spirit will lead you to rise above your sins. That doesn't mean that you won't make mistakes because you still will. But keep your focus on Christ and not on your effort.

By the way, when Christ hung on the cross to pay for our sins, they were all "future sins". Unless you happened to be alive 2000yrs ago.

 

[Salem]

1 Corinthians 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

With the most ignorant of believers, it eventually sinks in how well we can stand before God on our own, clothed as we are. The Spirit keeps us humble thus, if we have Him. If any could stand on their own, to the day we die or are caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord, we wouldn't have needed a Savior. Some people think some awfully ridiculous things, must think they're all that, and somehow call themselves Christians.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

That person doesn't have to "plan" on sinning. He'll sin just fine without planning. For a classic example of what I'm talking about, just go look in the mirror.

Sorry, I do not automatically sin when I look in the mirror. It makes no sense for you to follow after God if you plan and or expect to sin in this life. Jesus prefers we are either hot or cold and not luke warm.

You cannot serve two masters (God and sin), for you will hate the one and love the other.

...

 

[Bible Highlighter]

1 Corinthians 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

With the most ignorant of believers, it eventually sinks in how well we can stand before God on our own, clothed as we are. The Spirit keeps us humble thus, if we have Him. If any could stand on their own, to the day we die or are caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord, we wouldn't have needed a Savior. Some people think some awfully ridiculous things, must think they're all that, and somehow call themselves Christians.

Yes, corruption does not inherit incorruption. People who want to keep on sinning are not saints who inherit the righteous kingdom of God. Evil people have no future with God. Only those who are good and seek to be good with a pure heart will be with God. Righteous people seek to obey God. They don't make excuses for sin.

"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." (Revelation 14:12).


...

 

[shakewell]

No, of course not. A sinless life is our goal, but it is not possible for us to reach it, at least not now in our flesh. If you've indeed placed your trust in the Lord, your salvation is guaranteed. Hoping to achieve and secure your salvation through a sinless life is putting your trust in your flesh, not the Lord. You're trusting your human efforts, your self-righteousness and not His finished work. That's dangerous. Be Christ-conscious, not sin-conscious. Sin does not have dominion over those who are under grace. Slowly but surely, the spirit will lead you to rise above your sins. That doesn't mean that you won't make mistakes because you still will. But keep your focus on Christ and not on your effort.

amen!

By the way, when Christ hung on the cross to pay for our sins, they were all "future sins". Unless you happened to be alive 2000yrs ago.

And if he was alive then, the Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world so I think he's covered.