Is it truly bad to sin?

[Kees Hogenbirk]

A living being, one of the Lord's creations.

I must be honest. That answer doesn't satisfy me, but it will do for now.
I wish to know what controls "me", but I guess I won't find that out for a while.
Thank you for your time, my friend.

 

[Kees Hogenbirk]

From eating from the wrong tree. One little sin is all it takes to get the ball rolling. Once the relationship is broken then death is on our doorstep.

I see. But God created that fruit, so does that mean that God created evil and sin?

 

[Kees Hogenbirk]

unfortunately the CF rules prevent me from giving honest reply

Now I'm curious.

 

[Invalidusername]

You might want to read 1. John again, to understand. John, by the Holy Spirit, isn't saying "you will always sin, nobody can be holy"; but that if you say you have no need of the Blood of Christ, if you haven't sinned and are a "good person who doesn't need a saviour" you are a liar.

1 John 1:6-10
If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 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.

1 John 2:1
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Doesn't say "I say all this but you are going to sin anyways" does it? It says "if" you sin, not "when" you sin, right?

1 John 2:6,
He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

1 John 3:5-9
And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

I understand. However the poster I argued with said that it only means your "unknown sins" are forgiven. This is unscriptual. Check the context of the argument next time.

 

[dreadnought]

I must be honest. That answer doesn't satisfy me, but it will do for now.
I wish to know what controls "me", but I guess I won't find that out for a while.
Thank you for your time, my friend.

Didn't I answer your question? You control you. You can choose heaven - the Lord showed you the path. Or you can choose not heaven.

 

[Anguspure]

I see. But God created that fruit, so does that mean that God created evil and sin?

All that is not within the created intent of God is evil, and for this week, for His own reasons, He has allowed something beyond His intent to exist.

So God created freedom and allowed a real choice.

I guess that if you look from a transcendant perspective you could agree with God that the ultimate end of creation, that of Loving relationship with those who have responded to His Love and love him in return, is good.

But from a human perspective, as individuals that have a choice, it should be considered that the wrong choice is only evil, and incredibly dissapointing to the One Who Loves us.

 

[Loren T.]

So sin is the absence of God. That is a beautiful answer.
Because that means that sin is not something that God has created,
Which in turn means that sin in and of itself isn't "bad". It is only bad in the eyes of God, who is good and did not create sin.
This answer satisfies me, because it means both sinning and not-sinning are not inherently good or bad. It is only God that says that.

Thank you for your response, my friend.

Well, yes, but, it is bad in the eyes of God and there is no higher authority. So if something is bad in the eyes of God, how can it not be inherently bad?

 

[Halbhh]

Hello men and women of God! This is my first post here.

I have been thinking a lot lately about the nature of sin, and I would dearly appreciate it if you guys would help me with answering this question. So thank you in advance!

Here is my question. Plain and simply: "Is sinning bad?"
Of course we all assume that sinning is bad, because it is written in the bible, but there are some questions that lead me to doubt that. Namely...

"Why did God create evil and sin in this world?"
You could say that that God did not create us to do evil, but that he gave us free will, so that if we choose evil, we face the consequences and it we choose good, we are rewarded with God's grace.

But then here is my real question: "If God is all-powerful and all-knowing, then why does he create people that he knows will sin? And is sinning then really bad?"
Let's say God creates a person and grants him free will. However, God also created that person with a mental instability / weak will (which, let's assume makes him prone to murderous acts). Subsequently, let's say God then also places that person in an environment with abusive parents at home and frequent bullying at school (which, let's assume, combined with his mental instability causes him to commit murder) And so, he shoots up his class. This is an example, but I'm sure cases like this have actually happened in real life.
In such a case, can the murderer then really be held responsible for his actions? I mean,
-(1) He was born and raised with triggers that would undoubtedly (to God) lead him to commit a murderous act.
-(2) God, while all-powerful and all-knowing knew he would murder, yet did nothing about the sinful act.
If God created the person's will and circumstance, knew the outcome of his sin, and did nohing about it, was is then truly 'bad' for the murderer to commit murder?

"Is sinning bad?" may sound like a strange question, but I am seriously pondering it, and I would appreciate it greatly if you fellow Christians would help me out. So thanks!

Greets, Kees

What is freedom? Without freedom of thought, could a person love?

If there is freedom, then both good actions and evil actions must be possible, else its not freedom.

Consider, could a rigidly programmed robot actually love? It could emulate concern, kindness, but it would only be a program.

With freedom then suffering, evil, compassion, kindness, love -- all become possible and with enough people surely will all happen.

 

[Loren T.]

But if God hates pornography and I love it, what does that say about me?

It says you are allowing your flesh to overrule the Spirit. The closer you get to God, the less you will love the things he hates. But in my view, it is a life long journey and no one reaches perfection. Did you ever wonder why Monks would live by themselves in caves? Less temptations. If you're not around other people there are less opportunities to sin. I'm not saying to live that way, but getting alone will God now and then is a good practice.

 

[1stcenturylady]

Then you are saying you do not sin. 1 John calls you a liar.

Paul also calls you a liar since he confessed about his struggles with the flesh.

1 John 1:8 is not a Christian. You see because Adam ate of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil - not just Evil, but Good also, there are those, like those keeping the law who are perfectly able to keep the law (they don't kill and steal), but will still have iniquity in themselves, in their thoughts and hearts. Since Adam made us inherit the sin nature by way of his sin, all - everyone since Adam, sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God. But some look at themselves and their own efforts to be good and say "I have not sinned." They are a liar, who think they can get to heaven without Christ, no matter how well they keep the law. It is only through Christ, and His removal of our sin nature, that we will be saved.

Romans 7 is again part of the false teaching that we cannot escape sin, and the power of the blood of Jesus is weak. Putting 1 John 1:8 out of context, and Romans 7 out of context, together is a big 'tell' of the teachers you are listening to and gathering unto yourself.

CONTEXT, CONTEXT, CONTEXT.

1 John 1:8-9
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 (But) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Do you see the before and after Christ? It is the same with Romans 7. What you cleave to is Paul's experience UNDER THE LAW. It is all about the law, and how it is not enough to make us righteous. Why, because of the SIN NATURE. And who is it that saves us from the sin nature, removing it and giving us a new nature? JESUS CHRIST.

I'm not making this up; I'm quoting PAUL! Now read it in context Romans 7:4 - 8:10 Here I'll color code it for you.

Law
Sin
Spirit

4 Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. 6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

(Sin’s Advantage in the Law)

7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. 9 I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. 10 And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. 12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.

(Law Cannot Save from Sin)

13 Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

 

[Invalidusername]

1 John 1:8 is not a Christian. You see because Adam ate of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil - not just Evil, but Good also, there are those, like those keeping the law who are perfectly able to keep the law (they don't kill and steal), but will still have iniquity in themselves, in their thoughts and hearts. Since Adam made us inherit the sin nature by way of his sin, all - everyone since Adam, sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God. But some look at themselves and their own efforts to be good and say "I have not sinned." They are a liar, who think they can get to heaven without Christ, no matter how well they keep the law. It is only through Christ, and His removal of our sin nature, that we will be saved.

Romans 7 is again part of the false teaching that we cannot escape sin, and the power of the blood of Jesus is weak. Putting 1 John 1:8 out of context, and Romans 7 out of context, together is a big 'tell' of the teachers you are listening to and gathering unto yourself.

CONTEXT, CONTEXT, CONTEXT.

1 John 1:8-9
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 (But) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Do you see the before and after Christ? It is the same with Romans 7. What you cleave to is Paul's experience UNDER THE LAW. It is all about the law, and how it is not enough to make us righteous. Why, because of the SIN NATURE. And who is it that saves us from the sin nature, removing it and giving us a new nature? JESUS CHRIST.

I'm not making this up; I'm quoting PAUL! Now read it in context Romans 7:4 - 8:10 Here I'll color code it for you.

Law
Sin
Spirit

4 Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. 6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

(Sin’s Advantage in the Law)

7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. 9 I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. 10 And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. 12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.

(Law Cannot Save from Sin)

13 Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

So tell me where you got "unknown non-deliberate sins" from?

You quoted an old testament law and used it to say that "all sins" only means non-deliberate sins.

You have still not answered my question: have you sinned knowingly at any point after accepting Jesus?

 

[Deniz]

I respect the fact that you admit not to know the origin of the spirit.
Although this is exactly what I seek. I do not know if my thoughts and feelings are my own, because I do not know if something else inside of the thing I call "me" is controlling my actions.
As to why I ask these questions; I wish to know what I am and what it is that makes me want to sin. Then, I would like to figure out if that thing is something that God created (if he did, he would be responsible for all my actions, including my sinning), or if the origin and core of my free will is something entirely different from God (in which case I will doubt God's judgements on the nature of Good and Evil).
Does that make sense?

I did not say I don't know the origin of the spirit. I simply told you I can't give you a scientific paper on it. My spirit is of God, yet it has a free will. My spirit can be influenced by my sinful ancestors, and the spirit of God, yet decision is of mine own. Simple as that. You may in your worldly wisdom say "if my spirit is of God there is no free will" and then lie to your self, murder your conscience and suffocate your spirit by living in sin; but you better believe you will have no excuses in the day of judgement.

Reading your comments, Kees can I be honest with you? You speak about God but I don't think you know Him. I think you are simply trying to get away with doing whatever you want.

What makes you want to sin? Have you ever read the Bible? Let me ask you a better question, do you really believe in God and His word? Your answer to this question will make your seemingly deep philosophy obsolete. Do you think there was a good reason that God Himself left behind all His glory, suffered a human life, went through physical and spiritual anguish like nobody ever has and died on a cross; just so you may be free from sin by believing in Him and receiving His Holy Spirit? No, don't believe it? Then why bother asking, to sear your conscience through which God is speaking to you? Then if you do believe, would you try so hard to justify sinning to the point of blaming God for it?

Just because "I want to do something" doesn't make it right, or that I have no decision or say in it, or that the want justifies it. Just because I felt like punching someone didn't make me go and sit down, think about the feeling I had and conclude "if God gave me my feelings and I felt like punching that guy, I should have punched him" and try to justify and claim "God is responsible because He gave me my spirit and free will" and masking it behind false philosophy all the while lying to my conscience.

If I do really believe in God, then even if I don't completely understand everything, I believe there's a reason why God is giving me certain instructions through His word and my conscience. Even if I can't put a name on every single thing, I can see there must be a reason that the Lord Himself was left alone, nailed on a piece of wood with His body pierced, shredded and unable to breathe.

Make sure you are being honest with yourself Kees, and make sure you identify the core of your questions. If you deal with the faith issue, I think everything else will fall into place. Don't kill your own conscience.

 

[1stcenturylady]

Theb you better let him line you up with Himself.

No one comes to the Father but the Spirit draw him. The Spirit is drawing you. Here is my own testimony. I was in church and being drawn for 30 years before I was saved! It is not enough to know about Jesus. His cleansing power must be in you. And you CANNOT do it on your own. I couldn't. You will be a slave to pornography as long as Christ's power is not in you. The key is true repentance.


TESTIMONY

I received God's grace at the weakest point in my life, when sin was so enticing it had a stranglehold on me. I would like to share with you my own testimony of the night I was saved, and my experience of receiving the "power" of grace.

Actually, I can relate to Saul's experience of being brought to Christ through seeing a manifestation of Jesus, because moments before I actually repented and experienced the saving power of God, He sovereignly let me see a vision. It was of my sin.

Here I was 29 years old, had gone to church all my life, though I wasn't presently, and I was having an affair with a married man! He was a rather powerful Jewish entertainment business man in Beverly Hills, and I became totally obsessed with him, as well as dependent upon him. He became my love, and my security. In fact, he was the love of my life. No human has done as much for me as he had to this very day.

After many months, I finally realized this affair was ruining my hope of a future, of a home and family. He wasn't going to leave his wife, nor did I want him to. But knowing all this didn't give me the strength to break off the affair. So, I did what you do in Beverly Hills, I went to a therapist.

After telling the therapist all about my relationship with my lover, he said these words, "Well, if it feels good, do it." I immediately felt a chill. It was like encountering Satan himself. I couldn't wait to leave, and I never went back. But the thought of Satan made me realize my only hope for finding strength was in God. So I went searching for a church.

I did quite a bit of church hopping, then I remembered years ago before moving to California from Tennessee, Pat Boone's mom and dad suggested I visit Pastor Jack Hayford's church, The Church On The Way, a Foursquare church in the San Fernando Valley outside Los Angeles. I made up my mind that instead of hopping to the next church on my list, I would attend every service this church held for two months to give it a chance before deciding if I needed to search elsewhere. But, from the first sermon I knew I would stay. Through the Holy Spirit, Jack seemed to be preaching just to me. That didn’t just happen on that first visit, but every service thereafter. I was home.

After a month of attending every service, I decided I was strong enough to break off the affair. So I did, but became so devastated, after three days I begged him to come back. Of course, he did. He loved me too.

After another month, I tried again. But within three days we were back together again.

Month after month I tried. But we always went back together within a couple days.

Then one Sunday, Pastor Jack gave a sermon on "integrity of heart." That was the turning point - humility. I learned to be very truthful with God. So I prayed, "Lord, I have tried to break off this affair, but I am weak (having done so in only my own strength). You are strong, so You do it. Make him break it off with me, and then give him the strength to stay away from me when I try to get him back - because You know I will." From that point on I just relaxed and didn’t ‘try’ to be good any longer. I recognized myself for what I was – a sinner who could do nothing in my own strength, especially when I was crazy in love and my flesh wanted what it wanted. But, the honest prayer was enough to make God start working.

Only one week later my lover came over and told me he finally realized that he couldn't be there when I needed him; that he needed to get out of my life. He broke up with me. I was overwhelmed with sorrow, but at the same time, in the back of my mind, I was in awe that possibly there really was a God. You see, it was the first prayer in my entire life that really seemed to have been answered!

After two weeks, I thought I better see if I could find another man to fill the tremendous void in my broken heart, but this time a Christian man. I knew a couple at church who were elders and asked them if they were friends with any single men they could set me up with.

They said, "Yes, we are good friends with Bill B., he’s a Christian movie producer, single and about 36.” They knew I was already in the entertainment industry and thought this might be a good match. “He comes here every Wednesday night, and we always go out for coffee later. Why don't you come with us after church this Wednesday night?”

I couldn't wait for Wednesday night service. In fact, I was 45 minutes early. Finally, church began, and as was our custom at the beginning of the service, we turned to greet those around us. Someone tapped me on the shoulder from behind, and I turned to see a girl I had met at a girlfriend's house about six months before. She had come over from across the room to greet me. That in itself was extraordinary, as Jack Hayford wanted us to remain by our seats with no roaming around. “Everything must be done decently and in order.”

"Hi," I said, "what brings you here tonight"?

"Well, I haven't had a date in a year, and this guy came into my office today, we found out we were both Christians and he brought me to his church tonight."

"Oh, really? Who did you come with"? I asked.

"Bill B."

I was bewildered. I had really thought this was the answer to my intense pain. Was God behind the scenes orchestrating everything around me? Then what in the world did He think He was doing! Didn’t He care that I was hurting? I tried not to be angry with God, but it was difficult.

Wednesday evening service was our time to pray for the nation. Around 8:00 pm, we all knelt to pray and were to partner with whomever was sitting next to us. I excused myself, and told them I needed to pray by myself tonight. I thought to myself, I can't pray for the nation, I can't even get a date out of God, how can I expect anything good to happen for the nation!

So I knelt at my chair and thought about why God would thwart my going out with Bill B. I was beginning to feel really punished. It was then with my eyes closed, I saw a wide field with a huge round vertical glass pipe or silo about 50 feet across erected from the field up into the clouds above. About 300 feet up the clear pipe, I could see what looked like an enormous hairball. As I focused on it, I saw that the hair was moving. It was a gigantic nest of snakes!

All at once I "knew" the meaning of the vision I was seeing. The nest of snakes was my sin which was preventing all God's blessings from reaching me.

Oh, I had never asked for forgiveness for the adultery, I thought to myself. I’ll ask for forgiveness, and then, maybe He’ll bring me a man.

I started to pray for God to forgive me for the adultery, and to cleanse me of all my sins. I prayed the same prayer as King David did after he had sinned with Bathsheba, a verse I had memorized as a child. "Create in me a clean heart, Oh Lord, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me."

You would think I was now happy, but I wasn't. I was still very sad and lonely and still mad at God for the timing. If all his had happened earlier, I could still have had Bill B! I began to think about my old relationship, and how meeting someone new would have been so great. And on top of that, Bill B. was a Christian! I knew it must have been God that prevented me from meeting him... Thick-headed as I was, I prayed arrogantly, "Don't you want me to date a Christian?!!!"

The response was like thunder! "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"

Boy that shut me up! I had never heard God's voice before. And even though it wasn't an audible voice, I heard it loud and clear.

And He said, No????? I suddenly felt He was going to say more, so I stilled myself and started listening in awesome fear expectantly... He continued,

"YOU LOOK TO MAN FOR YOUR LOVE. I WANT TO BE YOUR LOVE.

YOU LOOK TO MAN FOR YOUR SECURITY. I WANT TO BE YOUR SECURITY.

YOU WILL NOT DATE FOR A SEASON. YOU WILL BE IN DROUGHT. AND WHEN YOUR HEART MELTS, I WILL SEND THE RAIN."

Suddenly, I knew that I knew that I knew God existed! I don't think in all my life I ever knew for sure until that moment. And what's more, this all powerful being, the Creator of the universe, was speaking to me!

I was in such wonder, I repented again whole-heartedly this time and was saved, and filled with unshakable faith. This was immediately followed by His overwhelming outpouring of His Spirit and with power. I felt it physically. It felt like being drenched with a vessel of warm oil pouring over the top of my head and quickly engulfing me. My prior grief I had been burdened with for months while I was entrenched in the destructive sin suddenly disappeared and was replaced with extreme joy that caused my cheeks to hurt from smiling. The sudden departure of that burden made me feel buoyed up by love, and light as a feather. Isaiah 61:3 describes it best. "The oil of joy for mourning." It's literal! I even looked at my feet to see if they were still on the floor!

That night I saw the heart of Jesus for the first time, how crushed He was by my sin. It broke my heart, and then I truly repented for the first time in my life. That repentance was real. It wasn't the usual apathetic, or even formal, just mouthing the words, "oh, yes, and forgive me of my sins." Nor, was it even what I had prayed just moments before after seeing the vision of the clog of snakes preventing God from bringing the blessing of another man into my life! It was saving repentance. I wanted to turn away from, and to be cleansed of every sin I could think of, and those I couldn't. I wanted to be scrubbed clean and never get dirty ever again! Not because I was afraid of hell or wanted blessings, but because when I finally knew He existed, loved me and wanted my love, I fell madly in love with him! He then filled me with His Holy Spirit to overflowing. He not only had a clean vessel to enter, He had my whole heart and soul.

I was now saved! Oh, what a sobering thought! You see, I had grown up in church, and attended as an adult for most my life for nearly 30 years, always feeling the call on my life, but "many are called, few are chosen." I loved the Lord, or maybe the idea of the Lord, but I didn't respect or "fear" Him enough to not willfully sin. My sensual desires always came first.

And now, every week after that, the gifts of the Holy Spirit were ever present in my life, which up until then I had never known, and I was drawn closer and closer to God. All I wanted to do was study God's Word, listen to teaching tapes and Christian music, and listen for His voice. But, the true confirmation and evidence that I was now saved and filled with His Holy Spirit was I could now see sin as He did. I no longer wanted to sin. It didn't "call" to me. My desires had taken a 180 degree about face immediately, though I still loved my lover but now in a pure way and would respect him for the rest of my life, and even though it wasn’t long before he wanted me back, now I was a different person. I knew I wanted God, and wanted to give up everything for Him. God’s grace was sufficient. He gave me power over my flesh I had never known before. I was truly a new creation. It wasn't merely a scripture to quote, but a reality. I had a new mind, an obedient heart and a sensitive spirit for God to nurture and sustain.

 

[1stcenturylady]

So tell me where you got "unknown non-deliberate sins" from?

You quoted an old testament law and used it to say that "all sins" only means non-deliberate sins.

You have still not answered my question: have you sinned knowingly at any point after accepting Jesus?

Read my posts on this thread, #40 and #76, and #133.

 

[Invalidusername]

Read my posts on this thread, #40 and #76, and #133.

I did. You still haven't answered my question.

 

[friend of]

I've already done it however with pornography and I can verify to you that indeed, I should be dead right now because of this addiction. On top of that, I made multiple suicide attempts because I had lost my ability to even be sane anymore and was attacked and still am attacked without rest.

God bless you man

 

[friend of]

Though he be saved, he is still of the flesh during this period. Being fleshly denotes being governed by the flesh. What is most pitiful is for a believer, hitherto enlightened by heavenly light to know the wickedness of the flesh and to desire with full heart victory over it, to find himself too weak to overcome. This is the moment when he sheds many tears of sorrow. How can he not be angry with himself, for though he harbors a new desire to destroy sin and to please God his will is not steadfast enough to subdue the body of sin. Few are the victories; many, the defeats

Is such a one an apostate? In your view?

 

[friend of]

The Lord taught us not to engage in sin, yet he is the one that creates the sinner's desire to sin.
So then how is sinning bad?

Correction, one sins when they are led away and enticed by their own sensual desires.

 

[1stcenturylady]

I did. You still haven't answered my question.

Would my experience make the Word of God, any more or less true?

 

[Invalidusername]

Would my experience make the Word of God, any more or less true?

No it would not