Are you still a sinner?

[SnuP]

If I'm trapped on a desert Island then God has already shown up.

Do not assume too much. I know very well the importance of having ralationships with the body.

I find it interesting that you would try to redirect the subject. Relationship with others cannot remove the defilement of sin or the sin or the sin nature. Why would you bring up something outside of the issue? Drawing into the arms of God does remove sin, because sin cannot tolerate the presence of God. Those who love God absolutly would do anything to get into the arms of God including giving up the sin that they love so much.

Why don't you talk about whether God has the power to completely set a man free of sin or not. About whether or not a relationship with God can produce sinlessness. Instead of assuming that I am downplaying interrelationships in the body.

 

[SnuP]

You will do what you love. If you sin it is because you love that sin. If you do what is righteous it is because you love God. If you spend all of your time in the presence of God you will never sin. If you continue to sin it is because you do not know God in that area of your life. If you are still controlled by sin, the sin nature, it is because you don't know God at all. If you continue to sin you do it out of choice not out of nature.

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

Originally posted by SnuP
You will do what you love. If you sin it is because you love that sin. If you do what is righteous it is because you love God. If you spend all of your time in the presence of God you will never sin. If you continue to sin it is because you do not know God in that area of your life. If you are still controlled by sin, the sin nature, it is because you don't know God at all. If you continue to sin you do it out of choice not out of nature.

OUCH!!! But very much the truth  



John 8:32 "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

John 8:36 "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.



I'm free!  Free from sin and free to do what's right.  Free to walk in obedience to God. 

 

 

[Anthony]

Controlled by Sin?

Is sin an action or a nature?

When you do sin, what do you call that event?

How would you define sin and sinning?

 

[SnuP]

It is both an action and a nature

Rom. 7:
5For when we were controlled by the sinful nature,£ the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death. 6But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.

Rom. 8:
in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.
5Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.

8Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.

9You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you.

14because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

Originally posted by Anthony
Controlled by Sin?

Is sin an action or a nature?

When you do sin, what do you call that event?

How would you define sin and sinning?

Anthony,

There seems to be the assumption that when a born-again believer sins that makes them a sinner . . .as you pointed out with your "duck" analogy.  

I lay hands on the sick and they are healed but I am not a healer.  I prophesy, but I am not a prophet.  I have done vetinarian work on my dog, but I am not a vetinarian.

The blood of Jesus set me free from sin.  Therefore I am no longer a sinner.  I'm no longer bound to sin, to live according to it's rule.  I can no longer quip "the devil MADE me do it". 

As a child of God the devil cannot make me do anything.  I am free from his grip and now in the grip of another.  I am no longer a servant of the devil but a servant of God.

While in the enemy's grip, I had no choice.  Now, I have a choice.  I'm free.  Free to choose whether to obey God and crusify the flesh or whether to follow the flesh and do what it says.

What do I call the event when I do sin?  I call it a sin.  But that does not make me a sinner.  To be a sinner I have to be living in sin.  A commitment to sin. 

To continue to claim that I'm a sinner, to me, would be the same as my totally obedient child going around telling everyone "I'm a dissobedient child", when maybe when he was 2 yrs old he was dissobedient, but now he's not.

I've made a commitment to Jesus.  I'm a Christian (follower of Christ), not a sinner. 

 

[Anthony]

Quaffer

I think we are in agreement then.

When we become Christians, we are no longer Characterized, by our old sinful nature or tendencies, but we will from time to time sin.

I understand the calling ourselves sinners is more reflective of the old self. But still the same we are at battle with the old self which will continue to sin. We may no longer be characterized as sinners as we move from darkness to light, but this is not to say the we can go around giving the impression that we no longer sin.

If someone makes a generalized comment that "I'm no longer a sinner" to a new believer, it conveys an impression which is false, that they will no longer sin.

 

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

Originally posted by Anthony
Quaffer

I think we are in agreement then.

When we become Christians, we are no longer Characterized, by our old sinful nature or tendencies, but we will from time to time sin.

I understand the calling ourselves sinners is more reflective of the old self. But still the same we are at battle with the old self which will continue to sin. We may no longer be characterized as sinners as we move from darkness to light, but this is not to say the we can go around giving the impression that we no longer sin.

If someone makes generalized comment that "I'm no longer a sinner" to a new believer, it conveys impression which is false, that they will no longer sin.

 

Yes, we are in agreement.

For any believer to make that statement without following through with "the rest of the story", would be doing a great dis-service to the newbie and themselves.

As Christians we have many phrases and terms we use that can be quite confusing and downright scary to someone who has no clue what we're talking about.

I know one couple who were just coming from the Catholic church into a Penticostal situation.  They went forward in the church to be saved and of course as Penticostals are known to do, it got a little crazy.  The church people immediately wanted to baptize them but the comment made was "let's kill the old man".  Of course the only man being prayed for was the husband.  It's funny to hear them tell the story.

I think we all have most likely been guilty of this at one time or another.  We're all growing, changing, and maturing.  Thank you Jesus that even though we frequently mess things up He is faithful to see through to the end what He has begun. . . in each of us.  

 

 

[unitedistand]

a way to ensure you do not sin:

walk in and be led by the Holy Spirit at ALL times. You must walk by the flesh and seccumb to temptation in order to sin.

 

[SnuP]

Originally posted by unitedistand
a way to ensure you do not sin:

walk in and be led by the Holy Spirit at ALL times. You must walk by the flesh and seccumb to temptation in order to sin.

Well said

 

 

[SnuP]

Originally posted by Anthony
But still the same we are at battle with the old self which will continue to sin.

This is an incorrect statement.  Why would you battle withsomething that is dead.  If it was crisified with Christ then why must you try to crusify it again.  Christ work is a finished work and needs no help.  You don't even have the ability to do battle with the flesh.  That is why Christ did all of the work for you.  Your old flesh should be dead and buried, left in a watery grave.  If you sin after this has occured it is because you love your sin.  What you battle with now is your affections, not your flesh.  A christian that sins is a double minded man.  If you want to stop sinning then set your mind on things above.  Fall in love with God.  And above all stop trying to battle with sin, and things that should be dead already.

 

[Anthony]

SnuP

Do you still sin?

 

[SnuP]

why are you making this personal? Don't you like my use of the scriptures?

I do go for extended periods. But when I find something that entices me I loose focus. It usually happens when I spent alittle time outside of God's presence. And my focus has been on natural things.

 

[unitedistand]

before any of us asks anyone "do you sin?", that person needs to ask themselves "do I sin?"... they need to examine their own heart and see if they themselves are guilty of anything.

what's cool is that when we confess our sins before the father and ask for forgiveness, we no longer have any sin within us, the spiritual slate is wiped clean and we have another chance to not sin, since it is possible not to sin, as I have stated before here.

 

[Anthony]

Do you sin? Is a simple question, one that any Christian should be able to answer. Is this getting personal? Sure the sin can be forgiven, and Christ has all our sins covered.

But do you make mistakes and sin on occcasion? Why is this such a difficult question. I'm interest in what people do.

I can tell you I have sinned.

 

[SnuP]

I answered your question. But if your trying to make a point, using my life as an example is pointless. If you believe that it is impossible for a person to stop sinning completely, then use scripture to prove your point, not my life.

PS. My life would only prove that it is possible.

 

[Anthony]

Originally posted by SnuP
I answered your question. But if your trying to make a point, using my life as an example is pointless. If you believe that it is impossible for a person to stop sinning completely, then use scripture to prove your point, not my life.

PS. My life would only prove that it is possible.

 

"My life would only prove that it is possible"

At 26, you have found peace, that you have stop sinning, and have the rest of your life to look forward to, "free of sin". You are truly bless then.

 

 

[SnuP]

Yes I have found that potential. There are some strongholds in my heart that I have still to get over. But I have touched so many things of God that it is hard for me to denign. Age does not matter in the spirit, only time spent in Christ. You might have made the same comment to Timithy. My own pastor has made that comparison. But I have found peace, and I know what my calling is. I have been used to display God's power and I have ministered to many people, seeing deliverences and healings. And yes I have gone extended periods of time without sinning. When I did sin again it was because I trusted that sin more then God. But seeing the issue is the what God wants. I am not sin free all the time, just a large percentage. I am not perfect, just trusting.

 

[Andrew]

Do you sin? Is a simple question, one that any Christian should be able to answer. Is this getting personal? Sure the sin can be forgiven, and Christ has all our sins covered.
But do you make mistakes and sin on occcasion? Why is this such a difficult question. I'm interested in what people do.

Yes, unfortunately, I still sin. And unlike my friend SnuP, I dont have periods of being sin-free. I find it rather impossible to be sin-free for say, days to a month (or even a day!), since even mere bad thots and intentions, losing my patience on the road (I drive to n from work daily) are considered sinful to me.

But I do believe it is not impossible to be sin-free for days to months (or even longer), and we can all strive for that by the grace of God.

What do I do when I sin?

Well, most of the time i dont even ask for forgiveness cos then I'll be confessing all day long -- and being sin-conscious rather than righteous conscious!

I believe my all my sins -- past, present and future -- have already been forgiven, and no amount of confessing can add to Christ's perfect work.

What I do confess though, is that I AM the righteouness of God in Christ. ie when I stumble and fall, I confess and thank God that I'm still righteous, blood washed and whiter than snow. then i move on.

In that sense, I dont confess my sins to God (to be forgiven again) as I believe 1 Jn 1:9 is only for non-believers.

shalom

 

[SnuP]

There was alot of anointing on your post. Which tells me that you posted your heart and God is pleased with it.