Can a Christian sin and still be saved?

[JIMINZ]

I think Jesus' washing of the disciples' feet has a bearing on this.

.
Would you please explain how?

 

[JIMINZ]

No man is without sin except for 1.
That 1 is our Saviour, we will be washed clean by his precious Blood.
That means we are dirty.
Without the Grace of God no man would make it to God's Kingdom, because ALL fall short to the Glory of God.
Who says he is without sin, there is no truth in him.

.
Christians are without sin only because of that 1.
Christians have been washed clean because of the Precious Blood.
That means were clean.
Because of the Grace of God I am in His Kingdom, because Christians have been forgiven our sins.
Whosoever says he is without sin, has nothing but truth residing in him.
The Holy Spirit IS that Spirit of Truth.

John 14:17
Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

He who has not the Spirit of truth is none of His.

 

[St_Worm2]

Can a Christian sin and still be saved?
.........what say you?

Hi Hammster, I think I'll let one of the Apostles do my talking for me The question for some is, who is St. John referring to when he uses the word "we", "us", etc., in 1 John 1:8-10. Fortunately, 1 John 2:1 gives us the answer we're looking for in its opening phrase. If there is any question about who St. John is writing His entire Epistle to, INCLUDING 1 John 1, 1 John 2 makes that immediately and perfectly clear, it's written to the saints.

So, the Apostle says this (for instance), if a true believer confesses their sins to God, He will forgive them and cleanse them of their sins, just like He's always done since the day they were justified.

So I'm going with "yes", a Christian can sin and still be saved (this includes babes in Christ all the way to elders in the faith, BTW .. e.g. 1 John 2:12-14)

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

1 John 2
1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
3 And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.
4 Whoever says “I know Him” but does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,
5 but whoever keeps His word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in Him:
6 whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked.
7 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard.
8 At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.
9 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.
10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling.
11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

12 I am writing to you, little children,
because your sins are forgiven for His name’s sake.
13 I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know Him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men,
because you have overcome the evil one.
I write to you, children,
because you know the Father.
14 I write to you, fathers,
because you know Him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong,
and the word of God abides in you,
and you have overcome the evil one. ​

Yours and His,
David

 

[dqhall]

John the Baptist was teaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins (Mark 1:4).

Luke 13:3 (WEB) I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way.

Luke 24:7 (WEB) and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

 

[Oldmantook]

I asked my Great Grandfather a question like this one 50+ years ago. He was perhaps the most devout Christian that I have ever known and if it means anything, he was a Baptist. Anway, he told me that if we keep sinning the same sin over and over, that God will not forgive us. I told his daughter, my Great Aunt, what he said maybe 25 years ago and she was also a Baptist. However, she said that she did not believe that Great Grampa's answer agreed with the Scriptures. I hope that my Great Aunt was correct, for if not, many Christians are in deep trouble.

Your great-grandfather was a wise man and I believe correct in his understanding of the scriptures. A true believer who sins habitually evidences that he has not repented of that sin which he continues to do. Without repentance, he becomes separated from God and faces spiritual death - no longer saved.

 

[Oldmantook]

Can a Christian sin?
Yes as no one is without sin. 1 Jn 1:8
Can a Christian sin and still be saved?
It depends - as Scripture distinguishes between practicing sin/habitual sin and occasional sin.
IF we Walk IN THE LIGHT, the blood of Jesus purifies us of sin when we occasionally sin, since no man is without sin. See 1 Jn 1:7. Such a person is abiding in Christ and is still saved when he occasionally sins and repents.
However, IF we walk in darkness due to habitual sin, the cleansing power of Jesus' blood is not promised to us since the cleansing of His blood is only promised to those believers who are walking in the light (v.7). Instead, those believers who choose to engage in habitual sin walk in darkness and do not even have fellowship with Him. See 1 Jn 1:6.
"Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil" (1 Jn 3:8).

 

[St_Worm2]

Your great-grandfather was a wise man and I believe correct in his understanding of the scriptures. A true believer who sins habitually evidences that he has not repented of that sin which he continues to do. Without repentance, he becomes separated from God and faces spiritual death - no longer saved.

Hi Oldmantook, I believe God promised us that all of His saints will persevere in the faith to Glory, because He will make sure that we do .. e.g. Philippians 1:6, 2:13; Hebrews 7:25.

Also, if a true believer can lose his/her salvation, then passages like this one cannot be true.

“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and .. of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day." ~John 6:37-40 (excerpt)​

There are reprobate who spend their entire lives in the church who are apparently all but indistinguishable from true believers .. Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 (see v29 in particular), and even believe (or at least appear to believe) that they have an intimate relationship with the Lord/have done miraculous works in His name when, clearly, they don't know Him and never did .. Matthew 7:22-23.

Yours and His,
David

John 5
24 He who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, HAS eternal* life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
​

*(αἰώνιος [aionios] "eternal" NEVER means "temporal" or "probationary" life)
.

 

[rockytopva]

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: - 1 John 2:1

 

[redleghunter]

A sink hole, since that's what we talk about in General Theology.

You mean this?

 

[Hammster]

You mean this?

View attachment 208109

 

[Devin P]

It's (in my opinion) a reflection of how, the salvation that comes from Jesus, and the journey that follows with coming to know Him, we'll have a burning desire to observe and to keep Torah. Where we used to walk in our own way, we now walk in His with respect to the things He asked us to keep, the things of the Torah.

 

[Devin P]

It's (in my opinion) a reflection of how, the salvation that comes from Jesus, and the journey that follows with coming to know Him, we'll have a burning desire to observe and to keep Torah. Where we used to walk in our own way, we now walk in His with respect to the things He asked us to keep, the things of the Torah.

 

[redleghunter]

I think Jesus' washing of the disciples' feet has a bearing on this.

Indeed.

 

[mukk_in]

Can a Christian sin and still be saved?

This was asked of me in a previous thread.

So, what say you?

Technically, yes. Sanctification frees us from sin. But the saint can still sin because of disobedience. That's why 1 John 2:1 makes a provision for forgiveness and atonement of sin. However, we don't need to sin because the seed of Christ (the Holy Spirit) remains in us. That's my take on it.

 

[Anguspure]

Can a Christian sin and still be saved?

This was asked of me in a previous thread.

So, what say you?

If I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.

As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.

For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do---this I keep on doing.

Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. (Romans 7)

 

[Emmy]

Dear Hammster. Yes, a Christian can still sin. But Jesus told us in Matthew 22: 35-40: The first and great Commandment is Love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is like it: love thy neighbour as thyself." On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
God is Love and God wants loving sons and daughters. The Bible tells us: give up all selfish and unloving thoughts, Love God with all your beings, and love thy neighbour as you love yourself. Love is very catching. In verse 40 we are told: on these two Commandments hang all the Prophets and the Law.
Let us do as God wants us to do: Love God and love each other. God loves us and God will always help us to be the loving men and women He wants. To sin is very easy and very attractive, but God does NOT want us to sin, God Loves us, and wants God wants loving men and women. WE will often be tempted to sin and forget our promise to God, but let us always remember: God is Love an God wants loving sons and daughters. In Matthew 7: 7-10: we are told: Ask and you shall receive." Let us ask for love and joy, and being the loving men and women which God wants. Let us share all love and compassion with all around us. God will ALWAYS LOVE us. Ask for forgiveness and try our very best. I say this with love, Hammster. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

 

[Anguspure]

Can a Christian sin and still be saved?

This was asked of me in a previous thread.

So, what say you?

This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. (1 John 3)

 

[Oldmantook]

Hi Oldmantook, I believe God promised us that all of His saints will persevere in the faith to Glory, because He will make sure that we do .. e.g. Philippians 1:6, 2:13; Hebrews 7:25.

Also, if a true believer can lose his/her salvation, then passages like this one cannot be true.

“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and .. of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day." ~John 6:37-40 (excerpt)​

There are reprobate who spend their entire lives in the church who are apparently all but indistinguishable from true believers .. Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 (see v29 in particular), and even believe (or at least appear to believe) that they have an intimate relationship with the Lord/have done miraculous works in His name when, clearly, they don't know Him and never did .. Matthew 7:22-23.

Yours and His,
David

John 5
24 He who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, HAS eternal* life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
​

*(αἰώνιος [aionios] "eternal" NEVER means "temporal" or "probationary" life)
.

You quote John 6: 37-40 to support your view but for all practical purposes please read further in John 17:6-12. In this passage there is not one iota of difference between Jesus' description of Judas and the rest of his disciples. Judas along with his cohorts were given by the Father to Jesus and they obeyed His word (v.6). They "believed that you sent me" (v.8). They all were protected and kept safe in Jesus' name (which can never apply to non-believers) but even despite that Judas was lost (v.12). Judas is an example of one who was given to Jesus by the Father, yet he perished because he chose to betray his Savior.

You also quote Matt 7:22-23 claiming that these were never true believers. If these were never believers then you would have to explain how these nonbelievers prophesied, cast out demons and did miracles in Jesus' name. Only believers have the authority to use Jesus' name to overcome the enemy (Lk 10:19). Jesus himself did not say that they were unbelievers. Instead Jesus stated that the reason he did not know them was because they "practiced lawlessness" (v.23) which confirms what I wrote earlier that those believers who practice sin do not inherit eternal life. Jesus only knows those who LISTEN and FOLLOW Him (Jn 10:27). Those who listen and follow shall never perish and be snatched out of the Father's hand (Jn 10:28-29). Those who don't listen and follow do not have this assurance.

Contrary to your opinion, aionios can never mean eternal. Aionios and ainion, etc. are adjectives derived from the noun aion. The Greek aion means "age" from which we get the English word eon. By definition, an adjective can never take on a different meaning from the noun to which it refers. An age is a unspecified but limited span of time - not unending. Therefore the adjectives aionion, aionios, etc. can never mean eternal. I'm no Greek scholar but I'll quote you from someone who is sometimes referred to as the Prince of Expositors:
Let me say to Bible students that we must be very careful how we use the word "eternity." We have fallen into great error in our constant usage of that word. There is no word in the whole Book of God corresponding with our "eternal," which as commonly used among us, means absolutely without end.
(G. Campbell Morgan, God's Methods With Men, p.185)

Lastly in your quote of Jn 5:24, the Greek word for "believes" is "pisteuōn" which is a present tense participle more accurately translated as "believing." Therefore one must continue to believe in order to possess age-lasting life. A believer has passed from death to life as long as he is believing. If for any reason he stops believing, he is no longer saved.

 

[JoeP222w]

Can a Christian sin and still be saved?

This was asked of me in a previous thread.

So, what say you?

Yes.

1 John 2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.


However, if a person makes a continual, lifelong habitual practice of sin, the Bible grants no assurance of salvation to that person.


1 John 3:8-9 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. (9) No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.

 

[Danthemailman]

Can a Christian sin?
Yes as no one is without sin. 1 Jn 1:8

If we say we have no sin, (present tense) we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Those who believe they live a sinless, without fault or defect, flawless, absolute perfect life 100% of the time (exactly as Jesus lived) are suffering from a terminal case of self righteousness. (1 John 1:8-10)

Can a Christian sin and still be saved?
It depends - as Scripture distinguishes between practicing sin/habitual sin and occasional sin.

To practice sin is habitual sin. Willful, habitual lifestyle. No repentance, just bring it on.
1 John 3:9 - No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

IF we Walk IN THE LIGHT, the blood of Jesus purifies us of sin when we occasionally sin, since no man is without sin. See 1 Jn 1:7. Such a person is abiding in Christ and is still saved when he occasionally sins and repents.
However, IF we walk in darkness due to habitual sin, the cleansing power of Jesus' blood is not promised to us since the cleansing of His blood is only promised to those believers who are walking in the light (v.7). Instead, those believers who choose to engage in habitual sin walk in darkness and do not even have fellowship with Him. See 1 Jn 1:6.
"Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil" (1 Jn 3:8).

1 John 1:6 - If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. Walking in darkness is descriptive of children of the devil. Walking in the light is descriptive of children of God. Only those who are saved/believers are in the light.

Acts 26:18 - to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.

2 Corinthians 6:14 - Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?

Ephesians 5:8 - for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light. Children of the devil walk in darkness, not in the light. Children of God walk in the light, not in darkness. *IF confirms these positions in verses 6 and 7. It's one or the other.

In 1 John 2:9, we read - He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. In verse 11 - But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

*Compare with 1 John 3:10 - In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, (compare with 1 John 1:6 - does not practice the truth) nor is he who does not love his brother. *Notice that walks in darkness, hates his brother is connected to children of the devil.