Do you know why a Christian cannot willfully sin

[DeepWater]

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Fascinating how most Christians are absolutely clueless regarding "salvation", "grace", "The Atonement".

The fact is, there is a lot of religion in Christianity, but so very little accuracy regarding theology, or Christian doctrine.

I invite you, who are Catholic, or Pentecostal, or similar, to read Romans 4:8, and realize that this is YOU, its talking about.

And then do a study of Ephesians 2:15.

If you do, and seek God about these verses, and others that you can "concordance", you'll discover an amazing thing about your Salvation.

1.), God does not hold you accountable IN ETERNITY for your sin.
None of them.
Not the ones you did yesterday, or the ones you'll do next week.

This does not mean you wont suffer the consequences on EARTH for what you do wrong, that you know is a sin......as you will......but you will never be judged for them in Eternity. And why?....Because Jesus has paid for all your sin, ALREADY, on Earth.
See, some of you belong to horrible churches, with awful theology, that has taught you to believe that "while Jesus has saved you, YOU must keep yourself saved, by confessing sins, confession, or penance, or dying in some state of"..
And all of this, is man made deceit and nonsense that denies the eternal effect of the Cross, and rips this verse out of your bible........ Philippians 1:6

2.) You are not under the Law.

And what does this mean?
It means that if you are saved.....not water baptized, or confirmed, but BORN AGAIN.....by the Spirit of God.... Then the Law has no authority over you anymore, to judge you as a SINNER.
"Where there is NO LAW, there is NO TRANSGRESSION"...
See that?
That is Ephesians 2:15.
Thats YOUR Status if your are Born Again.

Yet, you run around, many of you, thinking that you are sinning and need to confess it to be forgiven.
And that is not the truth.
Try to understand that God does not have to keep forgiving you, once you are SAVED.

If you are SAVED, then you are ALREADY forgiven, and everything that you consider as a "sin", that you do after you are saved, is just as forgiven, as if you never did it.
And the reason you can't accept this, or believe this truth, is because your "church" or someone in your life has taught you that Grace is temporary, and that the Atonement, the shed blood of Christ, and its effect on your sin, is temporary.
Well, they lied to you.
And once you find this out, what will you do then?

 

[Inkfingers]

I apologize for having missed it. What was the number of that post?

Several, where I point out that if the saved do not sin then I am not saved.

 

[Dr Bruce Atkinson]

Even though the Word emptied Himself to become man, the baby Jesus, the seed of the Father was in Him from the beginning of conception. Therefore, during His life even before He was baptized by the Spirit for ministry and miracles, He didn’t sin, though He was tempted by Satan, just as we are. And for us, God always makes a way of escape.

That same seed is in Christ’s followers who have been baptized with the Spirit. 1 John 3:says, 9 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.

This is also why we must have that seed in us. Romans 8:9 "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."

If you still willfully sin (and don't be spiritually ignorant and say all sin is willful. There are also unknown (to us) sins that are not sins unto death in 1 John 5. Willful sins are rebellious against God - and without repentance will produce death.), do as Jesus said, "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works." So what are the first works? Acts 2:38, I believe are those in a nutshell.

“If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).

Christians are made free from the slavery of sin and are supposed to become slaves of righteousness. But this latter ‘slavery’ is a free choice. The freedom of redemption means we now have the power to resist temptation… but we are also free to willfully sin. But eventually all believers, if they continue in the faith, will cease to sin. Certainly they will not sin once they have left this fallen world and their fallen flesh.

If Christians cannot and do not sin, then why did John and James the Just (speaking to the churches) write about continued confession and forgiveness?

“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.
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 1:7-10)

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” (James 5:16)

If Christians cannot fall, then why did Peter write about apostasy?

<i>“If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: ‘A dog returns to its vomit,’ and, ‘A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.’” </i> (2 Peter 2: 20-22)

 

[Dr Bruce Atkinson]

I willfully sin. Does this mean I'm not a Christian?

Perhaps, but only God knows for certain. Why, after receiving such mercy and grace in God's forgiveness, after knowing that Jesus died for you on the cross, would you want to sin? If it is done 'willfully' then that means that you did not have to sin. Repentance, confession, and amendment of life is what happens among the Elect. Fake Christians never fully repent, never fully believe, and thus are never truly saved.

So either you are not a Christian, or else the Lord will discipline you sufficiently such that eventually you will no longer sin willfully. Either way, you will reap what you sow. It would be a very good idea to stop sinning willfully... right now.

 

[Tree of Life]

Perhaps, but only God knows for certain. Why, after receiving such mercy and grace in God's forgiveness, after knowing that Jesus died for you on the cross, would you want to sin? If it is done 'willfully' then that means that you did not have to sin. Repentance, confession, and amendment of life is what happens among the Elect. Fake Christians never fully repent, never fully believe, and thus are never truly saved.

So either you are not a Christian, or else the Lord will discipline you sufficiently such that eventually you will no longer sin willfully. Either way, you will reap what you sow. It would be a very good idea to stop sinning willfully.

I strive every day to be devoted to God and not to sin against him. But I'm sure that several willful sins creep in each day. I find myself having to repent every day. Sometimes multiple times per day!

For example, the other day my four year old son dumped a bunch of carrots down our bathroom sink. I was so angry with him that I passive aggressively sulked about and withdrew from my wife and kids in order to focus on the problem. I was short tempered and short in speech with them. I did not pursue my wife emotionally or romantically that day because I was angry. I let me anger get the best of me. My will was certainly involved in this, so it was willful. What a sinner I am!

Some people on this thread, perhaps yourself included, don't seem to deal with these same issues any longer. Pray for me!

 

[Dr Bruce Atkinson]

Several, where I point out that if the saved do not sin then I am not saved.

Again...
“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.
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 1:7-10)

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” (James 5:16)

 

[Arthur B Via]

Even though the Word emptied Himself to become man, the baby Jesus, the seed of the Father was in Him from the beginning of conception. Therefore, during His life even before He was baptized by the Spirit for ministry and miracles, He didn’t sin, though He was tempted by Satan, just as we are. And for us, God always makes a way of escape.
According to this the Apostle Paul is in hell? Not according to what God SAYS in Romans 7:14 thoughk! According to this God's perfect Word is WRONG and what God SAYS in Romans 8:37 is a lie from God? WRONG! God SAYS, "Not any created thing, (we are created), can separate us from the Love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord". This teaching of "fear" is not from God. God is consistent LOVE and full of Grace my friend. We can NOT be completely sin free and if we could? We would not need Jesus the Christ who did what we can't do and lived a perfect sin free life. Then He says 124 times in the N.T. BELIEVE in my finished Work at the Cross! Faith, and faith alone, is the catalyst that creates a permanent eternal bond with Christ that can NEVER be broken... When we read God's Word collectively and frequently? This is what we see... God Bless you all...

That same seed is in Christ’s followers who have been baptized with the Spirit. 1 John 3:says, 9 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.

This is also why we must have that seed in us. Romans 8:9 "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."

If you still willfully sin (and don't be spiritually ignorant and say all sin is willful. There are also unknown (to us) sins that are not sins unto death in 1 John 5. Willful sins are rebellious against God - and without repentance will produce death.), do as Jesus said, "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works." So what are the first works? Acts 2:38, I believe are those in a nutshell.

So the Apostle Paul is in hell? WRONG! Romans 7:14... Or ne, the WORD of God is WRONG? Romans 8:37. " Not any created thing( we are created things) c!an separate US/ believers from the Love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord". If anyone

Even though the Word emptied Himself to become man, the baby Jesus, the seed of the Father was in Him from the beginning of conception. Therefore, during His life even before He was baptized by the Spirit for ministry and miracles, He didn’t sin, though He was tempted by Satan, just as we are. And for us, God always makes a way of escape.

That same seed is in Christ’s followers who have been baptized with the Spirit. 1 John 3:says, 9 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.

This is also why we must have that seed in us. Romans 8:9 "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."

If you still willfully sin (and don't be spiritually ignorant and say all sin is willful. There are also unknown (to us) sins that are not sins unto death in 1 John 5. Willful sins are rebellious against God - and without repentance will produce death.), do as Jesus said, "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works." So what are the first works? Acts 2:38, I believe are those in a nutshell.

 

[Dr Bruce Atkinson]

I strive every day to be devoted to God and not to sin against him. But I'm sure that several willful sins creep in each day. I find myself having to repent every day. Sometimes multiple times per day!

For example, the other day my four year old son dumped a bunch of carrots down our bathroom sink. I was so angry with him that I passive aggressively sulked about and withdrew from my wife and kids in order to focus on the problem. I was short tempered and short in speech with them. I did not pursue my wife emotionally or romantically that day because I was angry. I let me anger get the best of me. My will was certainly involved in this, so it was willful. What a sinner I am!

Some people on this thread, perhaps yourself included, don't seem to deal with these same issues any longer. Pray for me!

Temptations never go away! We just get better and better at resisting them. But in our behavior and reactions, I think we never get quite perfect, not in this world. So we keep repenting and confessing and receiving forgiveness... and making progress in spiritual maturity.

How I know that you are a Christian is that you really do not WANT to sin. The first thing God changes is our heart, the seat of our deepest desires. We love because He first loved us. But the last fruit of the Spirit, if you recall Galatians 5:22-24, is self-control. Be patient with the change process and avoid becoming discouraged, but also be persistent in prayer and in striving to avoid sin.

 

[Tree of Life]

How I know that you are a Christian is that you really do not WANT to sin. The first thing God changes is our heart, the seat of our deepest desires. We love because He first loved us. But the last fruit of the Spirit, if you recall Galatians 5:22-24, is self-control.

I think this is a little problematic. When Christians sin, they don't do it against their will. Christians sin because they want to sin, just like everybody else. The sin nature still resides within us along with its corrupt desires.

The difference the Holy Spirit makes is that he gives us new desires. We now have desires not to sin. And we desire righteousness.

But both the flesh and the Spirit live in the Christian. Christians want to sin and they don't want to sin.

 

[Inkfingers]

Again...
“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.
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 1:7-10)

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” (James 5:16)

That is speaking about the pre-saved condition. We have to admit our sin then. Jesus then cleanses us from how much unrighteousness? It's in your quote right there....

 

[Chinchilla]

If you claim Jesus as only your Savior, and not your Lord, don't be deceived. You must be born again of the Spirit, because...

1 John 3:8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning.

That's Lordship salvation and works gospel and it's not biblical. Salvation is not of works Ephesians 2:8 and you are not justified by keeping commandments Galatians 2:16 .

You keep commandments because you show your love towards God not because it's required for your salvation .
You can go to heaven and not love God at all . It will be rough walk because God will discipline you all your life but if you choose to disobey him you are free to do so .

 

[salt-n-light]

One of the things I learned as I traveled to many places in the world, is that the reason I had never felt tempted to commit many sins is simply because I hadn't yet been in a position where those sins were easy and cheap enough.

When I got into places where sins I'd earlier laughed at became cheap enough and easy enough and the chances of being caught were totally zero...then came the temptation to do things I'd never given consideration before.

Ain’t that the truth! We don’t know ourselves until we’ve been there! That’s why I can’t turn my nose on no one!

 

[peter jenner]

Even though the Word emptied Himself to become man, the baby Jesus, the seed of the Father was in Him from the beginning of conception. Therefore, during His life even before He was baptized by the Spirit for ministry and miracles, He didn’t sin, though He was tempted by Satan, just as we are. And for us, God always makes a way of escape.

That same seed is in Christ’s followers who have been baptized with the Spirit. 1 John 3:says, 9 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.

This is also why we must have that seed in us. Romans 8:9 "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."

If you still willfully sin (and don't be spiritually ignorant and say all sin is willful. There are also unknown (to us) sins that are not sins unto death in 1 John 5. Willful sins are rebellious against God - and without repentance will produce death.), do as Jesus said, "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works." So what are the first works? Acts 2:38, I believe are those in a nutshell.

 

[1stcenturylady]

That's Lordship salvation and works gospel and it's not biblical. Salvation is not of works Ephesians 2:8 and you are not justified by keeping commandments Galatians 2:16 .

You keep commandments because you show your love towards God not because it's required for your salvation .
You can go to heaven and not love God at all . It will be rough walk because God will discipline you all your life but if you choose to disobey him you are free to do so .

It has nothing to do with law. Anyone who has literally been born again, knows that the desire to sin is gone. It has nothing to do with keeping the law in our own strength. It is the seed within us that does all the work. We just follow...

 

[Dr Bruce Atkinson]

I think this is a little problematic. When Christians sin, they don't do it against their will. Christians sin because they want to sin, just like everybody else. The sin nature still resides within us along with its corrupt desires.

The difference the Holy Spirit makes is that he gives us new desires. We now have desires not to sin. And we desire righteousness.

But both the flesh and the Spirit live in the Christian. Christians want to sin and they don't want to sin.

You answered your own question in the last two sentences. The new birth gives us a new, eternal godly self (along side our fleshly fallen self). The former is eternal, our REAL self-in-Christ; the latter fleshly self (& ego) is passing away and should be considered dead already and emptied of its power.

The real us never wants to sin and will never die. The flesh is susceptible to temptation and is weak... is dying and will die. Fortunately, the "old man" is crucified in Christ and should already be regarded as dead. Paul commands us to "walk in the Spirit" and NOT in the flesh.

 

[Tree of Life]

You answered your own question in the last two sentences. The new birth gives us a new, eternal godly self (along side our fleshly fallen self). The former is eternal, our REAL self-in-Christ; the latter fleshly self (& ego) is passing away and should be considered dead already and emptied of its power.

The real us never wants to sin and will never die. The flesh is susceptible to temptation and is weak... is dying and will die. Fortunately, the "old man" is crucified in Christ and should already be regarded as dead. Paul commands us to "walk in the Spirit" and NOT in the flesh.

I agree that this is the Biblical view.

The OP claims that Christians never sin after conversion and that she has not sinned since the late 1980s.

 

[Chinchilla]

It has nothing to do with law. Anyone who has literally been born again, knows that the desire to sin is gone. It has nothing to do with keeping the law in our own strength. It is the seed within us that does all the work. We just follow...

Well Paul didn't know that his desire of sinning was gone . He said that he is chief of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15 ) and he does things he wish he was not doing (Romans 7:15) , he even disobeyed God that told him not to go Jerusalem but he went anyways and got himself into trouble (Acts 21)

 

[salt-n-light]

I agree that this is the Biblical view.

The OP claims that Christians never sin after conversion and that she has not sinned since the late 1980s.

That would be a new world record for going without sin, surpassing Jesus, lol.

 

[Dr Bruce Atkinson]

I agree that this is the Biblical view.

The OP claims that Christians never sin after conversion and that she has not sinned since the late 1980s.

The OP is either very naive, lives in immense denial, or is blatantly lying. If she has not repented or confessed since the late 1980s, she is in big trouble. The Apostle John was writing here to believers in the churches:
"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 1:7-10)

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” (James 5:16)

 

[Dr Bruce Atkinson]

It has nothing to do with law. Anyone who has literally been born again, knows that the desire to sin is gone. It has nothing to do with keeping the law in our own strength. It is the seed within us that does all the work. We just follow...

Well said... and succinctly. It is why true believers are truly free. God changes our hearts and so we truly want to do right (even if, due to old patterns/habits of behavior we do not yet perfectly do it), and over time we get better. We follow the Spirit, which means we get to do exactly what (the born-again us) wants to do. Free!