Do you know why a Christian cannot willfully sin

[Kenny'sID]

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.

The spin there is, the bible is speaking of physical seed, and I doubt the OP made it up but that is exactly what this part is...made up:

"That same seed is in Christ’s followers who have been baptized with the Spirit."

No physical seed was passed to them, but only to Jesus.

 

[Kenny'sID]

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

Define wilful sin, please.

 

[Tree of Life]

Define wilful sin, please.

I think of willful sin as sin that is done knowingly (I know its a sin) and willingly (I want to do it).

 

[Brownstoned]

Romans 7 15-25 may answer all of this.
Paul admits that he sins, and hates it. And the fact that he hates it and knows that it's wrong, means it's not his soul that's doing it, but the desires of the flesh.
He calls himself a wretched man, that although in his mind he doesn't want to sin, but his body keeps dragging him down, wanting him to sin.

 

[Dr Bruce Atkinson]

Hi again. While driving down a winding road, there are times when the wheel gets too close to the center line and may even cross an inch or two over the line and you correct it. Those do not require us to repent having to do with our salvation. Just keep following to road. "He will make the crooked places straight."

Once you've been driving for as long as I have, you learn not to even get close to the center line.

But I appreciate that you think I'm naive. If we could all be this naive. Children are naive and completely trusting. I don't want to go back into that place of having to be pruned so often. But, I'm alone - and 70 years old. Just me and God. It is harder for younger ones to not pass us slower vehicles on the winding road into a head-on collision (that require repentance).

So what is your definition of "sin"? If it is falling short of the glory of God, then you need to do more repentance I think, because believing you have not sinned since the 1980s sounds like pride to me. Have you never thought an unnecessary negative thought, never been anxious, never been angry to the point of reacting inappropriately? Crossing that line is enough to keep you out of heaven if you do not repent and confess, if you do not stay humble.

 

[Kenny'sID]

I think of willful sin as sin that is done knowingly (I know its a sin) and willingly (I want to do it).

Fair enough, and all I can do is say what I think as well because I haven't done extensive study enough to say otherwise, and this, getting others opinions, I suppose is part of that study I feel coming on.

But, anyway, I think wilful sin is any sin not due to ignorance, something most of us can understand, pretty much a given. But also, and very importantly, sin out of weakness, not premeditated, may well not be considered wilful sin.

For example, I never intend to sleep around (don't premeditate it), I'm never going out to intentionally make that happen, but one night one thing led to another and it happened. That was out of weakness, or maybe that doesn't go into all the details that shows it out of weakness but just assume it was and those details existed so I don't have to bother.

The latter of the two does sound wilful because I knew I shouldn't and did it anyway, but, and I'm not positive of this yet, I don't think it is considered wilful sin. And that's not to say it's ok and we should not ask forgiveness and repent, we should, but if we do all that for sin out of weakness, we are at least not in danger of losing salvation because we premeditate and sin as we like with no regret.

What do you/TOL do? Not really my point...I'm only trying to get straight something I think is very important for any Christian to know.

If anyone can back those thoughts up for me with scripture/save me some research, I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[Tree of Life]

I only mean that what you keep doing is biased because of your denomination, even to the point of contempt for me. Everything is seen through and weighed through Presbyterian glasses. Been there, done that.

I grew up in a denomination - Seventh-day Adventist. Because of their glasses that could only see the law, I couldn't see grace. Then one night I debated with a Church of Christ member. After about 3 hours, around about 4 in the morning, I suddenly "got it." The blinders were lifted. Oh, what freedom!

I was only in the Church of Christ for about a year, but God had other plans. He lead me to finally believe in those dreaded gifts of the Holy Spirit which I thought had ceased (to keep it clean). That was the last of the baggage from denominationalism.

All I want to do now is grow in the Spirit.

When did you make this move away from denominationalism and believing in the gifts of the Spirit? Was that around the same time you stopped sinning altogether?

 

[Tree of Life]

What do you/TOL do? Not really my point...I'm only trying to get straight something I think is very important for any Christian to know.

I break several commands of God on a daily basis in thought, word, and deed.

I did not prioritize my devotional time with the Lord this morning. I slothfully neglected prayer and hearing his word. I know this is sinful, but I did it anyway.

 

[sunlover1]

Yes, since Adam we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. This is WHY Jesus came. He freed us from sin. The question is, do you see yourself as knowing about Jesus, or knowing Him.

22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

"PRACTICE"
Are you trying to tell us you don't sin???

 

[Tree of Life]

"PRACTICE"
Are you trying to tell us you don't sin???

This is exactly what she is claiming.

 

[Kenny'sID]

I did not prioritize my devotional time with the Lord this morning. I slothfully neglected prayer and hearing his word. I know this is sinful, but I did it anyway.

I'm not even sure I would consider that sin, but things we all choose to do and to do differently. I'm sure you will get your time in eventually, so no harm, no foul. However keeping ourselves on our toes like seems to me you're doing there, is far from a bad thing.

 

[sunlover1]

This is exactly what she is claiming.

Who was it who said, "if you claim you are without sink, you're a liar and the truth is not in you"?

 

[sunlover1]

Romans 14:22 says that what is not of faith is sin.
IJS

 

[Tree of Life]

I'm not even sure I would consider that sin, but things we all choose to do and to do differently. I'm sure you will get your time in eventually, so no harm, no foul. However keeping ourselves on our toes like seems to me you're doing there, is far from a bad thing.

I could mention more pernicious sins, but part of my goal here is to highlight the fact that sin pervades our lives in very subtle and invisible ways that we're often unaware of. We are dimly aware of our own sin. So someone who claims to be without sin has a very shallow understanding of sin indeed.

 

[Tree of Life]

Who was it who said, "if you claim you are without sink, you're a liar and the truth is not in you"?

The same John.

 

[Kenny'sID]

So someone who claims to be without sin has a very shallow understanding of sin indeed.

Who, in there right mind, after all we know about the bible, would even make such a claim.

 

[Tree of Life]

Who, in there right mind, after all we know about the bible, would even make such a claim.

The OP claims to be without sin.

 

[Kenny'sID]

The OP claims to be without sin.

What a shame, when they know better, and that the bible is very specific on that. Of course the OP is also trying to put something else out there in the OP, Higher Knowledge as I call it, that took twists to create, so, guess it makes sense they would make that claim as well.

 

[1stcenturylady]

I have question about these , people had gift of prophecy , why do we not find these prophecies in the Bible from people who had such gift or does that gift of prophecy mean something else for example they had these prophecies that we do but they knew them without Scriptures because they were not written yet ?

What is difference between gift of tongues and gift of interpretation of tongues ? Does it mean that for example I'm speaking in French but there are no people who speak it french but God let's one man to understand French even tho he is not speaking French himself but by that gift he is able to know what you are saying and is translating it to other brothers in English for example is that what is this talking about ?

Personally I think I have only one gift and that's faith from these 7 stated above , haven't healed anybody yet or did any miracles .

The key to understanding the scriptures depicting speaking in tongues is 1 Corinthians 14:2. "2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries." If you go outside those perimeters, you get into error. Then these must be dealt with.

Tongues
1. Tongues is not for the purpose of speaking or preaching to man in their own natural language.

2. No one understands the supernatural language being spoken - only God.

Interpretation of Tongues
3. Understanding of the tongue spoken is only by the supernatural gift of interpretation of tongues. And only when the Spirit wants us to understand what is being said. He is in control (Many times we may pray in the Spirit for someone else, and the subject matter is none of our business. But God wants us to intercede on their behalf.)

4. Understanding of the tongues is never natural. It is a supernatural gift. Even on the Day of Pentecost, each devout Jew of different languages, heard them (all of them) speaking in their own language. So a Frenchman would have heard all of them in French, while a German would have heard all of them speaking German. The emphasis in Acts 2 was on the hearing on the part of the devout Jews (who already belonged to God) being called to receive Jesus. (The mockers couldn't understand the language at all - they weren't being called. Possibly because they were Gentiles and the gospel and the Spirit hadn't been given to the Gentiles yet, nor the Samaritans as depicted in Acts 8 - that is why the apostles had to go there to lay hands on them to receive.)

There is much more I could say on the subject...but its off topic.

 

[1stcenturylady]

"PRACTICE"
Are you trying to tell us you don't sin???

Do I miss the mark - straight on bullseye - yes I do.
Do I commit lawlessness - no I don't.

But before I was filled with the Spirit I couldn't stop. I was in love with a married man, and couldn't stay out of his bed! I tried and tried in my own strength and was a complete failure. It was like asking me to not breathe.

But on February 9, 1977 I was filled with the Holy Spirit (His seed) and had supernatural strength overnight. It had to do with my desires. I just didn't want to anymore. He did it all. Romans 6:2 is real. We are dead to sin.