Does God forgive habitual sin that goes on and on?

Basil the Great · Jan 21, 2011

This question was inspired by a different poster who placed a similiar question on another board. When I was age 8, my Great Grandfather lived with us for two months before he died. He was a very devout man. I asked him if God would forgive us if we kept sinning the same sin over and over again and he replied "no, God would not". Now Great Grampa was a Baptist most of his life, though he was probably not raised a Baptist, as his parents were married in the Methodist Church. Looking back now, I can see that his answer certainly runs counter to the position of most Baptists. I told his daughter, my Great Aunt, about Grampa's answer many years after he died and she replied by saying that she did not believe that Grampa's answer was Scriptual.

Now Great Grampa's maternal grandparents were both raised as Mennonites in Montgomery County, PA, though they left the Mennonite faith when they moved from away from PA. I could be wrong, but I have a strong suspicion that Grampa's view about habitual sin was passed on down to him by his maternal grandparents. How likely is my suspicion?

Heavens · Jan 21, 2011

Basil the Great said:
This question was inspired by a different poster who placed a similiar question on another board. When I was age 8, my Great Grandfather lived with us for two months before he died. He was a very devout man. I asked him if God would forgive us if we kept sinning the same sin over and over again and he replied "no, God would not". Now Great Grampa was a Baptist most of his life, though he was probably not raised a Baptist, as his parents were married in the Methodist Church. Looking back now, I can see that his answer certainly runs counter to the position of most Baptists. I told his daughter, my Great Aunt, about Grampa's answer many years after he died and she replied by saying that she did not believe that Grampa's answer was Scriptual.

Now Great Grampa's maternal grandparents were both raised as Mennonites in Montgomery County, PA, though they left the Mennonite faith when they moved from away from PA. I could be wrong, but I have a strong suspicion that Grampa's view about habitual sin was passed on down to him by his maternal grandparents. How likely is my suspicion?

You are blessed in that your grampa was revealing the Word of God to you by the Holy Spirit of Christ, regardless of what churches he may have been in and out of.

A person's repentance of sin is evident by whether one keeps sinning or not. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise

(Joh 5:14) Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

(Joh 8:11) She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

(Heb 10:26) For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
(Heb 10:27) But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

(1Co 15:34) Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

Sin is serious stuff. Sinners don't enter into the Kingdom. But if we do slip and sin...

(1Jn 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:

The more we ask Jesus to come into us, the fuller He will fill us with His Holy Spirit and strengthen us against sin It is true! And He is patient as He does His work of righteousness in you...

(Php 1:6) Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Be of good cheer, for He who is in you is Jesus! And He has overcome the world!

dies-l · Jan 21, 2011

Basil the Great said:
This question was inspired by a different poster who placed a similiar question on another board. When I was age 8, my Great Grandfather lived with us for two months before he died. He was a very devout man. I asked him if God would forgive us if we kept sinning the same sin over and over again and he replied "no, God would not". Now Great Grampa was a Baptist most of his life, though he was probably not raised a Baptist, as his parents were married in the Methodist Church. Looking back now, I can see that his answer certainly runs counter to the position of most Baptists. I told his daughter, my Great Aunt, about Grampa's answer many years after he died and she replied by saying that she did not believe that Grampa's answer was Scriptual.

Now Great Grampa's maternal grandparents were both raised as Mennonites in Montgomery County, PA, though they left the Mennonite faith when they moved from away from PA. I could be wrong, but I have a strong suspicion that Grampa's view about habitual sin was passed on down to him by his maternal grandparents. How likely is my suspicion?

Certainly not Baptist or Methodist. I think it could be Mennonite. That might be a question to ask on the anabaptist forum, so long as you don't go in and argue about it.

I thank God that your grandfather was wrong in that belief. If it were true, we would all be hopelessly damned and the Gospel would be meaningless.

Basil the Great · Jan 26, 2011

WayneinMaine - Can you or any other Mennonite on this board give your view re: my question. Remember now, we are talking about my Gr. Gr. Gr. Grandparents who were raised as Mennonites around the 1830-1840 time period, if that matters. My Great Grandfather grew up two generations later, in the 1880's and 1890's. While his grandparents were no longer Mennonites when he was born, they still might have retained a lot of what they had been taught when they were young.

Heavens · Jan 27, 2011

Since nothing was said of "repentance", you could get a lot of unqualified answers. "Yes" is right and also "no" is right. It depends upon whether the person repented of their sins. If so, then "Yes";

(Luk 17:3) Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
(Luk 17:4) And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

Blessings!

joe100 · Jan 27, 2011

@ Basil The Great. I come from a Mennonite background and I tend to doubt this teaching comes from there. Mennonites, like every denomination, have a broad spectrum of beliefs and values, so I can't say for sure. The background I come from runs along the lines of "The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more" (Romans 5:20) which states that God's grace has no limits.

But at the same time, I am also aware of very conservative Mennonites (Amish, nearly) who take sin very seriously (which technically everybody should) but they also think your salvation is determined by how well you can limit your sinfulness. I don't hold this view, nor do most Anabaptist I know, but if your forefather came from that background, I would say it's quite possible that this is where he adopted that value.

Hope I helped!

Basil the Great · Jan 27, 2011

joe100 - Thanks so much for your response. I suspect that back 170 years ago, Mennonites tended to be more conservative than today. This is undoubtedly true of all denominations. Hence, back then it might have been much more widespread among Mennonites to believe that salvation was dependent upon one's level of sinfulness. Now Great Grampa's paternal grandparents came from England and were raised as Anglicans, so I doubt that his views came from that side of the family. I guess we will never know for sure, but I will always believe that he inherited his deep faith and the nature of his faith from his maternal grandparents, who grew up as Mennonites.

RevBobCeleste · Mar 25, 2011

"No child should ever age out of foster care!

Children who age out of foster care face challenges in adulthood that most of us could never imagine. What a difference we can make as the body of Christ, by opening our homes to children in foster care. Please pray for foster children around the world and consider being a foster or adoptive parent."

I'm 67 and my wife is 66, do you think we are to old?

Thanks,
Bob

mantayvera · Jun 15, 2012

Heavens said:
You are blessed in that your grampa was revealing the Word of God to you by the Holy Spirit of Christ, regardless of what churches he may have been in and out of.

A person's repentance of sin is evident by whether one keeps sinning or not. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise

(Joh 5:14) Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

(Joh 8:11) She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

(Heb 10:26) For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
(Heb 10:27) But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

(1Co 15:34) Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

Sin is serious stuff. Sinners don't enter into the Kingdom. But if we do slip and sin...

(1Jn 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:

The more we ask Jesus to come into us, the fuller He will fill us with His Holy Spirit and strengthen us against sin It is true! And He is patient as He does His work of righteousness in you...

(Php 1:6) Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Be of good cheer, for He who is in you is Jesus! And He has overcome the world!

mantayvera · Jun 15, 2012

God bless you RevBobCeleste!

Catherineanne · Jun 15, 2012

Basil the Great said:
joe100 - Thanks so much for your response. I suspect that back 170 years ago, Mennonites tended to be more conservative than today. This is undoubtedly true of all denominations. Hence, back then it might have been much more widespread among Mennonites to believe that salvation was dependent upon one's level of sinfulness. Now Great Grampa's paternal grandparents came from England and were raised as Anglicans, so I doubt that his views came from that side of the family. I guess we will never know for sure, but I will always believe that he inherited his deep faith and the nature of his faith from his maternal grandparents, who grew up as Mennonites.

... because Anglicans are unlikely to transmit either deep faith or devotion? Or indeed, to discourage repeated sin?

Good to know.

ZaidaBoBaida · Oct 11, 2012

Scripture talks about besetting sins (Hebrews 1). Paul also spoke of praying to have a thorn removed from his flesh and of doing things he didn't want to do.

So, yes, I believe there are sins that God will forgive us if we periodically fall back into them - the sin of addiction would be an example of that.

Jeffersonian · Oct 13, 2012

No reason to abuse the grace that was given to us. But is good to know that debt of our sins was paid on that cross, so Christ righteousness is a credit that we posses. Just keep in mind this : ''So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.'' (John 8:36).

Basil the Great · Oct 14, 2012

Catherineanne said:
... because Anglicans are unlikely to transmit either deep faith or devotion? Or indeed, to discourage repeated sin?

Good to know.

I think you misunderstood my point. I was not slighting the Anglican side of my ancestral tree. I only meant that I know of nothing in Anglican theology which places a limit on God's forgiveness.

Pastor J Dog · Oct 17, 2012

I have to side with Heavens (and Jesus) on this matter. Right on man.

Paul covers this issue well in one of his letters. I believe the argument went something like this:

(1) After an individual submits to the will of Jesus he becomes (in a non-eternal sense), saved, elect and predestination/preordained according to God's will. And there is plenty that Paul covers on the topic.

(2) But Paul also says that we should not use this as an excuse to sin (or excuse to not own up to and defeat the flesh/spiritually lazy). What is more, James says that it is not just faith, but works.

Irrespective of which side is right, we, as ambassadors must not decent to sin. Sin is evil and as soon as we make a place for sin we lose the point of serving Jesus. "Sin no more", Jesus once said.

Pastor J Dog · Oct 17, 2012

... says. Jesus is alive, hooyaa!

Steve Petersen · Dec 31, 2012

itishim2411 said:
see_the_truth.webs.com

Don't go to the link. Bad news.

This is spam. OP has posted the same link on several sub-forums here.

SGA · Feb 22, 2013

What many christians fail to understand is the "Whole" picture..It is a dangerous thing to isolate single scriptures by themselves. The Bible speaks of Two distinct Kingdoms. The kingdom of this world which is "corruptible". And the kingdom of heaven which is "incorruptible" The Bible also speaks of the "flesh" our corruptible sinful nature. And the "spirit" meaning the Holy spirit which is "incorruptible". Prior to the new birth and accepting Christ...Our manner is simply of the flesh. Upon experiencing the new birth and accepting Christ...We receive his Holy Spirit. Upon which we are to follow..And so begins the warfare which Paul speaks of in Romans...The old man is to be "reckoned" dead. Sadly he dies hard and rears his ugly head often enough to create havoc in our spiritual walk...hence the term warfare. We are told that if we "walk in the spirit, we will not fufill the lust of the flesh" ..We sin because we have allowed the old corruptible man to have his way. God's grace is not a license to sin. But if we do sin, we have an advocate.....The problem with us as Christians is we pay far to much attention to that which is "corruptible"...The apostle Paul encourages us that even though "we are in the world..we are not of the world"....for we are to reckon ourselves dead to that which is corruptible...lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life.
I for one spend far to much time dwelling on the things of this world.

SGA · Feb 22, 2013

We as christian's sometimes just can't fully grasp the whole sin nature thing. The bible is very, very clear... all our righteousness is as filthy rags. There is none that do good not one...It is simply, utterly impossible to enter the kingdom of heaven by "our" good deeds. All we like sheep have gone astray....We are to allow the holy Spirit free reign in our life. If we do good..It is not "me" that does it...but "...Christ that liveth in me"....For in "me"...."dwelleth no good thing".......That's the part we can't submit to. "We" want the credit... "we" want to think we are alright that "we" are good and holy.....Until we fully surrender our life to God's Holy Spirit...Sin will rear it's ugly head.....

SGA · Feb 22, 2013

Forgive me for posting so many times in a row..But this is a subject so many cannot comprehend.....When we receive Christ..We also receive his holy Spirit. The problem with understanding how this receiving of the Holy Spirit works in our life is when we confuse the words receiving and submitting....The receiving is through the marriage of Christ...It's a done deal. Once and done. The submitting to the Holy Spirit however is a daily constant necessary act on our part in order to have victory over the sin and flesh. "YOU" must reckon the old man dead.."YOU" must strive to enter the straight gate by submitting to God's Holy Spirit. This we do all through life until in death ,The "corruptible put's on incorruption".....meaning the end of the flesh and sin nature....The original thread was in concern to "habitual" sin......Truth is we are ALL habitual sinners in one form or another....Everytime The Holy Spirit wants to take control of the wheel and you say no i can drive...And your mind dwells on things corruptible and out of your mouth comes gossip or slander or unholy speech..or thoughts become action...You are in fact a habitual sinner.......ponder these things.

Does God forgive habitual sin that goes on and on?

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