- Mar 18, 2014
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I know I'm going to regret this, but anyway.
Absolutely correct.
No, that's incorrect.
When someone repents, receives Jesus, is born again and becomes a Christian, they receive eternal life, John 3:16, 36; John 6:40. They are new creations and have new life, 2 Corinthians 5:17. At that point, the devil gets mad, because they now belong to God, and will do everything possible to try to get them to turn away - including whispers like, "you've messed up; God can't love you now, you might as well give up." This is a lie from the father of all lies.
John says in his first epistle that if we confess our sins he (God) is faithful and just and will forgive us, 1 John 1:9. In chapter 2 he said that, although he was writing so that they would not sin, if they did, they could be sure that they had someone who could intercede for them, 1 John 2:1.
Jesus taught us to pray, "forgive us our trespasses". Scripture says that when we sin, we need to confess it and not try to cover it up, and repent, then God will forgive us and make us clean.
If a Christian says that they know the love and grace of God and love him too, but continually and deliberately sin against him, purposely doing those things they know will hurt him and refusing to repent - then it is reasonable to question their love for God, their understanding of salvation and walking in the light. But a Christian who sins, repents and is cleansed, is forgiven - not condemned.
It IS possible for us to sin after we become Christians; 1) because you have just admitted that no one is perfect, 2) because we are still human, living in a fallen world and are still being sanctified and 3) because the devil tries hard to tempt us, make us sin and turn away from God. His biggest lie is then, "why not give up; you've just blown it."
But the only way we can't be forgiven, is if we don't confess. If we don't believe we have done anything wrong, try to keep it from God or justify it.
If everyone who became a Christian was made perfect, there'd be a lot of perfect people around - some of whom could then find other perfect people, marry them and have perfect children. There'd be perfect churches too - whole areas of the world would contain people who were absolutely perfect - so where are they?
Well said.
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