Does the Christian Sin?
Posted by: biblenotes <biblenotes@...>
From: Martin M Overfield
Date: Mon, 8 May 2000
More Scripture and less comment this time. I have tons
to do today. But, God's grace is sufficient for me.
Does the Christian Sin?
"Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath
not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive
you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the
beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he
might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God
doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin,
because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest,
and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is
not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother." (I John 3:6-10).
"We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is
begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him
not." (I John 5:18).
"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: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our's only,
but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know
that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know
him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in
him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God
perfected: hereby know we that we are in him." (I John 2:1-5).
Many more Scriptures could be quoted, but I believe these are
sufficient to answer the question for now. With all these words of God
in mind, and especially focusing on I John 2:1, 2, I have a few points to
share with you.
1. The Christian does not sin.
2. A Christian is not to sin.
3. A Christian is able not to sin.
Quote from Francis Ridley Havergal:
"We may be sure of three things. First, that whatever our Lord
commands us, He really means for us to do. Secondly, that whatever
He commands us is for our good always. And, thirdly, that whatever
He commands He is able and willing to enable us to do, for all God's
biddings are enablings."
4. A Christian is yet able to sin, for he has a free will, and
the admonition would be needless if it were impossible for the
Christian to fall back into sin.
5. A Christian who sins is in need of a restoration to the grace from
which he has fallen. Hence "we have an Advocate with the Father".
6. A Christian who has thus fallen is in danger of being lost even
as the sinner who has never been born again. Nay, the backslidden
Christian is in greater danger!
"For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through
the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again
entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them
than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known
the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from
the holy commandment delivered unto them." (II Peter 2:20, 21).
All the more reason this is for those who have fallen to return to the
Lord quickly, "While it is called today".
7. A fallen Christian is brought back to God upon the same ground,
or basis, upon which he came to Him in the first place: Christ's
propitiatory sacrifice of Himself for our sins. Of course, the fallen
Christian will have to do his "first works" "laying again the foundation
of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,"
(Hebrews 6:1). "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen,
and repent, and do the first works" (Revelation 2:5).
Someone may ask, "But, what about the Scriptures which seem to say that
everybody sins?"
Perhaps I will try to answer this question in the near future. I also
plan to deal more with a Biblical definition(s) of sin.
Yours In Christ,
Martin Overfield
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