14. CHRISTIANS ARE NOT SINLESS BUT THEY SIN LESS

Today, I read an online Article where the author of the Article (supposedly a Christian Church leader) was alarmed at what a young man in his Church once told him. He said that the young man, who had committed the sin of lustful thinking, told him that since he had already sinned in this way, that he was thinking that he might as well just go ahead and commit adultery.

The person writing the Article used the story to explain that the young man clearly did not understand that some sins were considered more grave than others and that had he understood, he would not have said what he said.

I disagree that this knowledge would have in any way changed the young man’s outlook. In fact, I am alarmed that the person writing the Article who claims that he is a Christian, did not realize the most probable root cause of this man’s statement.

It wasn’t because the young man did not understand that the sin of adultery was more grave than the sin of lustful thoughts. In fact, in God’s eyes, some sins may be considered more serious than others and the Bible even speaks of a sin that is unto death but even if all sins are not unto death solely because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, all sins are certainly worthy of death. That is why Jesus paid the penalty of death, as a substitute, for the sins of the whole world. For, as Romans 6:23 reminds us without distinguishing between different types of sin, “…the wages of sin is death…” Thankfully though, for those who have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ into their hearts and lives, the verse continues, that “…but the gift of God is eternal life THROUGH JESUS CHRIST our Lord.”

I am alarmed because in my view, the author did not realize that the young man spoke as he did in relation to his sin, simply because he was not a genuine Christian!

That is, he did not genuinely believe in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from his heart and confess with his mouth that truly he was Lord. This young man clearly did not want the Lord Jesus to rule over him and had therefore not genuinely surrendered his life to his Lordship. He was clearly, in my view, an impostor, pretending to be one of the fold or even thinking by way of self-deception, that he was a part of the body of Christ. However, in truth and in fact, his statement reveals that he was not.

I am not being judgmental but discerning. The Bible states that we should judge righteous judgment (John 7:24) and that we should believe not every spirit but try, test or assess them, to determine whether they are of God (1 John 4:1).

Having done exactly that, I have come to the conclusion that I have come to, not because the man committed the sin of lustful thinking. Many genuine Christians have committed this as well and struggle to overcome it and some have committed even worse. In the Bible, David committed adultery which started with the sin of lust and he even had the woman’s husband killed when she became pregnant. Yet, he belonged to God and was described as a man after God’s own heart.

Unlike David and other Christians who have sinned against God in different ways though and have repented, I have come to the conclusion that the young man is not of God because his statement reveals the following facts:

• 1. He does not understand the gravity of sin and therefore sees no problem with engaging in more. One must understand the gravity and ugliness of all sin before coming to Jesus Christ in repentance, which leads to salvation;

• 2. He is not at all perturbed by the fact that God frowns on sin and considers sin an offence against Him because he does not love God. He is therefore not hurt by the fact that he displeased him with the initial sin and is so unmoved, that he is considering doing more, which will displease God more;

• 3. There is a major flaw or defect in his belief system which reveals that whatever faith he has or has had is not the saving faith that endures and is genuine but imitation faith. For, even if he professed having some kind of faith once, he clearly thinks that to be in God’s favour and to make it to heaven is a works-based effort or is faith mixed with some works. Therefore, his reasoning is that since he has messed up and failed in his works, there is no way for him to be redeemed. He has therefore concluded that, since he is without hope and lost, that he might as well continue down the path of sin, revealing that he does not believe that Jesus has the power to forgive and restore through grace, upon repentance;

• 4. He is quite frankly, not sorry for his sin. He has never truly repented, as godly sorrow is clearly absent. A person that grieves over his sin, does not nonchalantly consider and look for reasons to do more but laments over the initial sin and if it is a sin struggle, wants to be delivered and free of it, at all costs;

• 5. He is not struggling with the sin of lustful thinking so that he can be free from it but is so comfortable with it, that he now desires to enter into more sin and has gone so far as to fish for excuses to enable him to do what he desires to do, which is to commit adultery.

Needless to say, I do not believe that a genuine blood-washed, blood-bought believer of Jesus Christ would EVER make such a foolish statement or think in this way.

1 John 3:9-10 clearly states:

• “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…”

This does not mean that Christians will never ever sin again, once they come to Jesus Christ through FAITH and have genuinely repented of their sins. Indeed, if I say that I never sinned against God since I became a Christian and in grievous ways, I will be lying.

Indeed, 1 John 1:8 tells us that if we say as Believers, that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

What 1 John 3:9-10 does speak of therefore is the mentality that the Christian should have. The genuine Christian lives, not for self but to please God and so, although the flesh is still in us and sometimes we do fail by sinning, we fight daily to keep that flesh under subjection through the help of the Spirit of God indwelling us. When we have failed and fallen, we do not stay there but are deeply grieved about it and so confess our sin to God, ask Him for forgiveness and fight to get back up.

Proverbs 24:16 rightly states: “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.”

God hates sin and so, his seed of faith being in us, we too, as regenerated, spirit-filled human beings, hate sin, although our flesh sees no problem with it. We do not ever want any sin to have dominion over us and so we are always actively engaged in war internally, involving our flesh and our spirit. Galatians 5:17 rightly states of the genuine Christian: “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other…”

The Christian that is truly born of God therefore and has his seed in him, while he will not be sinless in terms of the life he lives here on earth, will sin less and less and less, as time progresses. For, the seed of God remaining in him (which is his Spirit) is shaping and moulding him into spiritual maturity, after the perfect example of Jesus Christ.

One Preacher/Teacher summed it up perfectly when he said, “Unbelievers lie in sin and love it. Believers lapse into sin and loathe it.”

This is exactly true. The sin may bring temporary pleasure and selfish short-lived satisfaction to the flesh but because God’s spirit indwells the Christian, he will not be at peace in sin. He will be miserable, unhappy and restless, until he makes things right with his Lord. For, he will experience conviction and sometimes chastening, all from the loving hand of God his Father, pursuing after him to bring him back to his senses and into fellowship with him.

Someone loving, embracing and being perfectly at home in sin on the other hand and without any fear of God is a sure indication that that person is NOT a Christian, not regenerated and not blood-washed by Christ’s precious blood. He is lost, unsaved, ungodly and still outside of the covering of the Lord, even if he is religious.

If you are not sure if you are a genuine Christian but you want to be sure or you have some questions on biblical issues that you would like cleared up, I invite you to read one or two Articles under the Abundant Life Series of the ‘SINGLE Daughters of God – Hephzibah Diaries‘ Page. These Articles run from Nos. 76-100 and 226-250. See the list below.

I trust that you will use the time that God has so mercifully allowed you, to make your calling and election sure (2 Peter 1:10).

(Written on 22nd June, 2020, added to thereafter)

NOTES UNDER THE ‘ABUNDANT LIFE’ SERIES OF THE ‘SINGLE DAUGHTERS OF GOD’ PAGE:

76. Let’s Be Honest – What Do You Really Believe?

77. Is Your Life And Those Around You Being ‘Spent’ Or ‘Invested’?

78. When The Enemy Tries To Make You Doubt Your Salvation

79. So Many Questions – Do You Have All The Answers?

80. Becoming More Like Jesus – Practices To Incorporate Into Your Every Day Life

81. Before I Formed Thee In The Belly I Knew Thee

82. Trying To Be The Best You Can Is Not Enough – Jesus Is The Answer

83. How To Experience The Extraordinary Life

84. Hitting Rock Bottom

85. Dare To Be Different

86. Jesus, The Only Thing Standing Between Me & Failure…Is You

87. I Lost All Control When I Asked God To Take The Wheel

88. Ten Signs That That Speaker Or Teacher Is A Wolf Disguised In Sheep’s Clothing Or Operating Under The Devil’s Deception

89. If You Were Offered The Opportunity To Live Forever, Would You Take It?

90. Beyond A Doubt, Jesus Is God!

91. Who I Am…In Jesus Christ

92. The God Who Created Us Is A Great God

93. Must I Keep The Law? (Part 1/4)

94. How To Be Blessed

95. Are You Too Puffed Up, Full Of Yourself Or Prideful?

96. Are You A Christian? Here’s How To Experience The ‘Good Life’

97. Do You Feel Like You Have Fallen Through The Cracks?

98. Who Or What Are You Depending On?

99. Good News! Here’s How Your Life Can Be Transformed For Ever

100. Calling All Christians In God’s Business of Sharing The Gospel And Winning Souls For Christ

226. The Whole Truth…

227. What Will Be Your Excuse?

228. God’s Laws Are Supreme

229. I Want To Be Blessed!

230. Women Teaching In The Church – What Does God Command?

231. To Those Who Do Not Believe That The Bible Came From God

232. What Sin Does Once Introduced – Based On The Story Of Adam & Eve And Cain & Abel.

233. Where Did The People From 130 Years Ago Go?

234. Blood – What God Requires For You To Obtain Forgiveness

235. Is There Eternal Security Of A Believer?

236. Are You On The Right Road?

237. Why Your Good Deeds/Works Are Not Enough To Earn You A Space In Heaven

238. You My Friend Are Dead.

239. Jesus – Who Is He?

240. Are You For Real Or Are You Just Playing Church?

241. Come Away…To Jesus

242. What Is Repentance?

243. What The Bible Says About Keeping The Law (Part 2/4)

244. The True Meaning Of Church Ministry

245. Is There A God?

246. To Those Who Insist On Keeping The Law (Part 3/4)

247. How Does God Speak To His Children?

248. What Does The Bible Say About Judging?

249. The Debate On The Sabbath, Meat, Wine, Tithing and Speaking In Tongues

250. The Debate On Whether People Have Free Will Or God Chooses