The idea that a ‘believer’ can actually “Go…and sin no more” is such a foreign concept to us in this day and time…that we have drifted to such a place where we are offended and angry to even consider or suggest we could walk in such a way that we are commanded to walk…’holy and blameless’.
What I think most of us should be amazed over, if we are truly honest with ourselves, is WHY would anyone be appalled to be told they could be free of sin? Was that not what Jesus came to do…to set captives free? Did He not Himself tell us that whoever commits sin is a slave to sin… and that a slave does not abide in the house forever? (John 8:34-35)
There are some who would be irate with me for ‘teaching’ such a thing because it might ‘discourage’ young believers who are still struggling regularly with sin.
Really?
So telling them that they can be totally set free from what they are ‘struggling’ with is discouragement? Am I missing something here?
And let’s just lay aside here for a moment for discussion sake, new or young believers.
Let’s address ‘mature’ believers who have been in church for decades…and teach our Sunday school classes and lead small groups and pastor churches and are deacons and elders. How many times have they admitted, as if almost proud of it , statements like “I sin every day”, or “I’m just a saint who sins” or “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven!”
Trust me, I ‘get’ what they are saying. I just don’t believe that is what the bible supports. Let’s not forget there is a spiritual enemy out there who with deceiving spirits and ‘other gospels’ work overtime to bring confusion and deceit.
So let’s just examine further, more verses found in Your bible.
IF…we have been ‘born again’, which Jesus did say was necessary if we had any desire and hope to enter in to His kingdom, then it would benefit us to understand what this ‘new birth ‘ was suppose to look like? And yesterday, I proposed through several verses that being free of sin is part of it. There are too many verses that we have been conditioned to ignore or gloss over and to our own peril.
We HAVE to stop ‘pretending’ they are not written down in our bibles.
I made mention of taking Paul’s ‘spiritual pregnancy test’ (2 Cor 13:5) and offered up 1 John 3:9 as one. Here’s another one: “Now by this we know that we know Him, IF we keep His commandments. He who says “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar.” (1 John 2:3-4)
So why did Jesus teach that we MUST be ‘born again’? It was due to the fact we were born with a ‘defective’ sin flesh nature. It was this sinful nature that kept us separated from God. But when a person repents (turns) and comes to Christ in humility (Luke 18:13; James 4:7-10) Jesus then becomes their Lord and begins the process of giving them a new nature.
The part we seem to have missed, or read over, or not been fully educated on, is that the Spirit begins Immediately to lead you to deal with this sinful nature. (Rom 8:13).
Since that was not a real popular ‘class’ to take, we just took folks straight out of the baptistery and got them plugged into ministry. (Much more conducive to building a growing church) Yet, when Jesus came up out of the water after His baptism, guess where the Spirit led Him? Straight in to the wilderness to have His heart tested. He passed the test…THEN returned in the power of the spirit and began to minister. (Luke 4:1-14) You say, “Yeah, well that was Jesus!” Umm…yes…and we are told to follow Him…and ‘walk just like He walked!” (1 John 2:6)
Paul writes: “IF anyone is in Christ, he is a NEW CREATION; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” ( 2 Cor. 5:17)
Remember…New Birth involves ‘new seed’ from a ‘New Father’.
Peter says we’ve been born again not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.” ( 1 Peter 1:23) Did you catch that part about getting a ‘new Father’? If you really want to regurgitate that last swallow of coffee…go read John 8:44 where Jesus told the religious folks who had the word ‘all figured out’: “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do.”
Say what???
Peter understood the process…or the walk…that we will be refined and tested and conformed to the nature of Christ. It will involve ‘suffering’ as we ‘put to death’ this ‘old nature’ and become partakers of His Divine Nature. ( 2 Peter 1:4)
Then Peter has the audacity to say that ‘Since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin that he no longer should live the rest of this time in the flesh for the lust of men but for the will of God.” ( 1 Peter 4:1-2)
Wait…did he just say ‘ceased from sin’?
How. Can. These. Things. Be.?
Tomorrow I will address the questions I know are pressing on your mind like: “So are you saying you never sin?” or, “What about the verse that says ‘If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
I’ve already gone long here …again, today. I can’t wait to address those questions here tomorrow.
But until then, chew on this: Can you define ‘sin’?
The bible does – “Sin is lawlessness’. ( 1 John3:4) - as in ‘breaking the law’. This just now became problematic for some who don’t even believe that believers are even subject to any laws because they are ‘under grace’. By our own admission, many are professing: “Oh, I break the law every day! …another way of saying “I commit lawlessness all the time because I’m not perfect!”
Go back and read Matt 7:23 and tell me who Jesus told “I never knew you!” to.
And while you are digging, see if you can’t find that verse for me where Jesus told his followers: “Just do the best you can…I know you are not perfect and will always mess up so hang in there…it gets better in heaven!”
Remember those poor deranged women I mentioned who go around telling people they are pregnant, but in reality, are not?
Paul made mention of those who 'profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him." (Titus 1:16) Uh-Oh There's that silly 'fruit test' again...you will know them by their fruit.
I promise you…there is good news around the corner. (At least it is good news to those trapped in the darkness but WANT to come to the Light.
Not everyone does - John 3:19)
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