Having confidence before God.

Jesus died to set us free from slavery to sin, just as Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt. We all know this, but we don't take it to its logical conclusion. Read Romans 6, 7, & 8 together: In Christ, we are dead to the flesh, dead to the Law of Moses, and dead to sin. We don't ever have to sin again. We certainly have the capability to sin again, but that doesn't mean we have to, or that it's inevitable. In fact, the apostles didn't want us to have the mindset that sin is inevitable. They wanted us to set our minds on the Spirit; to have freedom in faith.

[Rom 8:12-13 NASB95] 12 So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh-- 13 for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.



Paul said in Galatians 5, that if we walk by the Spirit, we will not carry out the deed of the flesh, and that those who are in Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

[Gal 5:16 NASB95] 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.

[Gal 5:24 NASB95] 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.



Peter told us to arm ourselves with a purpose to cease from sin.

[1Pe 4:1-3 NASB95] 1 Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 3 For the time already past is sufficient [for you] to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries.



John made it clear that we are still capable of sin, but he wrote the first chapter of his first epistle so that we would not sin, but that if we did, we could still repent. Notice below that he says IF anyone sins, not the same as when.

[1Jo 2:1 NASB95] 1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;



Jesus told the Jews that they were to be perfect like our Father in heaven, and he told the adulteress to sin no more.

[Mat 5:48 NASB95] 48 "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

[Jhn 8:11 NASB95] 11 She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more."



When I point these things out to other Christians, I'm often met with hostility, and accusations of arrogance and pharisaism. I believe this is because the churches have indoctrinated Christians into believing that it is too difficult to stop sinning. They have invented rules, laws, and commandments that neither Jesus, nor the apostles placed upon us. Jesus gave us one single commandment to follow, which encompassed all of his teachings. This commandment has a lot of common ground with the Law of Moses, but it is not in any way the same Law of Moses or the Ten Commandments.

[1Jo 3:23 NASB95] 23 This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.



Paul made it clear: We are in the Spirit, not under the Law of Moses -- not even under the Ten Commandments.

[Rom 7:6 NASB95] 6 But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.

[2Co 3:5-8 NASB95] 5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as [coming] from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 6 who also made us adequate [as] servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 7 But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading [as] it was, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory?



We are free from the Law of Moses including the Ten Commandments because we have been baptized in Jesus' death and are therefore dead to the letter of the Law, and the Ten Commandments engraved in stone. The Law and the Ten Commandments were the ministry of death, but we are made alive in the Spirit.

[Rom 14:23 NASB95] 23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because [his eating is] not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.

[1Jo 3:21 NASB95] 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;



I say all of this because the churches, with their post-apostolic traditions, have bound the minds of believers with a curse of inordinate fear, doubt, and condemnation. Anything that an individual believes is sin, is sin to that individual (Romans 14:13), and if they sin against their conscience, their hearts will be condemned before God; they will have no confidence to approach him in faith or prayer. So, for example, if a believer thinks they are sinning on a daily basis, then in their minds, they are guilty, and they will have no confidence before God. Their faith is kept in perpetual weakness.

Be free in the Lord. Take upon yourself his easy yoke. The path is constricted but his commandments are not a burden. Free yourself and free your brothers and sisters in gentleness.

He offers eternal life but you must first die.
It's a free gift, but it will cost you everything.
So how do you walk in the Spirit so as to avoid walking in the flesh?

a reply to: BELIEVERpriest

You havnt offered any biblical evidence that your beliefs are anchored in christian teaching
Spurious subjective nonsense with no biblical or physical evidence

Though I guess you will tell everyone you are sinless in living your life
Gnostic nonsense

Tell me BP, where do you get this theology from, did you make it up yourself?

a reply to: Lucius Driftwood

So how do you walk in the Spirit so as to avoid walking in the flesh?

By setting your mind on the spiritual things, studying the scriptures, prayer, and ultimately practicing what the Spirit teaches you to do.

a reply to: Raggedyman

It's basic Sanctification.

Freed from: bondage to sin - - to: freedom in the spirit.

originally posted by: pthena
a reply to: Raggedyman

It's basic Sanctification.

Freed from: bondage to sin - - to: freedom in the spirit.

Wikipedia for my theology class, no thanks
Sanctified means set apart, nowhere does it mean a person is no capable of not sinning

Where does the bible teach that once a person becomes a Christian they no longer sin or can stop sinning
As opposed to no longer under the debt of sin

originally posted by: Raggedyman

originally posted by: pthena
a reply to: Raggedyman

It's basic Sanctification.

Freed from: bondage to sin - - to: freedom in the spirit.

Wikipedia for my theology class, no thanks
Sanctified means set apart, nowhere does it mean a person is no capable of not sinning

Where does the bible teach that once a person becomes a Christian they no longer sin or can stop sinning
As opposed to no longer under the debt of sin

I didn't take the OP to mean that we are now perfect when we come under a saved condition by exercising faith in Jesus' shed ransom and dedicating our lives to Jehovah God. And there are varying degrees of sin. Because of the tendency of the fallen flesh we are all inclined toward sin and badness. It is a struggle we all have every day.

And because of our background, our genetic makeup, our culture, the way we were raised, some sins are much more ingrained than others. For example a person raised in a racist household, although learning it is wrong to be so may find it a hard struggle to fight against those tendencies of prejudice that were inculcated in them since a tender age.

The Bible says there are certain sins that will prohibit entrance into God's kingdom. Such as immorality, thievery, drunkenness, homosexuality, and such. While it is a given that a Christian may sin every day and will sin every day, these gross sins must be cut out of their lives in order to live a life pleasing to Jehovah. And while a person may be any of these things they are able to overcome them. Although it may take some effort. God realizes this and is patient with us. But in order to be pleasing to Jehovah and in order to come into a saved condition to begin with one must cut out these gross sins from their lives:

"Or do you not know that unrighteous people will not inherit God’s Kingdom? Do not be misled. Those who are sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, men who submit to homosexual acts, men who practice homosexuality, thieves, greedy people, drunkards, revilers, and extortioners will not inherit God’s Kingdom. And yet that is what some of you were. But you have been washed clean; you have been sanctified; you have been declared righteous in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and with the spirit of our God."-1 Corinthians 6:9-10.

"For we too were once senseless, disobedient, led astray, being slaves to various desires and pleasures, carrying on in badness and envy, detestable, hating one another."-Titus 3:3.

"That is how you too used to conduct yourselves in your former way of life."-Colossians 3:7.



While it is impossible to be sinless in this wicked world and we will always struggle with sin, we cannot willfully practice these gross sins and be pleasing to God. And if we fall, we have help with Jesus, a righteous one, and can get back up.

"My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not commit a sin. And yet, if anyone does commit a sin, we have a helper with the Father, Jesus Christ, a righteous one. And he is a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins, yet not for ours only but also for the whole world’s."-1 John 2:1-2.

If one falls back into gross sin, they are not hopeless. They can ask for forgiveness and repent and continue on with confidence if they stopped sinning they have God's blessing and forgiveness:

"Come, now, and let us set matters straight between us,” says Jehovah. “Though your sins are like scarlet, They will be made as white as snow; Though they are as red as crimson cloth, They will become like wool."-Isaiah 1:18.

This of course takes conscious effort, desire, and will on our part. And it cannot be done without prayer and holy spirit and God's help.

If the will of God would be as the deeds of flesh, why die to the flesh and become saved? There would be no different way. Murder would not be wrong, nor taking someone elses wife, nor stealing, riding people over with your car and setting towns on fire. When all that is wrong is caused by the flesh and not by the Spirit one could say it would be better to live by the Spirit.

The flesh needs enslavement to rules, the spirit does no harm so being of the spirit you do no wrong. Once everything you do is benevolent without the need of the law you live by the Spirit.

The flesh sins and is transgression to God, that's how we became to be, from that came the law, having become sinful beings didn't make God mortal and dead. Here we came to be, operating not the way we were designed to do and not knowing anymore the things of God. I am here, says God, and I am superior, the beginning and the end, I am the one who has the final decision on everything, I create, I decide, you simply do you to your own understanding without me. I can fill your cup, I can destroy your crops, I am Almighty. I am the capable. You will never become me, I made the first of you and what you are now is not your fault but it is wrong and now you've done wrong and you should change because I disagree with what you are.

But what, when God thinks you're alright for all the things you do wrong? Does God change his mind on what he thinks is wrong? Hey chap, killing from now on is good, stealing too. I changed my mind? God wouldn't be God anymore, no more rock to build upon.

a reply to: randomuser

I encourage you to read my post again. I actually am saying we can stop sinning entirely. And I did provide sufficient scriptural evidence to prove that.

It doesn't mean we're incapable of sin, or that we will not sin, or that God is unforgiving; I'm just saying sinning is not inevitable after being born again.

We should be focusing on the spiritual things, not assuming the inevitably of sin in the believer's life.

originally posted by: BELIEVERpriest
a reply to: randomuser

I encourage you to read my post again. I actually am saying we can stop sinning entirely. And I did provide sufficient scriptural evidence to prove that.

It doesn't mean we're incapable of sin, or that we will not sin, or that God is unforgiving; I'm just saying sinning is not inevitable after being born again.

We should be focusing on the spiritual things, not assuming the inevitably of sin in the believer's life.

Maybe we aren't talking about the same sin. If you read my post it is referring to the gross sin that will prevent you from entering the kingdom.

If you are talking about all sin altogether, that just never occurred to me, because gross sin is what those scriptures are talking about. It is impossible to stop sinning completely. Let's say you get sick. That is part of sin. If you were perfect you would never get sick again. Let's say you grow old. That is part of sin too. If you were perfect you would not grow old. Let's say you call someone by the wrong name. Maybe you have two children, and you call one by the name of the other. That is a sin. It is a part of having an imperfect mind. Let us say you are typing out a reply, and you misspell a word, that is a sin. You made an error. Those scriptures are not referring to common ordinary everyday sins, but to gross sins, of which you are quite right, we can cut out of our lives. In fact no person is allowed to become a Jehovah's Witness or stay as a Jehovah's Witness while they are committing gross sin. And there are many millions of people serving Jehovah faithfully. So yes that is indeed possible. Sin because we inherited it, because of the fallen flesh, because of a decaying mind we all get to inherit? Nope. Not gonna happen until Jesus reigns over the earth. At that time he will bring humankind back to perfection, and then there will be no more memory lapses, misjudgements, spelling errors, sickness, growing old, or dying. Until then we are all going to sin every day. But we do not have to practice gross sin. And we can stop practicing gross sin, with God's help, if we are doing it right now.

a reply to: randomuser

I'm talking about sin in general. All sin is unrighteous and the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom.

The only sin that isn't deadly is the one committed in ignorance, or where the individual repents upon conviction.

Modern Christians really do have too broad of a definition of sin. Most of it is post-apostolic tradition.

It is not impossible to stop sinning. The inevitably of sin after conversion is an unbiblical idea and it only hurts the individual who believes it.

How is a spelling error a failure to love God or neighbor? This is exactly what I'm talking about. Language itself is a human construct. To say something is a spelling error is nothing more than to transgress an arbitrarily agreed upon and established standard that changes with time.

I've provided enough scripture to prove my point in the OP. I hope you'll take the time to reconsider your position.

a reply to: randomuser

Further more, the flesh is dying because of past sins, but we're not bound to the flesh anymore so while the flesh will die, our spirits will live if indeed we remain in Christ.

Just because one stops sinning does not reverse the condition of the flesh.

originally posted by: BELIEVERpriest
a reply to: randomuser

Further more, the flesh is dying because of past sins, but we're not bound to the flesh anymore so while the flesh will die, our spirits will live if indeed we remain in Christ.

Just because one stops sinning does not reverse the condition of the flesh.

I agree. And it would be a sin in and of itself to argue about it. I understand the sentiments behind what you're saying.

originally posted by: BELIEVERpriest
a reply to: randomuser

Further more, the flesh is dying because of past sins, but we're not bound to the flesh anymore so while the flesh will die, our spirits will live if indeed we remain in Christ.

Just because one stops sinning does not reverse the condition of the flesh.

God gave us the flesh, God gave us everything we are, so we are perfect in God's eyes. Who are you to debate or judge that?

originally posted by: quintessentone


God gave us the flesh, God gave us everything we are, so we are perfect in God's eyes. ?

That's open for interpretation.

I don't think sitting in a chair with a gun pointed at the door 24/7 a week is perfect in God's eyes. People dying of cancer because we don't know how to treat it well or not changing the cause? God is perfect being Alknowing and we sometimes don't know what. We do more wrong than right in a day and we are living to make a better reality, so no, I don't think God thinks everything is perfect around here.

How perfect is making war, polluting people and leaving people to die.

a reply to: randomuser
I can’t imagine a person who accepts, supports child predators in their organisation, supports and is a member of that organisation lecturing anyone on anything

www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au...

Happily dismiss anything a person who is a member of an org that supports protecting pedophiles
You want a conversation about anything, justify your pedophile supporting church with me, otherwise, nothing

a reply to: Raggedyman

True, and they are out there too with the malevolent, murderers and thieves and birds of a feather flock together.

originally posted by: BELIEVERpriest
We don't ever have to sin again.

BUT WE ALL DO.

Romans 3:23-24 23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight.

Ecclesiastes 7:20. Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins.

Romans 3:10. as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one;

Psalm 143:2. And do not enter into judgment with Your servant, For in Your sight no man living is righteous.

Humble yourself. Make a complete and deep examination of conscience every day.
You'll see that you sin. Everyone does. Everyone comes up short.

originally posted by: quintessentone
God gave us the flesh, God gave us everything we are, so we are perfect in God's eyes. Who are you to debate or judge that?

No we are not perfect in God's eyes. We are sinners. That's not 'perfect'.
Only God is perfect. The bible says so. Common sense says so.
Who are YOU to debate or judge that?

Mark 10:18
And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.

a reply to: FlyersFan

You've taken what BP said out of context, imo.

BP said after salvation we are capable of not sinning anymore. What you quoted was that all are born sinners and all fall short of the glory of God, the rest you quoted is OT, which means something. Once people become spiritual the point is to sin no more.