I believe that a Christian that is born again, can deny Christ. Every time commit a sin, we are denying Christ, but, nevertheless, we never lose our eternal inheritance. I my not be reading you right, if so, I apologize.
I wouldn't say that they are denying Christ.
Peter denied Christ.
To deny is to say that something is not true.
Luke 22:56-57
56 And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “This man was also with Him.”
57 But he denied Him, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.”
Why he did that I can only surmise that it was out of fear (which I think is why the early church was exhorted to persevere because persecution was happening) otherwise he would not have gone out and wept bitterly.
Yet we see Peter was restored.
I say that every time we sin we have given into the flesh.
So maybe we deny the power within us to overcome sin, for various reasons which I won't expand here.
If we look at Romans 8 1:12 we see Paul talking
Romans 8:1
Free from Indwelling Sin
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. (NKJV)
Romans 8:1
Life in the Spirit
1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (ESV)
Notice the difference?
Romans 8:4
4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Romans 8:4
4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
See any difference?
Romans 8:5-6
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
The difference between a true believer and a non beliver is their mindset.
A true believer will at times live according to the flesh but
Romans 8:9
9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
If we have infact the Spirit of God is in us we will seek walk in the Spirit.
So when we walk in the flesh we come before God and confess it.
The carnal mind will not seek that, therefore they deny Jesus.
They use the grace of God as a license to sin.
A true believer never would.