Let's Talk About Sin

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Jun 15, 2020
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#1
Romans 6
How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

For he that is dead is freed from sin.

he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin,

For sin shall not have dominion over you

Matthew tells us Jesus shall save his people from their sins. The problem I have had with this begins in Romans where it states we don't have sin anymore and yet everyone seems to agree that we all fall short. Today I woke with an idea of starting at the beginning which is where any good building starts when we need to have a solid foundation. So let's consider Adam and Eve who were created to have the spirit of God. A dog was created to function without the spirit of God and so dogs are normal in the way they function. But humans are missing something and therefore not complete if we do not function with the spirit of God. It would be considered broken if it were a car that was missing a part because it would be incomplete since it would be missing a necessary part. It had to be the spirit that Adam and Eve gave up that caused them to be broken, to have missed the mark, and to deliberately do such a thing was considered sin. Well, we know it was not an apple.

If I'm correct on how I'm looking at this then it makes sense that blasphemy against God would be an unforgivable sin because to do so would be to keep ourselves broken and therefore unable to have the spirit of life. Matthew states Jesus had the ability to forgive sins. In John we see "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." We will continue to stay broken if we refuse the spirit and this is why Jesus told them they will die in their sins because they cannot go where he is going to go. The Lord said "If you were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth." In other words, if we did not know we were broken. Then we did not know we were missing a part and so it's not our fault. But if we say yeah, we know we are not broken. Then there lies the acknowledged sin.

This reminds me of 1 John where it is written if we acknowledge or confess our sin is one thing. But we lie if we say we don't have any sin. It seems to be the same concept in both John and 1 John. I'm just looking at the way sin is used in the gospels and in doing so it seems clear that Jesus had the ability to forgive sin. We still have sin if we don't get this forgiveness from him and that's what is being said in Matthew and John. And if we don't know we have sin because we are challenged to the degree of being impaired, disabled or blind to it in some way is how we would be exempt from it. Understand?

The New Testament epistles have words like "remission of sins" and "sins may be blotted out" and "the forgiveness of sins" and "wash away thy sins" and "whose sins are covered" and "impute sin" and "are dead to sin" and "condemned sin in the flesh" and "take away their sins" and "Christ died for our sins" and "purged our sins..." Romans begins with Jews and Gentiles being both under sin and this should not be anything new to us since both are still broken without the spirit of God. And yet for some mysterious reason I live on a planet where many Christians think their flesh is justified by the deeds of the law even after Romans tells us plainly that everyone except the Christian is under sin (Romans 3:20 says Jews and Gentiles).

Romans tell us "sin is not imputed when there is no law" and "that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." And then there's verse 7 with "For he that is dead is freed from sin." I never understood Romans 6 because I was taught I was a sinner saved by grace. Let's look at what Romans is saying: Christ died unto sin once and now he lives unto God. How are we who are still alive going to be able to likewise reckon ourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God? It seems to me it must be done through Jesus Christ our Lord. It's not about us or our broken selves. It's him we must function in. Here's the verse "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord."

It appears both Catholic and Protestant churches do not teach that "sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace." Nor do they teach "For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness." And so "Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness." I'm going to skip over Romans 7 because it tells us right up at the top of the chapter that Paul is talking to them who are into or know the law. And then by the context of the whole chapter is how we can see it's all about human's and how they toy with their flesh.

What Paul talks about in the seventh chapter of Romans is what occurs to the believer who still thinks the Law applies to them. They end up spiritually dying by the commandment and realize that the commandment does not produce life. The war is with their flesh because they are still believing the Law has power over them. In the eighth chapter of Romans is where it explains how we overcome this whole issue by living in the spirit and being dead to the Law. We cannot live by faith in what Christ has done for us and still think our obedience to written laws are necessary. To do so takes away from the perfect work of Christ and places salvation and righteousness back in our own hands. Romans 8 states "the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin..."

The verse in 2 Corinthians 5:21, is talking about the "righteousness of God in him." It's the "in him" that nobody seems to be able to understand. This whole thing functions "in him." It's in Christ and therefore in the new nature that is mentioned just a few verses above this in verse 17 where it says "new creature:" It's not that we do not sin in our old man nature. It's that we do not sin in the new man that we are told to put on. The churches have destroyed this idea by teaching we put on the new man by following the teachings of Jesus as we walk in our flesh. So this is a lost art.

In Colossians we read "putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:" We did not put it off. It was the circumcision of Christ. Two verses later we read "together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;..." Again, it's "in him" or "with him." I also want to get Hebrews in here where we see Christ offered himself once "for this he did once" and not like the high priest who offered up the sacrifice daily. The Lord Christ "after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;..."

Peter has the same mindset as Paul when he writes in 1 Peter "that we, being dead to sins,..." Peter goes on to say that Christ suffered once for sins so as to bring us to God, and so this is why the Scripture reads "being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:" Again, the old man crucified and the new man put in its place. Peter again, "ceased from sin;..." Put that mindset on or as Peter writes "arm yourself likewise with the same mind:" Because he that has suffered in the flesh or was crucified in the flesh has put on the new man because the other one is dead. That new person "hath ceased from sin;..."

The last verse I'm going to mention has "in him" again. From 1 John we read "that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin." We cannot sin in him because there's no sin in him and this is why "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."
 

BenFTW

Senior Member
Oct 7, 2012
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#2
My dude, when are you going to hold the book signing? 😅 📖 🖊

Thats a long post but I read most it, skimmed parts, and got the gist of what you were saying.

I think, with everything you said, Christians should realize they no longer have a proclivity to sin. They don’t have to sin, as if it isn’t a choice. They choose to sin and God works on the heart and sanctifies us. We open our hearts to the Lord, and He can show us why we do what we do and why we feel the way we do.
 

oyster67

Senior Member
May 24, 2014
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#3
Hebrews
12:14 Follow peace with all [men], and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble [you], and thereby many be defiled.

We cannot be perfect yet, but we can maintain a humble and repentant spirit within.

Ephesians
4:25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
 
Mar 23, 2016
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#5
Hebrews 10:

19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

21 And having an high priest over the house of God;

22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.



 

Blain

The Word Weaver
Aug 28, 2012
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#6
The concept of sin and the believer being without sin or living in the spirit and no longer in sin is an important concept to understand. But I think the mistake is made when we take this into thinking because we are born again made a new crewation and living in the spirit there is no more sinning. But even though in our living in the spirit is true the fact is we all fall short of grace even in our being born again. This is not to say sin has any power over us as we are washed by his blood, however that also isn't to say that we will not sin or fall down or mess up.

I love the idea of being sinless I think if taught correctly it could encourage people to live in the spirit more knowing and believing that sin has no power over us anymore, but it is just the part of the whole since we are born again and living in the spirit we can be sinless because that part needs to be cut out of the theology.
I mean imagine this scenario if you will, a young girl is raised in a church of the sinless doctrinebut they cut out the part of not having sin at all because we live in the spirit. She understands and lives in the beleif that because she is born again spirit birthed and living in the spirit of our Lord sin has no power at all it would be like an ant trying to take her down in her eyes.

She knows she will mess up but because she knows and lives in this truth she is down beaten down because she in not completely sinless she moves forwards because she lives in his grace and is not held down by the fear of her own imperfection.

In another church in the same town a young man is brought up by the same kind of church but they keep the being without sin part. He is not as alive as the young girl because he was taught that if you sin you are not living in the spirit and thus when he is alone at night he cries to God asking what is wrong with him and why can he not be as everyone else in his church? He does not live in grace because every time he messes up even though he truly tries not to he is reminded of the heavy cahin of being sinless and it is to heavy he begins to think he is not saved and begins fearing hell itself.

Now based on the two parables I just gave is why I think how I do when it comes to this doctrine. I do believe it has the potential to do great things if it is taught correctly but the cost of what it can do to believers if taught that we can and should be sinless like with the young man I described is far to dangerous
 
Jun 15, 2020
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#7
My dude, when are you going to hold the book signing? 😅 📖 🖊

Thats a long post but I read most it, skimmed parts, and got the gist of what you were saying.

I think, with everything you said, Christians should realize they no longer have a proclivity to sin. They don’t have to sin, as if it isn’t a choice. They choose to sin and God works on the heart and sanctifies us. We open our hearts to the Lord, and He can show us why we do what we do and why we feel the way we do.
Nope. I did not say that at all. I said... 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.
 

Blain

The Word Weaver
Aug 28, 2012
19,502
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#8
Nope. I did not say that at all. I said... 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.
But one cannot teach a subject that they themselves do so again I ask you do you sin?
 

BenFTW

Senior Member
Oct 7, 2012
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#10
Nope. I did not say that at all. I said... 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.
The incorruptible seed? When we think about all that Christ has done for us, our sins of scarlet as white as snow, and God remembering our sins no more, do you think that this truth is about justification? Imputed righteousness?

Or, are you saying that we walk a sinless walk (as sinless perfectionists) and if we commit sin, we are not born of God? Read 1 John 2.

1 John 2:1-2 King James Version (KJV)
2 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:

2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

The blood of Christ grants us the remission of our sins. We are righteous because of Christ. Sin is not imputed to us because Christ paid its penalty.

Maybe there is a deeper truth to this, but what it isn’t saying, is if you commit a sin you are not born of God. Because if you’re honest, that would exclude you from His Kingdom.

The doctrine of sinless perfectionism ends up excluding everyone from the Kingdom of God, and makes irrelevant the blood of Christ and God’s grace.

Think about this: Why would the apostle Paul admonish his readers to not use their members as instruments of sin onto death and instead use them for righteousness onto God? It means they can commit sin and they can commit righteousness. Make a choice.
 
Jun 15, 2020
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#11
The incorruptible seed? When we think about all that Christ has done for us, our sins of scarlet as white as snow, and God remembering our sins no more, do you think that this truth is about justification? Imputed righteousness?

Or, are you saying that we walk a sinless walk (as sinless perfectionists) and if we commit sin, we are not born of God? Read 1 John 2.

1 John 2:1-2 King James Version (KJV)
2 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:

2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

The blood of Christ grants us the remission of our sins. We are righteous because of Christ. Sin is not imputed to us because Christ paid its penalty.

Maybe there is a deeper truth to this, but what it isn’t saying, is if you commit a sin you are not born of God. Because if you’re honest, that would exclude you from His Kingdom.

The doctrine of sinless perfectionism ends up excluding everyone from the Kingdom of God, and makes irrelevant the blood of Christ and God’s grace.

Think about this: Why would the apostle Paul admonish his readers to not use their members as instruments of sin onto death and instead use them for righteousness onto God? It means they can commit sin and they can commit righteousness. Make a choice.
Closer to the first one. "God remembering our sins no more, do you think that this truth is about justification..." But I think you're still looking at this whole issue from the view of the flesh... the old man.

I wonder if what is written in Romans goes without saying because the culture of the time just knew that the renewed mind can only be done in the spirit as we see in Ephesians.

Perhaps it's not...
be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.

But rather...
be renewed in the spirit of your mind.

Most believers have been taught it's them, their mind, and therefore their flesh that should be involved in renewing their mind. I'm thinking it's the spirit of my mind that comes with a bit of an already renewed mind as I just get out of the way. Perhaps this is why a guy like Paul could say...

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:"
 

Blue_Of_Lake

Active member
Jun 12, 2020
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#12
Closer to the first one. "God remembering our sins no more, do you think that this truth is about justification..." But I think you're still looking at this whole issue from the view of the flesh... the old man.

I wonder if what is written in Romans goes without saying because the culture of the time just knew that the renewed mind can only be done in the spirit as we see in Ephesians.

Perhaps it's not...
be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.

But rather...
be renewed in the spirit of your mind.

Most believers have been taught it's them, their mind, and therefore their flesh that should be involved in renewing their mind. I'm thinking it's the spirit of my mind that comes with a bit of an already renewed mind as I just get out of the way. Perhaps this is why a guy like Paul could say...

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:"

think of a baby. where does that perfectness go? when do we get lost. .. how can we get it back. . what makes it leave.
 

oyster67

Senior Member
May 24, 2014
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#13
Nope. I did not say that at all. I said... 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.
The essence of sin, at least in this context, is rebellion against God. We fall short of perfection every day, but we do not live in a state of willful rebellion against God. Humbleness and repentance is still required. God looks for justification, not perfection.
 
Jun 15, 2020
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#14
The essence of sin, at least in this context, is rebellion against God. We fall short of perfection every day, but we do not live in a state of willful rebellion against God. Humbleness and repentance is still required. God looks for justification, not perfection.
We are not on the same page. I'm not looking at how to please God. I'm writing about what God did to us that is in Christ.
 

oyster67

Senior Member
May 24, 2014
11,887
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#15
We are not on the same page. I'm not looking at how to please God. I'm writing about what God did to us that is in Christ.
He gave us the opportunity to be freely justified through Christ. He did not glorify us. That is yet future.
 
May 19, 2020
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#16
Our sins are hidden in Christ..we have died to sin.....because Jesus paid the price...he took all of mankind’s sin.
 
Jun 15, 2020
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#17
He gave us the opportunity to be freely justified through Christ. He did not glorify us. That is yet future.
The Bible tells us that since Jesus Christ is glorified, and since we have the spirit of Christ born within is how that puts us into the category of being glorified by God. It is written in Romans 8:29-30, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”
 

Blain

The Word Weaver
Aug 28, 2012
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#18
We are not on the same page. I'm not looking at how to please God. I'm writing about what God did to us that is in Christ.
It would be wise to listen to oyster he is one of the few I respect and his insight and understanding is amazing even by my standards respect is earned not entitled and it takes a lot to earn my respect

As far as sin goes God looks to the heart anyone can claim to be sinless and anyone can claim to be sinful but God looks to the heart regardless of how they view themselves
 

oyster67

Senior Member
May 24, 2014
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#19
The Bible tells us that since Jesus Christ is glorified, and since we have the spirit of Christ born within is how that puts us into the category of being glorified by God. It is written in Romans 8:29-30, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”
This is telling us what we are predestined to be. Nothing complicated here.