Post by Jesse Morrell on Oct 16, 2009 9:20:52 GMT -5
This was an email I wrote to a friend who had some questions.
Regarding perfection, I believe that it is possible for a Christian to sin (1 Jn. 2:1) and that it is possible for a Christian not to sin (Matt. 5:18; 1 Cor. 10:13; 1 Jn 2:1). God will not make anyone stop sinning, it is our own free choice to sin no more (Jn. 5:14; 8:11). Neither in this life, nor in the next life, will God force anyone to be morally perfect. Moral perfect must be our own choice if it is going to be our own moral character. And those who do not stop sinning in this life will not be morally perfect in the next life (Rev. 22:11).
In order to get saved, we must repent of all our sins. But after that, we still have the ability to sin. If we sin, God is still omniscient and sees us if we sin. God is not blind when we sin, He sees us if we sin ( Prov. 15:3; Eze. 8:12; 9:9; Jer. 32:19; Mal. 2:17; Heb. 4:13).
If a Christian, for example, looks at pornography, they have for the time being lost their salvation. They are temporarily under the condemnation of the law or the wrath of God. They are no longer Christians because they are no longer following Christ. You cannot be a Christian, while you are watching pornography, anymore than you can be a Christian while you are making pornography! The Bible says no sexually immoral person will inherit the kingdom of God (Gal. 5:19), and the blood of Christ does not cover us if we willfully sin (Heb. 10:26-31). They must be restored through repentance (Luke 13:3, James 5:19-20) like King David regained his salvation after committing adultery and murder when he repented (Ps. 51). We needed to turn away from our sins in order to get saved and therefore we must stay away from sin in order to stay saved.
That is why when I meet those going into bars and clubs to get drunk and pick up women, and they say that they are Christians, I can tell them that they are going to hell. They might have been Christians at one point, but now they are backsliden and need to repent and be forgiven. Even Christians have the free will ability to get drunk or to fornicate, but nobody is saved while they are sinning. God forgives us of our sins only after we forsake our sins (Isaiah 55:7). Anyone who is in sin is under the wrath of God (Rom. 1:18) but if we give up our sins God will pardon us.
Hope that helps.
Jesse Morrell
www.OpenAirOutreach.com
Regarding perfection, I believe that it is possible for a Christian to sin (1 Jn. 2:1) and that it is possible for a Christian not to sin (Matt. 5:18; 1 Cor. 10:13; 1 Jn 2:1). God will not make anyone stop sinning, it is our own free choice to sin no more (Jn. 5:14; 8:11). Neither in this life, nor in the next life, will God force anyone to be morally perfect. Moral perfect must be our own choice if it is going to be our own moral character. And those who do not stop sinning in this life will not be morally perfect in the next life (Rev. 22:11).
In order to get saved, we must repent of all our sins. But after that, we still have the ability to sin. If we sin, God is still omniscient and sees us if we sin. God is not blind when we sin, He sees us if we sin ( Prov. 15:3; Eze. 8:12; 9:9; Jer. 32:19; Mal. 2:17; Heb. 4:13).
If a Christian, for example, looks at pornography, they have for the time being lost their salvation. They are temporarily under the condemnation of the law or the wrath of God. They are no longer Christians because they are no longer following Christ. You cannot be a Christian, while you are watching pornography, anymore than you can be a Christian while you are making pornography! The Bible says no sexually immoral person will inherit the kingdom of God (Gal. 5:19), and the blood of Christ does not cover us if we willfully sin (Heb. 10:26-31). They must be restored through repentance (Luke 13:3, James 5:19-20) like King David regained his salvation after committing adultery and murder when he repented (Ps. 51). We needed to turn away from our sins in order to get saved and therefore we must stay away from sin in order to stay saved.
That is why when I meet those going into bars and clubs to get drunk and pick up women, and they say that they are Christians, I can tell them that they are going to hell. They might have been Christians at one point, but now they are backsliden and need to repent and be forgiven. Even Christians have the free will ability to get drunk or to fornicate, but nobody is saved while they are sinning. God forgives us of our sins only after we forsake our sins (Isaiah 55:7). Anyone who is in sin is under the wrath of God (Rom. 1:18) but if we give up our sins God will pardon us.
Hope that helps.
Jesse Morrell
www.OpenAirOutreach.com