Tag Archives: Sin

Question: Will I sin as a new believer?

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Will I sin as a new believer?
            John the Baptist declared Jesus Christ as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29 NKJ) If Jesus came to take away the sin of the world, then will I sin as a new believer?  Some believe that you will sin, but if you sin too many times, you really weren’t saved in the first place.  Or, if you sin consistently, then you really weren’t saved.  Continue reading →

Question: Does John say a Christian can enter the Sin unto Death?

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Does John say a Christian can enter the Sin unto Death?

A previous article looked at how James wrote how a Christian could be in the Sin unto Death.1 This article addresses John’s first epistle and how John clearly demonstrates that a believer can be in the Sin unto Death. 

The Gospel of John was written to the world to explain how a person would believe in Jesus and have life in His name (John 20:30-31).  Each of the three epistles of John have a separate purpose.  The first epistle was written to believers regarding the credibility of Jesus as the Christ.  It was written in a time when Gnosticism had taken hold and was drastically influencing the church.  Consequently, John wrote how Jesus was seen, looked upon and touched (1 John 1:1).  The Gnostics believed that Jesus just seemed to be a man, but was really just an aeon as a lower level being from God.  Gnostics taught that He was neither God, nor fully man, but was some kind of spirit being. If that were the case, He could not be the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world (John 1:29), He could not satisfy the righteous requirements of God (1 John 2:2), nor could He be the mediator between God and man (1 Tim. 2:5).

Because some people approach 1 John with their theology fixed, they do mental gymnastics to make sense of the letter.  IF people would take the natural, literal, historical and grammatical approach to understanding the meaning of the epistle, the interpretation becomes quite easy.  A key verse in the letter is found in 1 John 2:29.  John writes, “If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.”(1 John 2:29)  If the person knows that Jesus is righteous and believers do, because that is part of what makes a person a believer – Jesus is the righteous One- then the one who practices righteousness is born of Him. What about the person who does not practice righteousness, i.e. the one who sins.  Whether the sin is one time or lasts for a few days or weeks, at that point the person is not practicing righteousness. When a person is not practicing righteousness, he is not “born of Him.” In other words, he reveals he is not acting like he is a believer.  When a person is living a spirit-controlled life, then he reveals He has the spirit living through himself and reveals he is “born of Jesus.”

First John is a book of fellowship, not declaring the difference between a believer and an unbeliever.  John makes this clear in the beginning, “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7) The key is fellowship, not salvation. 

So when John writes in 1 John 5:16, he is writing about a Christian who is out of fellowship with God. In fact, he is in the last stage of the Downward Spiral called the Sin unto Death.  John writes,

  • 16 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. (1 John 5:16)
People stumble over this verse for two reasons. First, they cannot comprehend how a believer could continue in sin, but that is primarily because they have been taught a theology that does not allow continuous sin in a believer, so they impose that theology on the text.  Secondly, they do not understand the difference between the two words for “ask” and “pray” in the verse.

John writes, like Paul (Gal. 6:1), that if anyone sees a brother sinning a sin, he has some responsibility.  First, note that John calls this person a brother.  He’s not talking about a physical blood brother or a person from the neighborhood. He is talking about a spiritual believer and is called a brother. Secondly, note that brother is “sinning a sin.”  This is not a one time sin, he is “sinning a sin” (present active participle).  In other words it is on-going.  It may be several days, or weeks, or months.  It has to be quite some time, because you observe this is the behavior, not just a one time action. Thirdly, he is sinning a sin, “which does not lead to death.” In this case, he is sinning, but he is not in the final stage of the Downward Spiral.  He could be in the first or second step.  Or he could be in the fourth or fifth step of the Downward Spiral.  The fact is he is not in the stage called the Sin unto Death.2 He may be worried about not paying his bills and is struggling because he wants to provide for his children.  He may have “borrowed” some time from his work, because he was late.  In either case, even though they are both sins, he is still going to church and is somewhat open to the convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit.

If a person is in this case, the observing believer should ask God on behalf of this brother.  The word for “ask” (aiteo-) is a Greek word that denotes asking with a humble awareness of authority.  The believer is to humbly ask God for mercy for his brother, recognizing that God may or may not grant his petition.  The Apostle Paul describes this in his letter to Timothy,

  • 24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient,
  • 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth,
  • 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will. (2 Tim. 2:24-26)
God may or may not grant repentance, but John directs the observing believer humbly to approach God and ask. John says that God will give life to the brother.  This is not eternal life, this is operational Christian way of life, for fellowship with God.  When the person repents, confesses his sin and depends once again on the power of the Holy Spirit, then the sinning brother is restored to fellowship life and can serve the Lord. Again, John clarifies that this is for sin, not leading to death or the Sin unto Death.

However, as John says, “There is a sin leading to death.”  This is the Sin unto Death.  John is not talking about unbelievers here.  John wrote the gospel of John so that the sinning world would respond to the convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit and believe in the name of Jesus (John 16:8-11; 20:30-31). John is writing about believers who have descended the Downward Spiral and are in the holding stage called the Sin unto Death. John says, “I do not say that he should pray about that.”  The word for “pray” here is the Greek word ero-tao-, which means “to pray or ask between two equals.”  This is similar to the first word for pray, but that word aiteo- was pray or ask someone on a different authority level.  This word ero-tao- refers to praying or asking a person who is a peer.  John says, “DO NOT approach God as a peer.”  God may or may not grant the request (2 Tim. 2:24-26). When you approach God, do it with fear and intrepidation on behalf of the sinning brother.  Do not add insult to injury by approaching God like He is your buddy.  He is holy, righteous and just.  He deserves all the honor, respect, reverence and fear a person can muster.  Do not approach God casually when you observe a brother who is in the Sin unto Death.

Does John say a Christian can enter the Sin unto Death? Yes.  He teaches a believer can be in the Sin unto Death and he should be helped or turned back to the truth, just as James said should happen,

  • 19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back,
  • 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. (Jam. 5:19-20)

What does Paul say about a believer in the Sin unto Death?  That is for the next article.

 

1See the previously posted article on the Downward Spiral: http://renewingtruth.blogspot.com/2013/06/question-what-is-downward-spiral.html

2See the following link for a description of the believer’s Downward Spiral: http://renewingtruth.blogspot.com/2013/06/question-how-sinful-can-believer-get.html 

Question: What is the Downward Spiral of the unbeliever?

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            Everyone knows an unbeliever can be sinful.  There are unbelievers like Hitler who are responsible for the murders of millions.  There are far more civilized unbelievers like Madalyn Murray O’hare, who may have not hurt anyone physically, but have spiritually deceived thousands with the American Atheists organization she founded.  Why is this even important?  It’s important to understand the downward spiral of an unbeliever and understand the spiritual bridge that needs to be built in order to share the gospel.  Continue reading →

Question: What is the Downward Spiral?

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What is the Downward Spiral?

The Downward Spiral is a practical, theological concept that is important for every believer.  It describes the stages a person descends away from God as he chooses sin instead of faith.  The Downward Spiral is a pattern the Apostle Paul describes in two passages of Scripture; one for the unbeliever and one for the believer.

            Whenever a person acts independently of the Lord, he begins the Downward Spiral.  As he continues to seek understanding, purpose and contentment apart from God, he will continue down the spiral until he gets to the stage called the Sin unto Death.  At this point, the person stays in the Sin unto Death, until God takes him home in grace to be in heaven (the believer) or removes him from earth to torments until the Great White Throne judgment (the unbeliever).

            There are seven steps of the Downward Spiral and they follow the acrostic NEBISCOS (this is no reflection on the food manufacturing company – Nabisco). Each of the letters in the word NEBISCOS refer to a step in the Downward Spiral,

N – Negative Volition

E – Emptiness of the Soul

B – Blackout of the Soul

I – Induced Ignorance

S – Separation from God

C – Callousness of the Soul

O – Occupation with Evil

S – Sin unto Death

I do not consider the final stage of Sin unto Death as a step, but as the holding pattern for the person who is living his life in rejection of God’s plan, purpose and will.

            The Downward Spiral is explained in two passages: Romans 1:20-23 and Ephesians 4:17-19.  Romans 1:20-32 is the passage used to explain the Downward Spiral for the unbeliever,

·         20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
·         21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
·         22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,
·         23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man– and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
·         24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,
·         25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
·         26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.
·         27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
·         28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
·         29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers,
·         30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
·         31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;
·         32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.  (Rom 1:20-32)

Ephesians 4:17-19 is the passage used to explain the Downward Spiral for the believer,

·         17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,
·         18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;
·         19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. (Eph. 4:17-19)

The next two articles, posts to this blog, will describe each of these passages related to the Downward Spiral and how both passages describe the exact same steps, even though one is for the unbeliever and one is for the believer.  Can a believer descend same Downward Spiral as the unbeliever?  Yes he can and you can refer to that post. to understand more.

Question: Can a Christian not sin?

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Can a Christian not sin?

 

Jesus did not sin. John writes, “ And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.” (1 Jn. 3:5)  Peter is more specific,

  • 21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
  • 22 “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; (1 Pet 2:21-22)

The Lord Jesus Christ did not sin in His humanity, or any other time, but what about you and me? Can a Christian not sin?

An interesting passage is the second account of sin.  Abel and Cain made offerings to God and God accepted Abel’s offering, but not Cain’s.  The purpose of this article is not to analyze why God did not accept Cain’s offering, but to note that He did not accept it and to look at the Lord’s counsel to Cain.

  • 6 So the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?
  • 7 “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” (Gen. 4:6-7)

Notice that God does not rebuke Cain on the specifics of the offering, but challenges him to reflect on what he should now do. 

Cain had not repented or realized he was thinking independently from God. So God asks Cain the questions, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?” not because God does not know the answers, but to help Cain consider his actions.  God did not accept his offering, but Cain also did not approach God and ask God why he did not accept the offering.  Cain was acting independently from God and God’s questions were designed to reveal to Cain his failure to humble himself and submit to the Lord.

Then God changes the course of the questions.  God asks, “If you do well…” That is the key in life – to do well.  To do well is to please God.  It doesn’t matter what we do or not in our own eyes, but doing well in God’s eyes does matter.  Then God explains what must happen for Cain to do well – to be accepted by God. In order to do well, you must recognize there is an enemy.  God says, “Sin lies at the door.”  The door is Cain’s heart.  Sin is personified as having a desire to control Cain.  That is always the desire of sin.  It wants to control and not just a little or in just a few areas, but all the time and in every area. 

Sin has one focus – it wants to control you.  It will look for your weaknesses and start out small.  It will often gain a foothold in your life in small things, for example in doubt or worry, or about whether you will be accepted or rejected.  It may start in small secret areas of life like pornography or material lusts in desiring more clothes or maybe in seeking the status of having a boyfriend.  It starts small and then seeks to gain ground.  Sin is like a fire, it is never satisfied, until it controls every area.  Sin is like a grave that is always looking for its next victim.  Sin is like a parched desert that never gets enough water. It’s stated best in Proverbs,

  • 15 The leech has two daughters– Give and Give! There are three things that are never satisfied, Four never say, “Enough!”:
  • 16 The grave, The barren womb, The earth that is not satisfied with water– And the fire never says, “Enough!” (Pro. 30:15-16)

Sin desires to control, so God clarifies to Cain, “…but you must rule over it.”  With that admonishment and challenge, Cain leaves the presence of the Lord.  The question is, “Will he rule over his sin, so that sin does not control him?”  What does the next verse say? “Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.” (Gen. 4:8)  Can you believe it? In the very next verse, God shows that Cain does not control sin. In the very next verse, Cain is not just tempted, but he falls headlong into sin and murders his brother.  Maybe Cain thinks he needs to remove the competition, so that God would “have” to accept what Cain did.  

Cain cannot control sin, because he was not completely dependent on the Lord.  Cain does not control sin, because God never intended that we could control sin apart from His presence in our lives.  Cain does not control sin, because only God’s work in our lives through His power, the Holy Spirit, can a believer successfully rule over sin.

Can a believer not sin?  NO and YES.  A believer cannot control sin in his own power.  He will succumb to temptation every time and reveal the ineptness of his flesh to function in dependency upon the Lord. He will fail just as Cain failed.  Yet, the believer can control sin, when he is dependent on the Lord and filled with the Holy Spirit. 

Is that important to understand?  Absolutely, because it reveals that a believer will be fleshly, except when he is dependent on the Lord.

Life Insights: Extreme Tornadoes

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Life Insights: Extreme Tornadoes

We have been blessed to have avoided the devastations of extreme weather, but not everyone has.  Yesterday, May 20, 2013, 24 people died in Oklahoma as a mile wide tornado ripped through the suburbs of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. We grieve with so many families who lost loved ones and their homes in this devastating tornado. There were 9 children who died in an elementary school that was reduced to rubble.  Why did it happen?
 Scientists have recorded an increase in heat, cold, droughts and floods.1  Some statistics indicate we are in a cycle, but looking at the last 100 years, there does seem to be an increase. 
            Some people try to blame God for not controlling the weather, especially when there is loss of life.  When Jesus was walking on earth with the disciples, He showed His power over nature. Mark records for us,
37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.
 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”
 39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. (Mark 4:37-39)
If Jesus could calm the storm during the time of His earthly walk, could He not control them now?  The Psalmist records God’s ability to control the weather when he wrote, “He calms the storm, so that its waves are still. (Ps. 107:29) If God could control it, why does He let people die today?
            We must remember: God is always good.  He can never be less that perfectly righteous and just in character and in all His ways.  Storms are a result of the fall of man and sin in the world.  Moses recorded that when Israel sinned against God, God made the heavens like iron, “I will break the pride of your power; I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze.” (Lev. 26:19) The root of all sin is pride, which is acting independently of God.  When mankind acts independently of God, even when they are not God’s people like Israel in Leviticus 26, God backs away and allows man to experience what happens when God is not worshiped.  No person deserves God’s grace.  No person deserves God’s protective hand.  Paul wrote,
 10 As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;
 11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.
 12 They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.”(Rom. 3:9-12)
When God preserves life that is grace.  When He chooses not to preserve life, He is still sovereign, still good and still God. Many people struggle when children die. I do also.  Yet, I know I can trust that God is never unjust. God is still sovereign and good.  The child, if he or she had not reached the age of accountability is ushered into heaven.  He or she never has to face the problems of life.  Parents will join their child when they are promoted to heaven if they have trusted in Jesus Christ as their Savior.  Does that reduce the anguish of losing a child or the lessen the grief of not being able to enjoy the child as he or she grows up?  Unfortunately, the feelings will not be reduced, but the pain can lessen in time as trust is continually placed in God’s sovereign plan.

            Some people ask the question, did they do something wrong?  Were those who suffered more wicked or evil than those who survived?  A similar question was asked of Jesus.  Mark records that account, 

1 There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
 2 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things?
 3 “I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.
 4 “Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem?
 5“I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:1-5)

Neither the Galileans, who were looked down upon by the Israelites, nor those who died under the tower of Siloam were more wicked than others. We don’t need to determine personal sin in a devastating event.  The issue is, when any devastation occurs, will we use it as a reminder to examine ourselves?  Will we ensure we are totally dependent on the Lord and filled or controlled by the Holy Spirit?  Will we look to the Lord and care for those who remain?

1http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/11/science/earth/extreme-weather-grows-in-frequency-and-intensity-around-world.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0