How so? It sounds to me like he hit the nail on the head and we are in agreement.
My apologies. You are right. I looked at the last part of what he wrote again in that commentary and I did some more investigating on John MacArthur and what he believes on OSAS. This is taken from an article (With sources from John's written works).
John MacArthur's Belief About Sin
and Temptation Unmasked
Brace yourself for the other side of John MacArthur's sin teaching in the life of a Christian, which is also connected with eternal security and the false version of saving faith and grace it has produced:... sin does not result in spiritual death for the believer ... (The MacArthur Study Bible, p. 1927, comment on James 1:15)
Temptation also works for our good. The main reason is that it makes us depend on God .... Temptation also works for our good because it makes us desire heaven.(Coming Face to Face with His Majesty, p. 118).
God promises that all things will ultimately work out for our good, and that includes the worst thing of all: sin. His promise doesn't lessen the ugliness of sin or the beauty of holiness. Sin is intrinsically wicked and deserving of eternal hell. But in His infinite wisdom God overrules it for our good. (ibid., p. 119, italics his)
Although God sovereignly causes our sin to work for good, we should never view that wonderful promise as a license to sin. (ibid., p. 119)
IMPORTANT: Reader, did you know that John MacArthur, who gives the illusion of teaching holy living at times, proclaims a Christian's sin works for his good? Wouldn't you like to hear him tell us how sin worked personal good in the lives of Adam and Eve, Ananias and Sapphira, King David, Saul, Solomon, Hymenaeus, Philetus, the people of Heb. 6:4-6; 10:26-29, Judas, etc.? Moreover, if temptation really works for our good, then why did Jesus tell us to pray not to be led into temptation (Mt. 6:13)? To believe this Calvinistic/eternal security lie that sin and temptation work good is surely to teach a license for immorality, just as Jude said (Jude 3,4), even though flatly denied by John MacArthur!
The John MacArthur Study Bible
In his so-called "study" Bible John MacArthur also exposes his deadly teachings about sin in the life of a Christian:
You seem to be somewhat obsessed with this topic.
Is it not important to make sure your sin is cleansed or forgiven properly? In other words, what I am saying is that I do not want Christians to minimize sin in their life and to water it down. If a believer commits a serious sin, they will naturally repent of that sin because God will convict to repent of it. They are not going to forget to confess of a grevious sin in their life.
There are multiple views of NOSAS as well. Some people in the NOSAS camp believe that only a small percentage of people will end up doing so. Others in that camp believe that the majority of Christians will lose their salvation before the end of their life, as if continuing in faith is an extremely difficult burden that most of us will surely fail to do and God will so easily allow us to slip through his fingers. I once heard someone from the NOSAS camp claim that about 95% of genuine born again Christians will end up losing their salvation. That same person also said that if you sin at all then you don't yet know the Lord. He taught sinless perfection. Some in the NOSAS camp equate losing salvation to a person walking on a tightrope in which suddenly they can slip off and it's over. Others equate it to someone walking down a road on a mountain with two high walls on both sides of the road. They would say that person is secure, but is still free to choice to climb over the wall to the other side. Those who teach that salvation is by works, such as Roman Catholics, Mormons, church of Christ etc.. believe NOSAS.
There are two major different versions (or campes) of No-OSAS.
#1. Works Salvationists.
#2. Biblical Conditionalists.
The first one is false and the second one is true.
As for 95% of true born again Christians losing their salvation: Well, I am not God to know what the numbers are. But what I would not teach such a thing. What I do know is that is possible for those who received seed of the Word in their heart did not endure persecution and or get past the cares of the riches of this life. What I do know is that Jesus said narrow is the way that leads unto life and few be there that find it. What I do know is that the children of the Kingdom will be cast into outer darkness.
As for sinfless perfectionism: I do not believe that. David sinned and was a man after God's own heart. But David did not forget to confess his sin of murder and adultery, though. He confessed his sins before God. Yet, you said before that if one forgets to confess a sin, they are not toast. Yet David cried out to God not to take His Holy Spirit when he was confessing of his sin of murder and adultery.
That is absolutely not my viewpoint.
Do you believe future sin is forgiven? That a general acknowledgment of your sin is all that is needed? That if a seasoned believer does not need to confess if he fornicated with a woman per say. He does not need to specifically acknowledge this sin? Even if God is convicting to repent of it? Did not Adam and Eve fall by just one sin?
Abide as in continue to "practice" one or two unrepentant sins? That's not my view either.
I am glad. But is sin just cleansed by some general confession in every case?
When did I say that? When did I try to justify such a thing?
You essentially said forgetting to confess of a sin will not necessarily mean you are toast. Can you imagine if David forgot to confess of his sin of murder? Or his sin of adultery? What do you think would have happened if he just forgot to confess of those sins?
You said in post #625 that God is not going to give up on someone who is struggling with a sin (and desiring to stop) who is confessing it. Practicing sin is living, and breathing that sin as a way of life with no actual remorse. I agree! So what's the problem? Why all the accusations? You sound a little anxious to pin a label on me.
Well, because people fall into certain camps of belief. When a person believes a certain way, then I can know how to answer them properly if I know what camp they are of. It is not to just label you (just to label you for no reason), but it is because folks have chosen a label for themselves by what they believe. Labels helps us to distinguish what is true and what is not true. Forgive me if the labels appears to be a little disrespectful. That is not my intention. I am merely trying to know what you believe.
1 John 2:1 offers a solution for the brethren that do sin. They have an advocate named Jesus Christ. If they confess their sin to him, he is faithful and just to forgive them their sim. Yes, Jesus Christ is our advocate with the Father and believers continue to confess their sin. The term "confess" means to say the same thing about sin as God does, to acknowledge His perspective about our sins. It's an ongoing acknowledgment, not a one time event. 1 John 2:1 doesn't mean that every time we sin we lose our salvation until we confess each specific sin in order to regain salvation all over again.
I'm simply interpreting 1 John 1:9 in light of it's context, particular the verses before and after verse 9.
That's what I believe. See 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Galatians 5:19-21; 1 John 3:7-10.
While I am not against a believer doing a general acknowledgment of their sin before God; For obviously that is how we came to the faith. We do not confess every single sin when we accepted Christ. But if a believer sins again (and it is a serious sin), they will know it and say to God that they are sorry they did such a thing. Confession of that sin does not have to always be a physical utterance of such and such sin (in every case), but a mental acknowledgment of that sin as they pour their hearts out to God in sorrow for a sin that they might have comimtted. In other words, David could not continue to refuse to ignore his sins of adultery and murder. His sins were brought to his attention whereby he needed to be broken before God about them.
Then you can truly call me your brother in Christ. Don't forget that many unbelievers believe NOSAS. While growing up in the Roman Catholic church, I was beat over the head with that doctrine.
Yes, I believe I do believe you are my brother in Christ. I have a very close fellow brother I used to work with (that I call a friend) (and in whom I trust), who believes the same way. We have had some heated discussions (even concerning this topic), but we always came back and loved each other and had great and deep spiritual conversations in the Lord later.
Confess our sins per 1 John 1:9 does not mean that we refuse to confess one or two sins and continue to practice those one or two sins. That is not confessing our sins.
Don't forget about the blood of Christ and whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins (Romans 3:24-26; Acts 10:43). Don't turn this into sinless perfection on our part takes care of sin on our record. Believers practice righteousness and not sin (1 John 1:9,10). Believers confess their sins IN CONTRAST TO - saying they have no sin or have not sinned (1 John 1:8-10).
Please do not take this the wrong way, but what you are telling me here is very confusing. On one hand you say that a believer cannot refuse to repent of one or two sins, and yet on the other hand you said a believer forgetting a sin will not necessarily mean they are toast.
You need to read verses 6 and 7 together. 1 John 1:6 - If we SAY that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 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. Walking in darkness is descriptive of lost unbelievers. Walking in the light is descriptive of saved believers. Only saved believers are in the light. Acts 26:18 - to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me. Ephesians 5:8 - For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. 2 Corinthians 6:14 - Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? Children of the devil walk in darkness, not in the light. Children of God walk in the light, not in darkness. IF confirms these positions in verses 6 and 7. It's one or the other.
Yes, confessing sins (Individually as they arise is not in conflict with those passages). Obviously if a person is a mute, they will confess in a different way. In their mind they will express their sorrow for God over this sin. They will picture this sin in their mind and seek God's forgiveness. So yes, I believe a person can say certain general words of sorrow and yet think of the sin that they have done wrong against God. But I do not think a believer will just forget about a serious sin. If they do, then God will bring it to their attention. If they refuse to repent of it, despite God convicting them to repent, then they are in trouble with God.
Compare "does not practice the truth" in 1 John 1:6 with 1 John 3:10 - In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever "does not practice righteousness is not of God," nor is he who does not love his brother.
Now compare "is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother" with 1 John 2:9 - He who SAYS he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. 1 John 2:11 - But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. Descriptive of children of the devil, not children of God.
I am aware of these comparisons. I have discussed them many times. But I do not see them as justification for a generalized acknowledgment of one's sins. Not unless they need to renew their faith from having backslid in the Lord (with many sins on their record). I believe sin is very serious to God and it should not be taken lightly. Yes, we mess up. But being open with God in what we do is the first step in being sorrowful. Hiding the truth is not the answer. Believers will not forget a sin that is serious. They will confess of it to God (Not with a certain phrase written by a church), but in their heart and mind they will see that sin and feel sorry about it and cry out to God to have mercy on them.
We ALL need to be forgiven of ALL of our sins. That's why we need a Savior. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 and Galatians 5:19-21 answers your question about someone who is practicing adultery. No remorse, no repentance, just bring it on, continuous action, is the opposite of confessing the sin of adultery.
Which is not confessing their sin. They are not saying the same thing about that sin as God does, to acknowledge His perspective about their sin.
How is my interpretation of 1 John 1:9 so much different from yours? As long as you don't believe that every time we sin we lose our salvation until we confess that specific sin in order to regain our salvation, we don't have a problem. When I said that I believe John has in mind here a settled recognition and ongoing acknowledgment that one is a sinner in need of cleansing and forgiveness in 1 John 1:9 (since what he said in verse 9 is IN CONTRAST to what he said in verse 8 - "If we SAY that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" AND verse 10 - "If we SAY that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.") I wasn't implying that when we sin, we simply sweep it under the rug and don't confess it. We continue to acknowledge or agree with God about our sin. ALL of our sin. This is ongoing. The opposite of confessing our sin would be no remorse, no repentance, just bring it on! Willful habitual lifestyle, continuous action.
I believe that a believer can be in favor with God and then fall away. However, the believer that did fall away had a spurious faith and not have a deep rooted relationship with the Lord and His Word. I believe a person still has free will when they are a believer. I believe a person can for a short time please the Lord and then do things that will break that fellowship. Adam and Eve is such an example. They broke fellowship with God whereby they needed a Savior. Spiritual death had effected them and all their descendants.
Yes, I know. Do you claim to be sinless 100% of the time? Sin is not always what we do but also what we don't do. James 4:17 - Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. James also said - For we all stumble in many things (James 3:2). ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We are ALL sinners who need a Savior (Romans 6:23).
As I stated before, there are sins that lead unto death and sins that do not lead unto death (1 John 5:16).
Sin that lead unto death are the sins that Paul and John had listed.
Sin that does not lead unto death are hidden or secret faults, and falling short of the glory of God.
But I am saved not on the basis of my own righteousness. No, no. Most certainly not. At this very second, I am saved by believing on Jesus Christ as my Savior and trusting in what He did for me. If I sin again, I confess that sin and strive to forsake it with God's help and not of my own power. For Jesus Christ is the author and finisher of my faith. I cannot save myself. Jesus is the one who saves. He is the Savior; Not me. I merely choose to walk with Jesus. In this walk, holiness and fruitful works naturally result as a part of this relationship.
