If I am understanding you correctly above here, you have not ceased or stopped from sin. But you believe that you are not capable of being charged with sin because you believe Jesus took away all your sin (i.e. including future sin). Am I correct? Yes?
Yes, although I would word it differently.
Christians are not perfect in behavior. But our failings are not sin that can be charged against us.
Sin applies to those without Christ. They do not have Christ as their covering therefore Satan, the accuser (Rev 12:10) can charge them with sin, resulting in the wages of death.
But for Christians, our
life is hid with Christ in God, Col 3:3. We abide in him, and in
Christ there is no sin, 1John 3:5. To say a Christian sins is like saying that there is sin in Christ.
1 Peter 4:1 means we have ceased or stopped from sinning as an action or performance of sinning as a way of life. It doesn't mean you don't sin when you sin. Verse 3 says, for the time of our past life (when we were unbelievers), we used to walk in lasciviousness, lusts, and idolatries, etc. Verse 4 says others (who are in the flesh) think it strange that we run not with them anymore. In other words, we do not perform sinful things as a way of life with others is talking about an action. Cease means to stop.
What "sin" are you charging Christians with?
Is it transgression of the law (1John 3:4)?
Is it unrighteousness (1John 5:17)?
Also you seem to be holding contradictory positions. Above you speak of stopping/ceasing from sin. But you also speak of not "habitually" sinning. There's a big difference between stop/cease and merely reducing an offence from it's former levels.
Also can you provide scripture detailing what determines habitual. Is it 7x70 offences?
Habitual is such an ambiguous term and really needs to be explained how many offences over a given time period determines habitual.
Also does God take into consideration the length of ones life when judging habitual sin?
1Pet 4:1
Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered (crucified) for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind (our old man crucified with him, Rom 6:6): for he that hath suffered in the flesh (Rom 6:6) hath ceased from sin;
This means Christians have ceased from sin. Doctrines that change the meanings of words like "ceased" to mean not ceasing but just reducing, have no credibility.
How have Christians ceased from sin?
Again it's because our identity is now in Christ (Col 3:3, Gal 2:20), and Christ is without sin (1John 3:5).
And as for the flawed physical body of Christians, that's already
dead (by faith, crucified with Christ, Rom 6:6)
because of sin, Rom 8:10.
Therefore we should not be judging a Christian's righteousness and sinlessness by how good a life they live. That flawed physical being that you see is already dead, by faith. We should instead see Christ in ourselves and in each other, and
in him there is no sin (1John 3:5).
1 John 3:9 is talking about how the person who is born of God does not commit habitual sin as a way of life anymore. Please look at various translations for 1 John 3:9. Also, look at 1 John 3:10. It says the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest in the fact that whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither is he that loveth not his brother. So again, it's talking about an action. If you do not do righteousness and you don't love your brother you are not of God. That's what it means.
1John 3:9 says
"cannot sin". This confirms 1Pet 4:1
"ceased from sin". We all know what stop and ceased mean. Therefore we should not change their meanings into some ambiguous claim that it does not mean stop/cease, but instead means merely reducing offences from former levels.
And how does one do righteousness?
Option 1:
Perfect obedience to the law, James 2:10.
Or
Option 2: Believe on Jesus thus your
faith is counted for righteousness, Rom 4:5.
As you clearly fail on option 1 then I suggest option 2, believe on Jesus.
Now, you said what sin do you think Christians can be charged with? Uh, willful sin.
Hebres 10:26 says if we willfully sin after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins. Verse 38 says, the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. So yes, sin can be charged to the believer according to Hebrews 10.
We differ in understanding of sin in Heb 10:26.
The knowledge of the truth that Heb 10:26 refers salvation in Christ. This is spoken of also in Heb 6:4-6, highlighted below in blue.
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
This is what we have in Christ, having the knowledge of he truth.
So what is the "willful sin" that takes us away from the knowledge of the truth?
It's unbelief in Jesus, which is the sin the world is convicted of, John 16:9.
And how does one turn back to unbelief/sin?
Gal 2:18
For if I build again the things which I destroyed (dead works of righteousness under the law), I make myself a transgressor./Sinner
The willful sin in Heb 10:26 refers to those who turn back to rebuild the dead works of self-righteousness under the law. Such reject Christ's sacrifice in spite of having had the knowledge of the truth (Heb 6:4-6). To turn back to the law is to choose self-righteousness by works of the law, and thus reject Christ.
Whatever the law says it says to those under it, Rom 3:19.
But Christians are NOT under the law (Rom 8:2, Rom 10:4, Gal 3:24, Gal 5:18, 1Tim 1:9).
So if a Christian who really had the knowledge of the truth (Heb 6:4-6) choose to turn back to works of the law to determine righteousness, then such have rejected Christ's sacrifice (unbelief, the sin the world is convicted of, John 16:9) and have willfully sinned in that being back under the jurisdiction of the law for righteousness by works they will be judged as
guilty of all the law (James 2:10) as they will fail to keep it
perfectly.
Paul addresses that in Romans 6. For shall we continue in sin because we are not under the Law? Paul replies to that question, with: "God forbid." Meaning you are not allowed to do so. Paul then continues to say in Romans 6 that you are a servant to whom you obey whether sin unto death or obedience unto righteousness. Jesus believes you can only serve two masters. Jesus says a good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit (and vise versa). For we will know false prophets by their fruit. Peter says the false prophets are those who have eyes full of adultery and have not ceased from sin (2 Peter 2:1, 14). Meaning, they are sinning as a way of life still. They are still sinning like the world all the time. They are stilll iiving in wickedness.
Agreed. But we differ in understanding this.
Sin = DEATH.
Yet you claim that you still sin.
What is the
obedience unto righteousness spoken of in Rom 6:16?
Rom 6:17
But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
And that doctrine we obeyed was to
believe on Jesus, as he commanded (John 3:16, 1John 3:23)
Believing on Jesus are the works that we're called to do, John 6:29.
Believing on Jesus is God's will for us, John 6:40.
Regarding your comment on 2Pet 2:14, see it below for context.
2Pet 2:14-
Having eyes full of (spiritual) adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
Which have forsaken the right way (believe on Jesus), and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness (dead works of self-righteousness);
But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.
These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment (to believe on Jesus) delivered unto them.
Note it described them as having eyes full of adultery.
Now remember that scripture is to be
spiritually discerned, 1Cor 2:14. If we read it merely in physical terms then we will make the same mistake as Nicodmus who thought born again meant one had to re enter into their mother's womb.
So 2Pet 2:14 is not speaking about physical adultery. It refers to
spiritual adultery.
Remember that as Christians we're married to Christ, Eph 5:32.
We're one spirit with the Lord, 1Cor 6:17
Hence we should not be into
spiritual sexual immorality with another.
And who is the other?
1Cor 6:18
Flee (spiritual) sexual immorality (with Hagar, who is symbolic for righteousness by works of the law, Gal 4:24). Every sin that a man does is outside the body (of Christ we abide in), but he who commits (spiritual) sexual immorality (with Hagar/self-righteousness by works of the law) sins against his own body (Christ).
This is why we see so many warnings in scripture against turning back to the law to determine righteousness.
To mix works of the law, with grace, is spiritual sexual immorality.
1 John 3:8 says he that committeth sin is of the devil. Verse 14 says we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Meaning.... you cannot hate your brother or you are abiding in death. Verse 15 confirms this even more. It says, whosever hateth his brother is a murderer and ye know htat no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. So yes, how you live will matter in your right standing with God. But again, a true beleiver obeyes the Lord out of love not because of their own self effort but because they have been changed spiritually by God in the fact that they repented of their sin (With a Godly sorrow) and have accepted Jesus as their Savior.
But as you claim you still sin then according to 1John 3:8 you are implying that you are of the devil. Just
ONE sin/transgression of the law (1John 3:4) makes you
guilty of all the law (James 2:10). I hope you are now starting to see the error in the doctrine you follow.
I do however agree that Christians love one another. A Christians lifestyle often does improve. But we're all at different stages of growth. But to judge ones righteousness based on how good a lifestyle they live is a dangerous error.
As for being forgiven 70 x 7: This is in reference to past sin and not future sin. Nowhere does the Bible ever say your future sin is forgiven you. 1 John 2:1 says we are to sin not. If any man sins, we have an advocate that we can go to named Jesus Christ. For if we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgiven us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). For if we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth (1 John 1:6). But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, then the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses you from all sin (1 John 1:7). This is what Romans 8 is talking about, too. Romans 8:1 says, there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus who WALK AFTER THE SPIRIT and NOT AFTER THE FLESH. Romans 8:6 says to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Once we believe on Jesus there is no future sin that can be charged against us.
Remember 1Cor 6:18 where it says that every sin we commit is outside the body (of Christ that we abide in).
Remember also Rom 8:33
who shall lay ANY THING (this includes sin)
to the charge of God's elect.
Remember also 1John 3:9 we
"cannot sin", and 1Pet 4:1 we've
"ceased from sin".
Only past sin was remitted at the cross, Rom 3:25.
Once in Christ there is no more sin that can be charged against us (unless we reject Christ and turn back to the law).
To walk after the Spirit is to believe on Jesus.
To walk after the flesh is to reject Christ.
