Can a Christian live the rest of their life without sinning?

[Chester]

The time between justification when we are saved, and glorification, when Jesus returns, can be a long road. But a good road, because the Holy Spirit is changing and transforming us.

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:2

Transform is in the passive tense in Greek (in English,too!) which means it is something done to us by someone else. So God is the one who is changing us.

I think the goal of the journey is to walk with Christ more and more every day. If we could be totally sinless, then we would have reached glorification, which simply doesn't happen till we die, or Jesus returns.

But part of the journey is learning more and more what displeases God and separates us from him. The gross sins, are easy. Stop excessive drinking in my case. It was gone from the moment I was saved. God just took it away! Hallelujah!

But so many other sins! And some took years and years of God working on me to get rid of. I have been so proud of the fact that I really don't lose my temper anymore. Not even when all these atheists attacked me so badly on Sunday. God helped me through that, as well as prayers.

So great, I don't lose my temper anymore. But I am "proud" of myself. Hmm! No credit to God, and thinking I have made it! And I realized today, although I have really boxed that anger down into the tiniest box, that my road rage has not even began to be dealt with. Today I got behind some person doing 40 kph in a 60 zone. Then 35 in a 50 zone. I was looking at following this idiot for another 20 minutes, because the road was 2 way the whole way to town. So I took a right turning lane at the lights, zipped around him doing - maybe 100kph (60 mph) in a 50 kph zone.

Hey I passed him! Then I felt terrible conviction. I had a panic attack, which is not my MO. Lots of repenting to God, thanking him I didn't get caught by the police (would that be another sin - not wanting to get caught for doing wrong??)

A simple example. God is always working on us, changing us from glory to glory. I know I have a long way to go. But I have come even farther, from the wild, rebellious hippie I once was. God has placed a very legalistic husband in my life. And it is good! He is always happy to point out my sin. Just as I am always happy to point out his legalism. Both in love, of course.

I do hope those who think they are perfect get a good wake up call! Before they die, and find out their arrogance and pride has left them as someone "saved through the fire."

"If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire." 1 Cor. 3:15

"Angela" - I like your story - and what you are trying to say is exactly the same thing I am trying to say. You are striving to become more like God - and you are more and more growing and overcoming sin in your life. But you admit you fail sometimes - but it is your fault - not God's fault - you are honest about it! And it is God who by His Spirit will make us more and more into His image. The goal is to more and more know Christ and to have our heart beat with His heart.

You said: "I do hope those who think they are perfect get a good wake up call" -- I know there are some on this forum who think they are perfect/sinless. But that is not at all what I am trying to say or what this thread is about.

See post #12 by Ben FTW for a real challenge.

 

[Chester]

Forget not sinning for a life time. How about not sinning for a day? Does anyone think that is possible? You see, God's word says that all things are possible with God and so it seems that might just be possible. I am not saying that it has happened or will happen but that it is possible.

VVhat does it mean that there is a possibility to go a day without sin? It doesn't mean anything in terms of our salvation. If we go one day without sin it doesn't balance the days we have sinned. That would be like the concept of reincarnation, eventually reaching a balance of right and wrong. So while it holds no value in terms of our justification, what value would it hold?

All in all, why do we even want to sin less at all? VVhat gain is there in sinning less? Just maybe we've learned from God that love leads to a better life. A better experience. Sin is void of love, so to go a day without sin would mean you chose that day to love. To love others, God, and self. The question, I guess, is what significance is there in us sinning less or even not at all? VVe've been set free from sin, we are dead to it. Our victory over sin has what significance, if even sin doesn't condemn us before God on account of Jesus? Is it simply, to love?

What wisdom resides beneath that blue hat of yours? Or, is it the beard?!

 

[BenFTW]

What wisdom resides beneath that blue hat of yours? Or, is it the beard?!

Haha, glory to God.

 

[Grace777x70]

Can a Christian live the rest of their life without sinning? ..Hmmmmmm

I wonder if this is taking into consideration - mother-in-laws? I know there are some great ones that stand with you and love and pray for you and then there are..."others"...just sayin'...

 

[Vdp]

Yes!

1 John 3:4-9
[SUP]4 [/SUP]Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. [SUP]5 [/SUP]You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. [SUP]6[/SUP]No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him. [SUP]7 [/SUP]Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; [SUP]8 [/SUP]the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. [SUP]9 [/SUP]No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

We cannot sin when we abide in God!

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

Forget not sinning for a life time. How about not sinning for a day? Does anyone think that is possible?

VVhat does it mean that there is a possibility to go a day without sin? It doesn't mean anything in terms of our salvation. If we go one day without sin it doesn't balance the days we have sinned.

All in all, why do we even want to sin less at all? VVhat gain is there in sinning less? The question, I guess, is what significance is there in us sinning less or even not at all? VVe've been set free from sin, we are dead to it. Our victory over sin has what significance, if even sin doesn't condemn us before God on account of Jesus? Is it simply, to love?

This is nothing but total nonsense and confusion. If you have truly been set free from sin, THEN YOU WILL NOT STILL BE SINNING EVERY DAY! Good Lord what nonsense! If you are still sinning then you have not truly been set free from sin, how hard is that concept for people to grasp? Oh my.

 

[seed_time_harvest]

I wouldn't consider any of the 3 ORs to be sins, except possibly #2 if one's faith is weak and the conscience self-condemns.

Whatever thats not of faith Is sin.

 

[Grace777x70]

There is a difference between sin the noun and sinning the verb. Set free from sin does not mean set freefrom sinning. Sin the noun has been guaranteed in the flesh which is why the Holy Spirit circumcised our hearts ( where He lives and is joined as one in the spirit with us) from the body of flesh.

The set free from sin ( the noun ) is relating to not having to be subject anymore to the flesh because we have been sealed in our spirit in our inner man in Christ. - the new creation in Him.

The law of sin is in the flesh and will be there until we leave this earth. Romans 7:19-22. which is where we are not "in the flesh" as Paul says in Romans 8:9 : BUT "in the Spirit".

Colossians 2:11 (NASB)
[SUP]11 [/SUP] and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;

Now we are to walk by the Spirit so that we will not fulfill the flesh to do "its" desires. Romans 6:13

As our minds get renewed to the truth of Christ and what He has already done for us - the Holy Spirit transforms us and we live a holier life. This is all God's work but we participate in it with Him. ( sometimes this is also called the saving of the soul which the mind is a part of )

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

Set free from sin does not mean set free from sinning.

More false doctrine from the Hyper grace crowd. If you have been born again of the Spirit of God, and if Jesus Christ has truly set you free from sin, then you will no longer go on sinning and living a lifestyle of ongoing sin. If anyone preaches otherwise they are not of God's Spirit, but are of their father the Devil.

 

[Grace777x70]

More false doctrine from the Hyper grace crowd. If you have been born again of the Spirit of God, and if Jesus Christ has truly set you free from sin, then you will no longer go on sinning and living a lifestyle of ongoing sin. If anyone preaches otherwise they are not of God's Spirit, but are of their father the Devil.

Apparently you missed my post on this. Here it is again for you. In it explains everything and no one said to go on sinning all they want. You made that up in your own mind.

http://christianchat.com/bible-disc...their-life-without-sinning-3.html#post2699589

 

[Grace777x70]

More false doctrine from the Hyper grace crowd. If you have been born again of the Spirit of God, and if Jesus Christ has truly set you free from sin, then you will no longer go on sinning and living a lifestyle of ongoing sin. If anyone preaches otherwise they are not of God's Spirit, but are of their father the Devil.

Maybe an understanding of grace in action s portrayed by our Lord will help to clarify some things for you too.

There are 2 aspects to grace. The very first thing that Jesus does with the woman caught in adultery is that He gets rid of her accusers - the religious Pharisees that wanted to condemn her because the "bible" said so in the Old Covenant...she was to be stoned. ( the law condemns us )

Jesus was the only one qualified to condemn her but He didn't.


1) acceptance grace - which has nothing to do with our behavior - as seen with the woman caught in adultery. Our Lord beautifully says " I do not condemn you".

It is in knowing you are not condemned that releases the other aspect of grace.

2) now, go and sin no more - this is empowering grace.

Empowering grace enables you to be who the Father sees you are in Christ now because you are a new creation in Him.


The religious mindset says to the woman caught in adultery - 'Do not sin and we will not condemn you."

The grace of God and the blood of Jesus speaks of better things in this New Covenant of grace!

"Knowing" that we are not condemned in Christ "releases" the life of the empowering grace to transform us. It's all about Christ! It's His fruit being manifested in us!

Acceptance grace which is not based on our behavior needs to be cemented in our hearts before empowering grace is able to be manifested.


What believers in a self-effort/self-performance D.I.Y. holiness/righteousness based mindset and the self-appointed "fruit inspectors" have a very hard time with is the "acceptance grace" part...this just drives them nuts...and I understand why..it is scandalous and it "conflicts" with their religious man-made traditions.

 

[LaurenTM]

I needed 10 characters, my simple "yes" was just not enough I guess.

and the part about us not having faith was just to continue with the jabs, right?



there really was no reason to do that IMO

you just cannot ever miss a chance to throw a punch if you think you see an opportunity

how is believing one can be sinless an opening to say that those who understand that the scripture says the opposite, have little faith?

apparently, we must have enough to understand that Christ alone lived a sinless life and He had to be born of a virgin by the Holy Spirit

we are reborn and filled with the Holy Spirit and we stop our sin...that is, we do not continue a lifestyle of sin and rebellion against God. we do still sin however. it is the habitual and purposeful/rebellious sin we stop and if we can't but want to, then we need to look into the possibility of needing prayer because of possible demonic attachments from our old life

of course we are able to stop sinning, that is we do not live IN sin any longer but we know what John said about it all

faith now, is also a gift. so maybe you should not knock what God gives to those who trust in Him. if we lack even faith, we can also ask the only One who is able to give it...the same One who drew us to Him in the first place

Jesus said in Luke 17, that it is God who is the force behind our faith and not the faith that accomplishes anything in itself

the flesh should not brag in what God alone can do. Luke 17 is a good chapter for a lesson on faith and the object of our faith...which is not self-manufactured, but rather looks to GOD ...the faith is in God...not what we think we can work up or present like some kind of medal and then castigate others as though we thought we were above them

if you have little faith, then you need to turn to God more...HE is the author and finisher of our faith...GOD is the author of faith...it all begins and ends with HIM

 

[LaurenTM]

This is nothing but total nonsense and confusion. If you have truly been set free from sin, THEN YOU WILL NOT STILL BE SINNING EVERY DAY! Good Lord what nonsense! If you are still sinning then you have not truly been set free from sin, how hard is that concept for people to grasp? Oh my.

well, if you don't understand it, it might be

by the way?

you are taking God's name in vain here...that's a sin

oops

just ask for forgiveness...I have to ask for forgiveness regularly...so I am sure you can do it too

what can I say; God definately has a sense of humor and a way of putting a mirror in front of us no matter who we think we are LOL!

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

you are taking God's name in vain here...that's a sin

Not if I was actually saying to the Lord "Good Lord what nonsense!" LOL

 

[LaurenTM]

Not if I was actually saying to the Lord "Good Lord what nonsense!" LOL

look, you were caught in sin

get over it

apparently, the Bible means you too when it describes us as sinners without Christ and redeemed with Him

you are no better or worse

sorry to break it to yah

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

look, you were caught in sin

Which of you convinces me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do you not believe me?

 

[seed_time_harvest]

More false doctrine from the Hyper grace crowd. If you have been born again of the Spirit of God, and if Jesus Christ has truly set you free from sin, then you will no longer go on sinning and living a lifestyle of ongoing sin. If anyone preaches otherwise they are not of God's Spirit, but are of their father the Devil.

The change took place In the spirit.The spirit was saved and sealed but our bodies have not yet been glorified,so can you understand now how we are saved from sin but not from sinning?

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

The change took place In the spirit.The spirit was saved and sealed but our bodies have not yet been glorified,so can you understand now how we are saved from sin but not from sinning?

If a porn addict said Jesus Christ had set him free from his porn addition, but then went on to say he still looks at porn every night. Has that man truly been set free from his porn addiction? Or if a drunkard said Jesus Christ had set him free from the bottle, but yet in the next breath he says "but I still get drunk every night." Has that man truly been set free from his drinking problem?

When Jesus Christ sets one free from sin, they are free indeed. If one is truly set free from the bondage of sin they do not keep on sinning on a regular basis, other wise they have not truly been set free have they? Those who say you cannot be set free from sin deny Jesus' words, and also deny the power of God to do this wonderful work in them by His Spirit.

 

[Kosie]

1 John 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

 

[FreeNChrist]

1 John 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

"My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One". 1 John 2:1