Consequences of sinning

[Grace777x70]

I was reading an old journal this morning and came across this writing. I can't remember where it came from or if it's a compilation of some things from others as well as myself but I though it might be good to ponder.

3 Ways sinning affects the life of the Christian

1) Christian bondage

Whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. The more our minds are submitted to sinning in all it's forms - the more in bondage we become.

In reality we are free in Christ - in our new creation - the inner man of the new heart; however, the one who lives in sinning has lost sight of their freedom and sin will rule their life. Sinning bluffs us into submission by it's deceitfulness but it has no power other than what we give it. Rom. 6:12-14.

2) Religious Bondage

Legalistic religion masquerades as "godliness". Legalism doesn't trust God, so it implements rules. Many under legalism declare that Christ is sufficient with their lips, but if people really believed this they wouldn't turn to human effort instead of receiving what Christ has already done by faith.

At the heart of legalism is a distrust of God despite what the lips may be saying.

Legalism is just as much a source of bondage as out-right sinning is. Yes, legalism is sinning because it is not by faith.

Many who live by legalism deny that they are legalists. Perhaps we should clarify what legalism is. Legalism is to attempt to make yourself right, do good works, or keep yourself in God's will by human effort. It is to focus on any law other than the law of faith and of love.

When the Christian struggles with sinning, the message of the gospel is "Trust in Christ, for this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith." Our responsibility as teachers and brethren is to help one another find comfort in the love and grace of God and remind each other that even after failures, we have victory in Christ.

Cont....

 

[Grace777x70]

3) Inheritance

One of the greatest consequences to sinning in the Christian life is trading in our eternal inheritance that is already ours now in Christ for the things of this passing life. If we lose sight of who we are as a child of God in order to pursue the things of the world belief system and what their trust is in - we can't expect to inherit the blessings of God's promises to us while we are on this earth.

Unless we are trusting fully in His grace, we will miss much of the satisfaction and true life that is a normal part of walking by faith. When trying to gratify our desires that are outside of the life of Christ and these desires not from the Lord is our focus, we will make foolish decisions because this desire to "get things and life" from ourselves apart from the life of Christ in us - this will blind us to the consequences.

Temptation is the call to let go of the power and grace of God, where victory is guaranteed and to take the horns of the flesh, where victory is an impossibility. Even if we win something through the flesh, it's still a loss of what was given to us through the Spirit.

All temptation attempts to draw you into the flesh - to rely on what you do or don't do and it is living by this earth's system of belief that was released into this world by Adam's transgression. Sin entered the world.

Faith says, "I failed when I took control. I acknowledge and trust in Your grace again that is in Christ alone and I believe in Your promise - greater is Christ who is in me than all that is in the world." Then we confidently walk on in faith knowing our place as a true child of our loving Father.

The person who forfeits the promises ( inheritance that is already ours in Christ ) of God is not the one who blows it. It is the one who is persuaded to live this life by their own power.

For we have died and our true life is hidden with Christ in God. Set your mind on things above. Col. 3:1-3 Set our mind on the things of the spirit where we are new creations - joined as one spirit with the Lord forever - created in righteousness and holiness.

Keep our eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ and all that He has done for as we behold the glory/goodness of the Lord as in in mirror - the Holy Spirit transforms our outward behavior to reflect our true new nature that is in Christ. 2 Cor. 3:17-18

We participate in this with Him- "For it is God who is at work in you - both to will and to do of His good pleasure." Phil. 2:13

Christ is our wisdom, our righteousness, our sanctification - He is our redemption. Awake to righteousness and sin not. Awake to who we already are in Christ in our new creation and the things of this life will fall off us like dead leaves on a tree as our minds are renewed to the reality of Christ Himself in us.

 

[Chris1975]

Ezekiel 18

[SUP]20 [/SUP]The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. [SUP]21 [/SUP]“But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die.


1 John 3 (NLT)

[SUP]4 [/SUP]Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God. [SUP]5 [/SUP]And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him. [SUP]6 [/SUP]Anyone who continues to live in him will not sin. But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know him or understand who he is.

[SUP]7 [/SUP]Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. [SUP]8 [/SUP]But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. [SUP]9 [/SUP]Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life[SUP][a][/SUP] is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. [SUP]10 [/SUP]So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers[SUP][b][/SUP] does not belong to God.

 

[Chris1975]

......and by implication, the children of the devil do not inherit eternal life.

 

[Chris1975]

Genesis 3

[SUP]4 [/SUP]Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.

 

[Grace777x70]

We are either a child of God or not. If Christ is in us - then we are God's children - safe in Christ.

Whatsoever is not of faith is sinning.

Jesus said that the son does remain forever in the house. And If the Son sets you free..you are free indeed ( how does someone get free?..by what Jesus did for us.)

So, if Jesus has set you free and the son does remain forever - the doctrine that one can lose their salvation has been proven false because salvation is based on what Jesus has done - not on what we do. I know this blows some of our religious minds when we see this being said.

Salvation is not based on your works. It is and always will be based on what Jesus has already done for us. We are saved by grace through faith alone in Christ when we believed and sealed with the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said that the Holy Spirit will be in us forever. John 14:16 Jesus is not a liar. We can trust Him.

Ephesians 1:13 (NASB)
[SUP]13 [/SUP] In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,


John 8:34-36 (NASB)
[SUP]34 [/SUP] Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.

[SUP]35 [/SUP] "The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever.

[SUP]36 [/SUP] "So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

The question remains....are we a son when we receive Christ? Scripture says "YES"...then it means we as sons/daughters will always remain.

Romans 8:16 (NASB)
[SUP]16 [/SUP]The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,

Galatians 3:26 (KJV)
[SUP]26 [/SUP]For ye areall the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

What about this sin business? John says that it is impossible for those that are born of God to sin - not once - let alone hundreds or thousands of times.

1 John 3:9 (KJV)
[SUP]9 [/SUP] Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

1 John 5:18 (NASB)
[SUP]18 [/SUP]We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. ( He who was born of God that keeps us is Jesus - the first born of many )

So, the inner man in Christ created in righteousness and holiness cannot sin - not even once. Sin done in the flesh does not affect the inner man in Christ.

We need to renew our minds to these truths that we can grow up in Christ. Grace teaches us to live godly in this present world so we need to be preaching the grace of Christ as much as possible. Then we will manifest outwardly what is already in us in our true nature because of what Christ already has done for us in His finished work.

 

[Chris1975]

1 Corinthians 10

1 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, [SUP]2 [/SUP]all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, [SUP]3 [/SUP]all ate the same spiritual food, [SUP]4 [/SUP]and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.
- these fathers drank from Christ
- notice it says "all"

[SUP]5 [/SUP]But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
[SUP]- yet they were destroyed
- notice it says "most"


6 [/SUP]Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.
- they became examples to the New Testament Church. By implication treatment on this matter is the same

[SUP]7 [/SUP]And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.”[SUP][a][/SUP] [SUP]8 [/SUP]Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; [SUP]9 [/SUP]nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; [SUP]10 [/SUP]nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.
-commandments given to the New Testament Church, referring to the examples of those who came before them

[SUP]11 [/SUP]Now all[SUP][b][/SUP] these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
- in case you don't see it, there it is again.

[SUP]12 [/SUP]Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
- why would you even need to take heed, if what G777 says is true.
- you see, a fall is possible. Written to the church. Who are to look at Israel in the wilderness as an example.

[SUP]13 [/SUP]No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
- in case you don't understand the context. Its about the yielding to tempataion, and the resulting sin therefrom.- in case you still don't see the link, read James 1v14-15

 

[Chris1975]

Matthew 7

[SUP]13 [/SUP]“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. [SUP]14 [/SUP]Because[SUP][a][/SUP] narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
- notice the word "many"
- notice the word "difficult"

 

[Muzungu256]

great posts grace!!!!!!!!!!! very profound i like it............. i gave reputation............. God bless!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Chris1975]

Revelation 21

[SUP]7 [/SUP]He who overcomes shall inherit all things,[SUP][d][/SUP] and I will be his God and he shall be My son. [SUP]8 [/SUP]But the cowardly, unbelieving,[SUP][e][/SUP] abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

 

[Grace777x70]

How do we overcome? John gives us the answer:

“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 Jn 4:4)

Overcoming is not about jumping through hoops and satisfying the expectations of men. It’s about depending on The Overcomer who lives in you.

“For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” (1 Jn 5:4-5)

Are you born of God? Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God? If yes, then the Overcomer lives in you and you can’t help but be an overcomer.

That’s why Jesus told the disciples to be encouraged during times of tribulation; because he – not they – had overcome the world and because they would carry his overcoming Spirit within them.

We are called to fight the good fight of faith! Believe in what Christ has done and His life will be manifested in every circumstance of our life while on this earth.

 

[Chris1975]

Romans 6

6 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? [SUP]2 [/SUP]Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? [SUP]3 [/SUP]Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? [SUP]4 [/SUP]Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

[SUP]5 [/SUP]For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, [SUP]6 [/SUP]knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. [SUP]7 [/SUP]For he who has died has been freed from sin. [SUP]8 [/SUP]Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, [SUP]9 [/SUP]knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. [SUP]10 [/SUP]For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. [SUP]11 [/SUP]Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

[SUP]12 [/SUP]Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. [SUP]13 [/SUP]And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. [SUP]14 [/SUP]For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

[SUP]15 [/SUP]What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! [SUP]16 [/SUP]Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? [SUP]17 [/SUP]But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. [SUP]18 [/SUP]And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. [SUP]19 [/SUP]I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.

[SUP]20 [/SUP]For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. [SUP]21 [/SUP]What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. [SUP]22 [/SUP]But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. [SUP]23 [/SUP]For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

[Grace777x70]

The promised land is Christ Himself and living from His life while in this earth - it is NOT "gaining heaven". There are no giants to fight in heaven.

Only 2 people out of all the Israelites went into the promised land because they believed the word of the Lord - even Moses because of unbelief in God's word when he struck the rock 2 x times was not allowed to enter the promised land.

Is Moses in hell now? Of course not and yet this is what the false doctrine of losing one's salvation would tell us.

No, brethren we are safe in Christ and I encourage all of us to believe in what Christ has done for us on the cross and resurrection. Failure to trust in Christ's finished work on the cross will cause our faith to fail and we will not inherit the promises of God for us while in this life.

By all means let the unbelief the Israelites had in what God had said teach us to trust in Him for what He has provide for us in Christ.

 

[Chris1975]

The promised land is Christ Himself and living from His life while in this earth - it is NOT "gaining heaven". There are no giants to fight in heaven.

Only 2 people out of all the Israelites went into the promised land because they believed the word of the Lord - even Moses because of unbelief in God's word when he struck the rock 2 x times was not allowed to enter the promised land.

Is Moses in hell now? Of course not and yet this is what the false doctrine of losing one's salvation would tell us.

No, brethren we are safe in Christ and I encourage all of us to believe in what Christ has done for us on the cross and resurrection. Failure to trust in Christ's finished work on the cross will cause our faith to fail and we will not inherit the promises of God for us while in this life.

By all means let the unbelief the Israelites had in what God had said teach us to trust in Him for what He has provide for us in Christ.

That's why repentance exists, in faith. So no, Moses isn't in hell.

If Moses continued to rebel, that would have been his portion.

 

[Grace777x70]

I believe that "sin" - the noun - not having dominion over us ( Rom. 6:14 ) is referring to the sin that is in the flesh not having dominion because we are in the spirit in Christ and not in the flesh.

I look at "sinning" ( the action ) as a response to the deceitfulness of sin - the noun ( that which is still in our flesh ) if we yield to the lie that the sin in our flesh is saying to us. Kind of like cause and effect - that is if we believe the lie of sin that speaks to us.

I too believe that the more we get a revelation that we are not in the flesh but really in the spirit because the real us is in Christ - the new creation - then "the influence" of sin loses it's power because of walking by the Spirit which is all based on the grace of Christ alone.

It's the influence of sin in our flesh that deceives us into doing the action of sinning. That is what I see in "sin shall not have dominion over us".

Romans 8:9-10 (NASB)
[SUP]9 [/SUP] However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

[SUP]10 [/SUP] If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.

Galatians 5:16 (NASB)
[SUP]16 [/SUP] But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.

The flesh ( which are the ways and old habits of getting things from the world instead of through faith in Christ ) and the law/principle of sin ( Romans 7:23 ) work together in cohoots.

They know what works on us individually. For example: If in the past we are trying in our own fleshly ways to get love by having sex with others. Then the power of sin will inflame that desire in us to be with other people.

If we have a problem with pride - then the power of sin will use that to influence us to think that we are the beginning and end of all things... If we think lowly of ourselves then the power of sin will use that to say we are worthless.

Each of us have our own unique fleshly ways of trying to find life from the world's belief system instead of through Christ's life that is in us. This brings death but walking by the spirit brings life and peace through the Lord Jesus Christ's finished work alone.

 

[Chris1975]

2 Peter 2

[SUP]20 [/SUP]For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. [SUP]21 [/SUP]For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. [SUP]22 [/SUP]But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,”[SUP][e][/SUP] and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”

 

[Grace777x70]

This should help to know the difference between"sin" - the noun used in Romans 6:14 "sin shall not have dominion over you" and "sinning" the verb which is the action of sinning.

In order to understand Romans 6-7 ( and then finally chapter 8 where the Spirit comes in ) we need to understand the difference between "sin" and "sinning".

Not knowing this leads to all kinds of doctrines like this "sinless perfection in the flesh" one that some try to promote. This doctrine will upset the faith of the young Christian and really in the end promote turmoil in their minds and ship-wreck their faith.

This will also create a works-righteousness mindset instead of a faith-righteousness one that is completely fixed on Christ's completed work for the believer.

We will always have the flesh with us and anyone that says they never are "sinning" have a very low opinion of the holiness of God and are only thinking of the "biggie sins" which they don't do and not including things like outbursts of anger, malice, slandering others in the body of Christ, causing strife and divisions..etc.

Malice and slander and things like these ( Gal. 5:21 ) are just as destructive as living a homosexual lifestyle.

There is a difference between sin the noun and sinning the verb. Set free from sin does not mean set free from sinning entirely the rest of one's life. Whatsoever is of faith is sinning. This is why the blood of Jesus continually cleanses us from all sin because we are in the light. 1 John 1:7

Sin the noun has been quarantined 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.

Romans chapter 6 and 7 uses the noun "sin" 48x times ( which speaks of thelaw of sin that is in our flesh ) and only once as the verb which is the action of "sinning".

Here is what Vine's describes this "law of sin" that is in the flesh - acting through the members of our body when we yield to it.

"agoverning principle or power,e.g., Rom. 6:6; "(the body) of sin," here "sin" is spoken of as an organized power,acting through the members of the body, "

Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words.


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,inthe 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 )

 

[Chris1975]

Hebrews 10

[SUP]26 [/SUP]For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, [SUP]27 [/SUP]but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.

 

[Grace777x70]

Hebrews 10:26 can be a stumbling block if we don't take the context in which this passage was written.

Some times well intentioned people take Hebrews 10:26-29 out of context with the book of Hebrews.

Anyone can take an isolated scripture out of it's context and say anything they want. Here is an example in the scripture below - Ex 32:33. Anyone who has ever sinned is blotted out of God's book.

Exodus 32:33 (NASB)
[SUP]33 [/SUP] The LORD said to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book.

This is truly stated in the OT but it is not the ultimate statement of truth. The work of Jesus's finished work on the cross trumps what is said in Ex. 32:33.

Obviously we need to view all scripture through the finished work of Christ. We don't take obscure verses and discount the abundance of clear scriptures on what our Lord has done for us.

Hebrews 10 is talking about Jewish people after hearing about Christ for the only sacrifice for sins and rejecting it to go back to the temple sacrifices for their sins.

Hebrews was written a few years before the temple system came crashing down in 70AD when it was trampled by the Roman army.

The "willful sinning" is after hearing the "knowledge" of the truth of Christ's sacrifice - those that go back to the temple sacrifices and do not receive Christ's work by faith - this is the wilful sinning being talked about - the rejection of Christ's sacrifice and blood for the forgiveness of all sins.

This is insulting the Spirit of grace. The Holy Spirit's work is to convict/convince/expose the world of their sin - which is unbelief in Christ's work. John 16:8-9

There is a vast difference between receiving the "knowledge" of the truth and "receiving the truth" which is Christ Himself.

 

[Grace777x70]

Here is a short video - 3 minutes that shows Hebrews 10:26 in context with the whole book of Hebrews.

The willful sinning of unbelief in Christ's sacrifice for sins means that the sin remains on people. It's going to be a frightful thing to stand in our Father's presence with sin still on them because they rejected Christ.



[video=youtube;yrc5EOpokSc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrc5EOpokSc[/video]