Purpose




Thoughts of a messed up Christian saved by God's grace





Saturday, March 3, 2012

The sins of Christians

Another controversial blog post I never submitted. Similar to the previous one, but done at a different time and some different thoughts.

There is a popular belief among churches that Christians sin. Oh really? I thought we called people who sinned "sinners."

I really, really dislike the theology of Calvinism. Christians sinning daily, Christians not being able to live above sin, Christians going to heaven no matter what they do after God comes into their heart.

Is it arrogant to believe a Christian can live a sinless life? I don't believe so. I believe it is Biblical.

1 John 2:1 says: "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."

Sounds like Christians shouldn't sin, but there is a possibility of it. "That you sin not." Sounds possible to not sin. "If any man sin." If, not when.

I would like to know what Calvinists do with Romans 6:

1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 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.



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


12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 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. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

I read those verses and get the idea that God isn't a fan of Christians sinning.

I have worked for Christians at a couple of jobs and was disgusted by some of their practices. At one, they consistently lied and had no problem doing so. At the other - wow - I could make a list. In fact, the main reason I quit was I was so disgusted by their lack of integrity, their lying, the way they would rip off companies they dealth with. I had zero respect for them and it became too difficult to work for them, so I left.

These people ascribed to eternal security. Since they were Christians, they were headed for Heaven, they were secure, so even though they sinned on a consistent basis, they were Heavenbound. Really?!

Christians are all guilty of compartmentalizing. Of having degrees of sin. I'd like to get one of these people in a corner who believes Christians sin and ask a few questions. The first would be "So, what sin do you do?" The next would be why it is ok for Christians to do certain sins, but not others. Take lying.... I have been around several Christians who lied like a rug. If you questioned their Christianity, you were judging them, etc. Yet, there is no way they would say it is ok for a Christian to kill occasionally, rape occasionally, steal, commit adultery... or do those on a consistent basis. The evangelical church scoffs at the idea of "gay Christians", yet have no problem with Christian liars and other "nice sins." Well guess what..... my Bible says liars will also go to hell, not just people who do the "bad" sins.

2 comments:

  1. I totally agree with you in that Christians should not live in sin. However, I have seen where, even though they would not admit it, people live a life of "once sanctified, always sanctified". They feel as if they can live above sin and unless the outward appearance changes, i.e. dress, they can find some justification for their actions. I personally know people who claim to be saved and sanctified and yet lie, are unloving and disrespectful to spouses,have nasty attitudes, etc.

    A couple of years ago a teacher in a VBS told the children that once we are sanctified the desire for sin is taken away, and we can't sin. I was blown away. Thankfully my older children were not in attendance, and it went over the heads of my younger children.

    Even though we are Christians we are not above sinning. Should we live in sin? Absolutely not! But we are not perfect, and a Christian that claims they never sin is walking on dangerous ground. We should daily analyze our lives and ask God to show us those areas where we fail so we can correct them. We need to live close enough to God that we can easily feel his checks when we are not living Biblically.

    To some of the Calvinists' credit, I know that there are differing opinions on the definition of sin. What some consider "sin", I have heard those of a different persuasion call "mistakes".

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  2. Hi Mark.

    I don't think my response went through, and don't have time to retype. But wanted to share a couple related links that might help you sort through this topic.

    http://pastorglenn.wordpress.com/2012/05/24/the-nature-of-true-confession/

    http://pastorglenn.wordpress.com/2009/06/02/the-depths-of-depravity/

    Heather

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