How Much Sin Will God Forgive?
First of all, we all sin. Sin is very real in our lives. We do many things that aren’t pleasing to God.
Acknowledging that you sin is a huge step. A lot of people sin and don’t think there’s anything wrong with it while some people finally come to see how destructive sin can be. But God does not want us to live with guilt. He wants us to know and fully experience His forgiveness.
God does not simply overlook our sin and say, “You’re forgiven.” God sees our sin but is ready to forgive us because Jesus fully took OUR sin on himself and paid for our sin by his death on the cross. Our sin is serious and it cost Jesus incredible suffering. But from the moment we believe in Christ and make him a part of our lives, his forgiveness is ours. We can’t ever make up for our own sin or suffer enough for it—nor does God want us to. In the Bible, it says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
But what happens when we struggle in an area and keep on sinning? Does God get so weary forgiving us that we, at some point, reach our limit?
Jesus was asked by the disciples how many times they needed to forgive someone. Jesus said, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22).
It’s unlikely that we all can keep track of whether we forgive a particular individual 490 times, so you see Jesus’ point. We always forgive, because God always forgives us. God does not have a limit. He died for every one of your sins—those you’ve committed and those you will commit—past, present, and future. You need to begin looking at your sin the way God looks at it. The Bible says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1John 1:9) “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12)
If you’ve asked God to forgive you and to come into your life—you are forgiven! Thank him for his forgiveness and begin to rejoice in your secure relationship with him. He is able to change areas of your life for the best. Remember, God is able to forgive all sin.
Dear Luis,
I John 1:9 is very clear when it says that ‘if we confess our sins He is righteous to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness’ so if you have confessed it to the Lord and asked for forgiveness then He has indeed forgiven you.
There is also repentance involved and that’s where your part comes in. Perhaps you and your boyfriend will have to agree not to be alone together so that you won’t be tempted. Plan to do things with others, and only when others are alone. No overnight visits for sure…..and definitely no time alone with no one else around.
It is your guilt that is causing you to question God’s forgiveness. God can and does forgive, and then we need to accept that forgiveness and change our behavior. It is only as the Holy Spirit fills us and we allow Him control that our actions will change. Ask Him to fill you up and take control of your life. Check out this article that explains more about this http://powertochange.com/experience/spiritual-growth/start/
Luls,
The first thing to know about this situation is that – are you a Christian?
not because of the sin and not because you say you are. I cannot know you
are because you say you are, but Christ said you will know them by their
fruits. But because you say you are let us believe you have experienced
Christ’s forgiveness and you know that you have experienced the Lord by His
Spirit in the relationship you have with Him.
Many may be quick to council you on the way to continue in some form of your
effort or a struggle to victory or even just know that you are always a
sinner and can continue to be saved by His grace because His mercy is huge.
This will find you in a place that justifies your sin and other sins will
pop up all over your life. You cannot in any way deal in any form of effort
to gain victory. If that was the case you would have no need of the work
done at Calvary.
This form of council is an insult to Christ our Lord and reduces the
salvation plan to a humanist understanding of our Gospel and there is no
other gospel than this !
what !
Your understanding of our Lord is what leaves you weak in your Christian
walk. My people perish from a lack of understanding/knowledge. You must have
the definition of knowledge first. Listen carefully because this first step
in faith will be too easy you may miss it/ —— KNOWLEDGE is the person of
Christ. Did you get that? The Jews were not confused in why they tried to
kill Jesus, in fact they were very clear. They were killing Jesus because He
was saying that He was ‘God’! Who do you know Him as? He said in many
statements “Before Abraham was, I AM” . If you have a clear knowledge of
this first bit of understanding that Christ is God then you are starting
well.
The woman caught in adultery was in the same situation as you are – what was
her response — Lord — He said go and sin no more.
How easy is it for you to fall into sin – Read James 1:12- 16. You must know
this that any person who has the Spirit can be lured out from His/Her
relationship by the lust of their flesh. If you remain walking in the Spirit
you will not Sin. So does Jesus mean more in your relationship than this
boy? If you hunger for Christ and remain in the vine you will not sin.
Abide in Him. Once you have asked first the Lord to forgive you then by
faith – not by feelings- By faith you will be forgiven. 10 out of 10 times
its just a confession before our holy Lord that you’ve grieved and 1 out of
10 you may need to confess before man. This out of 10 is representative of
importance to our Lord.
If you are in a right standing relationship with Christ you will taste the
victory over all sin and you will know it is Him who keeps you. If he
reveals through a temptation of your continuous failings (sin) then it only
needs for you to take these failings to where it already has been dealt
with – to the CROSS – all power of victory was wrought out their.
Please look at the history of these readings on this sight and you will see
the Truth in what the Lord has spoken and you will see the subtlety of
deception many come under by believing we will always be Sinners.
We are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses. The Lord has given you
victory – have faith in Christ and hunger to be filled more and He will.
Hi
I have a problem.
I have had sex with my boyfriend and repented for the first time we did it. He visited my house and stayed for the weekend, and we had sex again continuosly this time. We are both christians, but we both did what we knew was wrong at the time. We agreed to never doing it agin, but i am feeling guilty and as though God can’t forgive me this time. Also i feel embarassed going to my christian friends to confess because i confessed before and now feel i have exhausted people i can confess to. I need to confess and repent, and need help. Please advise and pray for us.
Jamie,
Words can continue but the Lord is the Word. We speak not with the wisdom of
this world , not with excellence of speech but by the demonstration of the
power of the Spirit. Mans best effort falls far short from the Grace of God
Galatians 5:16-18 is used by many to prove they have two natures. They say
“the flesh” is the sin nature, and the Spirit is the new nature. But these
scriptures do not say this. The passage says only that these two, the flesh
and the Spirit, are in opposition to one another.
The flesh and the Spirit are only in opposition to one another when a person
is under the law. The law brings bondage, but the Spirit brings freedom.
Verse 24 tells us, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the
flesh with its passions and desires.” If the flesh is the old man or sin
nature, it has been crucified—and that means death. But the flesh is not the
sin nature; it is only the instrument that has been used by sin. Paul says
he was sold into bondage to sin. Man has only one nature—a human nature.
When he has faith that brings him into life, and is cleansed from all sin,
that which makes him sin is changed through the new birth. Man was a wrong
being, and now that he has been born again, he is brought back into proper
relationship and fellowship with God.
Man does not need a “sin nature” to be able to sin. Adam sinned and did not
have a sin nature. It is possible for Christians to sin without having a sin
nature. They can be drawn out of their abiding place in Christ. If their
relationship is as it should be, they are finding fulfillment in Christ, not
in their own desires. If we are properly related to the Lord, we will be
properly related to others and to things. But we can never let this mean
that our desires and imaginations, minds and wills are not set aside for God’s
use only. They must be disciplined by the Spirit as we are exercised to
discern good and evil. There must be a working out of what God has worked in
us.
Paul’s words in Romans 7 and Galatians 5 can never be taken to mean that we
have two natures. In Romans 8 and in Galatians 5:18 we read words to this
effect: “If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” When you
are under the law, you may not do the things you please. Romans 7 tells us
that Paul wanted to do good, but could not. But Romans 8:2 tells us, “The
law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set us free from the law of
sin and of death.”
If Christians are going to rightly understand the seventh chapter of Romans,
God must reveal to them whether this was Paul’s experience as a Christian or
his past life’s experience under the law. This passage has been one of the
problem texts pertaining to the two nature theory. One reason for wrong
understanding is that man is trying to justify his experience, rather than
allowing the Word of God to change him. The attitude we see today should
cause us concern. Christians are trying to make room for sin in their lives,
rather than looking for a way to be free from sin and thus please God as
they walk in faith.
In this time we have too much natural thinking and man-made theology. We
need to get back to God’s way and His working. The reason there is so little
holiness today is that there is so little understanding of what God is doing
and how He is doing it in us. We will never understand God’s ways if we do
not have a personal relationship with Him. Out of this relationship comes
the power to be sons of God and live in His life. Faith brings us into a
vital experience of His life. We are not talking about the “eradification”
or “identification” theories. We are speaking about what happens at new
birth. That which is born out of the Spirit is spirit. We came into the
world at one time in a human body through natural birth. Now if we are going
to have eternal life, we must be born again—not born again in the flesh, but
born again of the Spirit. God’s plan is perfect. He knows what we need to be
made like Him. First we need to be made alive spiritually, and then we need
to live His life by faith—not our life, which is governed by selfishness or
our own passions and desires.
Paul’s desire for the believers was that “God sanctify you entirely. And may
your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the
coining of our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Thess. 5:23). Was this only wishful
thinking on Paul’s part? Paul understood God’s plan and His working, and if
we will seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness, Jesus will become our
wisdom and knowledge. Only when we create a salvation that is separate from
our relationship with Christ do we get into all these theories, which can
never transform us into His image or bring us into full growth in Christ.
God leaves no place for sin or a sin nature in His new creation.
I Peter 2:24 says, “He himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that
we might die to sin and live to righteousness.” Those who hold to the two
nature theory must see there was nothing that God could do to cause the old
creation to fulfill His purpose. There had to be a new creation. Jesus said
that you cannot put new wine in old wineskins—or both will be lost. We are a
new creation in Christ Jesus. There is no place for any of the old in the
new. We just need to “sanctify Christ as Lord in our hearts” (I Peter 3:15).
A proper understanding of law and grace would throw light on this area of
our walk in Christ. Many say they are free, but they continue to battle,
flesh against Spirit, because they are under the law. But Romans 7 says we
died in Christ to the law, that we might be free to be joined to another.
The law was our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we now may be justified by
faith. Paul says we now are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus.
Paul tells us in Galatians 1:11 that the gospel he preaches is not according
to man. He goes further in II Corinthian 7:1, and tells us to cleanse
ourselves from all that can defile flesh or spirit, and in the fear of God
to complete our consecration. This would not be possible if we had two
natures. Paul further says in II Corinthians 6:16, “What agreement has the
temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God!” How can
this be possible in reality if what many say (that they still have a sin
nature) is true? What contradiction and belittling of this great salvation!
Our bodies are not our natures. Emotions, mind and will are not our natures.
When we were in sin we lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the
desires of the flesh and of the mind. We were, by nature, children of wrath,
but because of God’s mercy and love, when we were dead in our
transgressions, He made us alive together with Christ (Eph. 1:3-5). Paul
goes on to say in Ephesians 2:10, “We are His workmanship…”
The Scripture tells us to put off the old man, and put on the new man. If
the old man were the sin nature, we would not be able to put it off, nor
could we put on the new man if it were the new nature. The old, or sin
nature is only a theory , which seemingly allows the believer to live in a
condition other than utter dependence on Christ. Because ‘of this, he lives
with a battle going on continuously.
I John 1:7 does not teach the need of a continual cleansing from continual
sin: “If we continue to sin, we do not know Him.” Verses 8 and 10 are not
speaking to Christians, but to those who said they had no sin or had not
sinned, and had no need of forgiveness. John tells them, in the 9th verse,
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The scripture tells us that He
will cleanse us from all unrighteousness, but many have been taught that
this doesn’t mean what it says.
Many sincere brothers who have been used by God have had little
understanding in the area of our personal holiness; thus they have gone off
to justify their natural thinking and have come up with many theories which
can never bring them to a place of faith. Faith must hear God. When man
creates one false theory he usually ends up having to back it up with many
other false theories. The truth sets us free to walk in the Spirit and do
His will.
II Peter 1 :3 tells us, “His divine power has granted to us everything
pertaining to life and godliness.” The following verses go on to reveal to
us the outworking of our life in God as we “apply all diligence… “ This is
not a struggle but a rest, a walk in relationship with Christ, as we allow
Christ to work in us and through us. It is from our relationship with Him
that all the manifestations of His divine nature are revealed in and through
us.
Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ (that is the old Paul).” He
went on to say, “…the life which I now live in the flesh (this is the new
Paul) I live by faith in the Son of God…” Then he said, “I do not nullify
the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ
died needlessly” (Gal. 2:21). We can see that most of the scriptures used to
support the two nature theory would put the Christian right back under the
law, if viewed in this way.
We need to seek God for understanding, that we might not nullify the grace
of God, but be spiritual. We need to stop allowing ourselves to be taught by
men with natural minds and natural understanding. This is not possible until
we can recognize the word of God flowing through spiritual brethren. “The
natural man received not the things of God. He cannot even know God’s ways
or His working…” (I Cor. 2:14 RSV).
The salvation that is being preached today allows for sin, but the gospel of
the New Testament gives no place for the Christian to practice sin. Man does
have a human body, but that is not a sin nature. If it were, we would have
to say that Christ had a sin nature because He had a body like ours. But
Christ did not have a sin nature. We must conclude that the “nature” is not
the body. Christ also had a mind, emotions, and a will, and they all were
set aside for the Father’s will to be done through. So we must also conclude
that the mind, emotions and will are not a sin nature, in Christ or in us.
Christ had a human nature, but this was not a sin nature. We also have a
human nature, and it is not a sin nature. The human nature has only been
used to express the sin which was in us because we were sinners. Our bodies
and souls controlled us when we were sinners, but if we are in Christ, we
are being controlled by the Spirit.
We pray that these truths will set you free from past theories and give you
new confidence in your Christian walk.
Loving regards, In Christ
A brother concerned for the deceived ones (who are in Christ but may be part
of the falling away)
2 Thes 2:1-9
Duncan I appreciate your commitment to the truth of what God has said to us in the Bible. You point to many wonderful truths that we find there. Our sinful nature has indeed been crucified with Christ and no longer has us held captive to only living to its influence. And the corresponding truth is that Christ now lives in those who have put their trust in His sacrifice and surrendered to His control in their lives. As Paul wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” (Galatians 2:20) Later in that same letter Paul sets out the promise that if we walk with our attention on the Holy Spirit, listening to His direction and surrendering to His control in our lives, we will not satisfy the desires of the sinful nature (Galatians 5:16) While that is a wonderful promise that we can actually live a pure life as we keep in step with the Spirit, it also implies that the desires of the sinful nature are still with us. This reflects the reality that we are now living in the “already but not yet”. So many aspects of the Christian life are explained by this understanding of the “already but not yet”. Jesus has defeated Satan and death already but it is not completed yet, not until the Final Judgement when Satan will be sentenced to Hell for all of eternity. His judgement has been mad already but it is not yet carried out. Another example of the “already but not yet” is our relationship with God: it is true that as followers of Jesus He lives in us and we know Him already but not yet as completely as we will know Him when we meet face to face. As Paul writes “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.” (1Corinthians 13:12) We can go on looking at examples of the “already but not yet”; the church is the Bride of Christ but we have yet to celebrate the Wedding Feast that will happen at the end of last days; followers of Jesus are already seated in the heavenly realms with Christ (Ephesians 2:6) but not yet are we there because God has still called us to live in this world. Another example is the struggle between the Spirit of God within us and the sinful nature that we were born with. Paul writes, “For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.” (Galatians 5:17) In another place Paul writes about that struggle that he himself goes through, “I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do– this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law;” (Romans 7:18-22) Now I know that there are some people who would say that this description of Paul’s life is from before he was a follower of Christ but that does not fit. First of all it is written in present tense and we know that Paul is writing this long after his conversion. Secondly, we know that the unregenerate man does not desire God’s law, but only those things that are opposed to God. It is only when the Holy Spirit convicts of sin that our desires change to want to follow God. So this struggle between his sinful nature and the Spirit of God within him is a post-conversion experience. This is another example for us of the “already but not yet”. Our sinful nature has been crucified with Christ and we stand before God clothed in the righteousness of God Himself (2Corinthians 5:21) but not fully yet because we still have this body of flesh and we live in a fallen world. That is why we can say “I have been saved” and “I am being saved” and “I will be saved”. I have been saved when I accepted the gift of forgiveness through the sacrifice of Jesus. But I can also say I am being saved because I am going through a process of sanctification (being purified by God to be used for His service) that will not be completed until I come face to face with my Lord. At the same time I can also say I will be saved because it is only when my body has been raised incorruptible that I will be glorified and set free once and for all from my sinful nature, “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed– in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” (1Corinthians 15:51-52)
We also have examples of New Testament saints who fell in sin. Paul tells of the time he had to rebuke Peter for being two faced, only eating with Gentiles when other Jews weren’t around. Paul himself had the argument with Barnabas over John Mark and his usefulness in ministry. Later we see that Paul repented of his critical spirit and found that John Mark was useful to his ministry (Acts 15:37-39; 2Timothy 4:11) Much of the letters in the New Testament include admonitions to followers of Jesus for the sin that they have in their lives.
Don’t get me wrong, no where will you find consolation for sin. Sin is wrong and followers of Jesus are always told to strive to live under the control of the Spirit so that they do not sin. Never do we read, “I know you sinned but don’t worry about it.” Instead we are told to confess our sins and repent. So I understand why you would also want to join that chorus and encourage followers of Jesus to walk in the Spirit to have victory over sin. But to say that our sinful nature no longer exists or no longer has influence on us is not accurate and not helpful. It is true that we are no longer controlled by our sinful nature but we are still prone to its influence. That will only be dealt with completely when we come face to face with God and in the blink of an eye we will be changed into our glorified, incorruptible self, to the glory of God.
Jeanne I know that Satan wants to weigh us down with guilt and shame for the things that we have done wrong but Jesus sets us free from all of those weights. He said, “Come to me all of you who are weary and weighed down and I will give you rest for your soul.” (Matthew 11:28) Jesus will take all of those concerns and fears and give you freedom from the weight of shame. It is not because He helps you ignore the wrong things that you have done but because He has already paid the penalty and received the punishment for those sins. He wants you to trust that His sacrifice was perfect and dealt with all of those sins already and you are forgiven completely! You are no longer guilty! Paul writes, “God made Him [Jesus] who had no sin at all to become sin on our behalf so that we become the righteousness of God” (2Corinthians 5:21) That means when Jesus died on the cross and rose from death to life He took all of our sin and paid the penalty for it. In exchange we receive His perfection! We are now perfectly righteous! “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. For the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you through Christ Jesus from the power of sin that leads to death.” (Romans 8:1-2) God does not condemn you anymore for those wrongs you have done. The one who condemns us is Satan and ourselves. So many people want to try and take control of their own lives and reject God’s offer of forgiveness through Jesus and His sacrifice for us. But if you believe that Jesus is the Son of God who lived perfect and yet died so that the penalty for your sins would be paid for and that He now lives to help all those who submit to His direction and control, and you trust your life into His hands, then you are forgiven and free from any condemnation.
Does that make sense to you? Have you accepted Jesus’ offer of forgiveness?
Jeanne is there someone at your church that you can talk to about these things? It is a terrible load to have to carry by yourself. You also can connect with one of our online mentors. If you fill out the Mentor Request Form at http://powertochange.com/discover/talk-to-a-mentor one of our mentors will contact you right away by email. You can also go to this site http://www.suicidepreventionhelp.com/directory/Crisis_Centers and find the number for a Crisis Center near you.
Hi Jeanne, I am praying for you and your family.
Lord God I pray for Jeanne as she goes through these dark days. I pray that Your light would shine into her life and rescue her from the thoughts of killing herself. I pray that You would help her to know how much You love her and that You have a perfect plan for her life. Give her strength and comfort right now Lord. Bring people into her life who will speak Your truth and love and help her to get a brighter perspective on life. In the power of Jesus name, amen.
to all my brothers and sisters in Christ please pray my family especially me because i have a big problem i want to kill myself because of these problem.I love my husband and my son i don’t want to loss them.
I’m Jeanne Lyn T. Estose a seventh day adventist,please help me God for all my problems please enlightened my mind.
I’m Jeanne Lyn T. Estose a seventh day adventist, gusto ko pong manghingi nang tungol sa inyo sana ipag dasal ninyo ako, may malaki po akong problema. Ipagdasal nyo rin po ang akong pamilya lalo na po ang akong asawa na sana mapatawad nya po ako sa aking nagawa tao lang po ako nakakamali din.I regret all the bad things that i do,i hate so much myself i came to a point that i want to kill myself but every time i see my son looking at me naawa ako sa kanya he is only 3 years old.Please help me God to enlightened my mind.
Praise to the Lord.I give Him thanks for the grace He is offering me and keeping me close to Him.As children of God,I have a prayer request to ask for all members of this site.May you put me in your prayer that God give me and my family a good health and He continues His work on us whatever what this world brings everyday,we will never break up with Him..thank you for your help.
Remember when we talk or teach on the forgiveness of Christ our God we must never fall into what mankind will always do – And that is – To explain our own understanding on something based on our experience and then go on to teach others of what they believe by thier own experience. Only if you have been born again and tasted of the forgiveness of Christ can the Holy Spirit in you begin to teach through you. This teaching will match up with the Word of God because it will be God through you teaching. All opinions are null and void if the above point is true. The deep revealing set freeing answer to all this is – quite simple and child like is – Are You dead? Is He alive in you? because if you have not been crucified with Christ then you will not know of His forgiveness.
We must let the Lord teach us and i see that there is the Spirit here leading. If you have a presupposed place internally decvieved within then the scriptures will have too many contradictions. If The Spirit teaches us and brings us out of deception then you will be led into all Truth. From God’s stand you must lean and all will harmonize. 2 Cor 5:17 for instance – Does it mean what it says- Are we new creations – Has it done away with the old (sin nature) because it does say we are brand new?
In 1 Cor Paul is leading a church that has allowed sin in to have it out so they will and can live in this brand new life without sin. A little leaven leavens the whole church. S the teaching is a correction to have the church be Holy as He is.
What does it mean to be free from sin? Does the Word of God really mean what it says? The Holy Spirit does not play games with us. The Lord does not give us a salvation which leaves us as sinners. If we have a sin nature, we are sinners. To consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God is to be a once for all experience which is ours by faith. The Scripture never tells us to keep dying to sin. If we are dead, we will not sin! Neither does the Scripture tell us to keep considering ourselves alive to God in Christ Jesus. We are to consider ourselves once for all alive to God in Christ Jesus. “…The just shall live by faith” (Rom. 1:17). Christ has become alive to us; now His word must become life. We must live by every word which proceeds from the mouth of God (Matt. 4:4). God is speaking to us in Christ.
I John 3:3-6 tells us, “The one who has his hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure…He appeared in order to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin. No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him.” John puts our life in direct relationship with Him, saying, “I know Him.” The Christian cannot continue to sin and say, “I know Him.”
A Christian is one who is alive in Christ and in fellowship with God. If this is a reality, then the believer is hearing and communicating with God, learning about God through a personal walking out of His will. He begins to be exercised by the Spirit so that he can begin to function as a spiritual person. His life is being lived in Christ, the Word of God.
Natural knowledge will never work when we come to understand what God has done for us through Christ Jesus. We need the mind of Christ if we are going to instruct others in life. Our words need to be life and spirit, and this can only be possible when the Holy Spirit is leading and working in us the life of Christ. The Holy Spirit is able to refine our whole man. Human it may be, but it is still not a sin nature. Our minds must be renewed, to become the mind of Christ. The Holy Spirit is the one who is working this in us. It is through His power that we bring every thought captive unto the obedience of Christ (II Cor. 10:5).
We could say that we have been “infected,” without saying that we have a sin nature still with us. That infection must be taken care of by the working of the Spirit, who gives us the power to put off and put on. Romans 8:13 says, “If by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” The Lord is coming for a church “without spot or wrinkle” (Eph. 5:27). The results and effects of sin are going to be removed. Where we are marred, the Holy Spirit is working to renew, and to remove every blemish. Too often, the effects of sin have been called the “sin nature,” when in reality they are simply the result of our past lives in sin.
We are continually being changed, transformed and renewed, but it takes only one act of God to deal with what made us sinners. When a person is saved, he is taken from one kingdom and put into another kingdom. New birth takes the sinner out of us and makes us children of God. In the minds of many, it seems that the grace and power of God working in our lives is not capable of making us new creatures. But the Lord is doing a perfect work in us as we walk in faith, pleasing to Him. The believer needs to know that he has entered into the rest of God, and he is free. Those whom the Son has set free are free indeed! (John 8:36)
Duncan there are many points that you make that I would definitely agree with. However I would have to disagree with your statement that ‘new birth does away with what made man a sinner, the nature to sin because he was spiritually dead.’ There are many places in scripture where it talks about the fact that our old nature is still very much alive.
I Corinthians 3:1-3 says that, “Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly — mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed you are still not ready. You are still worldy. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldy? Are you not acting like mere men?” The Corinthians clearly still sinned!
The verse in 1 John 3:9 refers to someone who habitually practices sin and it is good to be aware that if we continue to practice sin we may not be a Christian. However at the same time, we are told in Ephesians 5:18 that we are “Not be drunk with wine but be filled(that is controlled and empowered) by the Holy Spirit” We choose whether or not to let the old nature or the new nature control our lives. As someone once said, we choose whether to feed the black dog or the white dog within us. For a more thorough explanation of this check out http://powertochange.com/experience/spiritual-growth/spiritfilledlife/
Many in the religious world have made man something that he is not, because they do not understand how God made man. Much false teaching begins right here. Man realizes the requirements of God’s holiness, but his ignorance of how to obtain that expression of holiness has caused all the different opinions and theories. None of these theories can bring us to God’s end purpose in Christ. As long as man is battling something in himself—the “sin nature”—which is really not there, we can see that the end will be frustration with no victory.
What caused Adam to sin? Before he sinned, Adam was created in the likeness and image of God. The temptation which caused Adam to sin came from outside himself, not from within. God had told Adam that on the day he partook of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, he would die. Adam partook of the Tree and he did die—spiritually. There was no longer communion or fellowship with God; now he was a sinner bound by sin. He could not keep from sinning—he was now a wrong being.
God’s plan was for man to live in perfect relationship and fellowship with Himself. Adam was drawn out of his place of dependence on God; thus he sinned. Sin brought death. His fall was not because he was human, made from the earth, but because he chose to disobey the limit God had put on him. But Christ has made the way back, and we can now know victory in Him. “We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us” (Rom. 8:37).
Faith is the victory! The enemy diverts our attention to ourselves. But we shall know the truth, and the truth shall make us free (John 8:32). Paul tells us in Colossians 2:10, “You are complete in Him” and in Colossians 1:21-23a, “You who were estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, He has now reconciled in His body of flesh by His death, in order to present us holy and blameless and irreproachable before Him, provided that we continue in faith, stable and steadfast…”
In Colossians 2:6,7 Paul continues, “As therefore you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so live in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith…” The Lord has done a perfect work at Calvary, and will make that perfect work our experience if we will let Him.
God wants us to have knowledge. Lack of knowledge is one of the reasons His people perish. II Peter 1:3 says, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence, by which He has granted to us His precious and very great promises, that through these we may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of passion. and become partakers of the divine nature.” Man surely complicates God’s plan and purpose by his natural knowledge. Most of man’s “knowledge” has come out of trying to build a doctrine around his own experience. But Jesus said, “If you do My will, you will know My doctrine” (John 7:17).
When we walk according to our own understanding, we cannot be walking in faith, and without faith we cannot please Him. It is evident that natural knowledge destroys us by allowing us to try to do God’s will by our own power. “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit” (Gal. 5:25). Why did Jesus tell Nicodemus that he had to be born again (or anew)? The reason is found in the answer Jesus gave him: that man is dead and needs life. Man needs eternal life, which is to know God. Jesus said to Nicodemus, “What you need is new birth” (John 3). The trouble with man is sin. But new birth does away with what made man a sinner, the nature to sin because he was spiritually dead. When man is made alive through new birth, that which made him sin is no longer in him. I John 3:9 says, “No man who is born of God practices sin. because God’s nature abides in him. and he cannot sin because he is born of God.” John also tells us that “whoever has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself; just as He is pure.
One of the biggest mistakes that many people make is first of believing that asking Christ to forgive us of our sins allows us to sin. Yes Christ will forgive you of your sins however if you are someone who gets drunk a lot Christ will forgive you when you ask him. Also if you take drugs Christ will forgive you or if you have an affair Christ forgives you and if you watch porn Christ will forgive that.
On the other side their are people who believe that they will never sin because they have the Holy Spirit inside of them. The very thought of this is sinning as Christ said if a person says he never sins then he is sinning as he is arrogant. I agree that the Holy Spirit will give you the power to overcome drinking, drugs, affairs and sexual sin. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to sin less but until we die we will always sin. Those who think that they can keep on sinning and God sill forgive them are correct but deep inside they have feeling of guilt for the harm they are causing and are not free. When you allow God to remove your bad habits the Holy Spirit will give you true indescribable joy however I still sin the only difference is I ask Christ to forgive me as soon as it happens and the Holy Spirit renters my life and I remain free. This is the living the Holy Spirit filled life. Christ will ALWAYS forgive us of our sins but he wants us to be free from bondage.
God Bless,
Thank a lot, it was such a relief to know that Jesus is there for me in all my transgressions.
Praise the Lord.
Should we continue to sin that grace should abound – Never. This will harmonize with what Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery – Go and sin no more. Do you think He was telling the Truth and meant what He said? We are now enslaved to righteousness no longer entangled to our former bondage of sin. However if you are still in your sin then you are free from righteousness Rom 6:20 – Rom 7:9 – Rom 6:12
I think the confusion is shown here by many presuppositions. Let us not preach a doctrine of sinless perfection from mans standing point. Allow yourself to see the cross and what happened at calvary. All who believe by a living faith at the cross and the accomplishment will know they have been bought! My friend we will see that you no longer live, You no longer belong to your self, You no longer have rights – You are dead! SIN is You and He has dealt once and for all with you.
The Life we live is Christ – To live is Christ. You may have been hindered along the way so that you cannot see properly. Let us remain humble. If there are Christians who are living on this planet and walking out in a manner as He walked – without sin – Then is it possible for you to have never seen this demonstration of power? It is Christ not the Law but the law of the Spirit of Truth which is Christ Jesus. All that Christ did and what He said was the Father.
Jesus is God and He said father ” As we are one and I am one in You then let these be one in Me just as I am in You” – could He be meaning the possibility of us walking in the same manner as He. You see the issue here that we may be missing is your relationship of oneness – How is it today -Now, not yesterday or months ago? How is it now? God is speaking through Christ all the time – so let us have an ear to hear – because faith comes by hearing – hearing HIM
I John 1:7 does not teach the need of a continual cleansing from continual sin: “If we continue to sin, we do not know Him.” Verses 8 and 10 are not speaking to Christians, but to those who said they had no sin or had not sinned, and had no need of forgiveness. John tells them, in the 9th verse, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The scripture tells us that He will cleanse us from all unrighteousness, but many have been taught that this doesn’t mean what it says.
Many sincere brothers who have been used by God have had little understanding in the area of our personal holiness; thus they have gone off to justify their natural thinking and have come up with many theories which can never bring them to a place of faith. Faith must hear God. When man creates one false theory he usually ends up having to back it up with many other false theories. The truth sets us free to walk in the Spirit and do His will.
II Peter 1 :3 tells us, “His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness.” The following verses go on to reveal to us the outworking of our life in God as we “apply all diligence… “ This is not a struggle but a rest, a walk in relationship with Christ, as we allow Christ to work in us and through us. It is from our relationship with Him that all the manifestations of His divine nature are revealed in and through us.
Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ (that is the old Paul).” He went on to say, “…the life which I now live in the flesh (this is the new Paul) I live by faith in the Son of God…” Then he said, “I do not nullify the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died needlessly” (Gal. 2:21). We can see that most of the scriptures used to support the two nature theory would put the Christian right back under the law, if viewed in this way.
We need to seek God for understanding, that we might not nullify the grace of God, but be spiritual. We need to stop allowing ourselves to be taught by men with natural minds and natural understanding. This is not possible until we can recognize the word of God flowing through spiritual brethren. “The natural man receiveth not the things of God. He cannot even know God’s ways or His working…” (I Cor. 2:14 RSV).
The salvation that is being preached today allows for sin, but the gospel of the New Testament gives no place for the Christian to practice sin. Man does have a human body, but that is not a sin nature. If it were, we would have to say that Christ had a sin nature because He had a body like ours. But Christ did not have a sin nature. We must conclude that the “nature” is not the body. Christ also had a mind, emotions, and a will, and they all were set aside for the Father’s will to be done through. So we must also conclude that the mind, emotions and will are not a sin nature, in Christ or in us.
Christ had a human nature, but this was not a sin nature. We also have a human nature, and it is not a sin nature. The human nature has only been used to express the sin which was in us because we were sinners. Our bodies and souls controlled us when we were sinners, but if we are in Christ, we are being controlled by the Spirit.
If we say we are without sin then we lie and the truth is not in us. You mean to tell me that after you accept Christ you will never sin again because you will always be lead by the spirit of truth? That is a lie. The Holy Spirit does live within us but we still have free will, and no Christian that has ever lived has been perfect after salvation. Not one. I understand the cross. Christ paid the sin debt. He also forgave all sin(past, present and future). Only God knows the heart and if someone is struggling with bondages it does not mean they are not saved either. It’s when you make a habit of it saying in your heart I can continue this and still be accepted is what is dangerous and you could lose your soul. But if you always have faith trusting Christ and what He did at Calvary God will change your heart and mind as long as you’re willing to remain faithful and give your heart and life to Him. Many Christians today do not understand the cross that is true, but that does not mean they are not saved. The Holy Spirit always tries to bring the believer back to Christ even when they backslide. He is the same today, every day and forever. The believer can always turn to Him when they are struggling. You just cannot and should not put your faith in keeping the law, we are removed from the condemnation and penalty of the law because us as humans cannot keep the law on our will power and strength alone; and we put under grace. If we confess our sin He will forgive us. Always as long as we strive to become closer to Him.
Why do men believe that God has saved us from our sins, but cannot remove that which made us sinners? Continuing in sin brings forth death (James 1:15). This is spiritual death, not natural death. When Adam disobeyed God, it brought both spiritual and physical death, just as God had told him it would, but physical death did not come immediately when he sinned. So why do so many of God’s people today think sin brings physical death, but will not acknowledge that sin brings spiritual death?
One reason is that they have been taught to live with sin. The teachings of men take them around all the warnings of God’s Word, and make them feel safe with sin and in sin. You can see that the natural mind can make you believe anything. Spiritually blind men have told spiritually blind men that there are two natures—a sin nature and a new nature—and they have believed the story because it sounds good, but all the time they are being taught to live with sin. The blind are leading the blind, and both will fall into the ditch (Matt. 15:14).
God hates sin, and God’s children will have the same attitude. God’s design is not to leave us in sin, but to work in us to set us free from sin and from the power of sin. Many will not believe this; thus they remain in darkness. Our ignorance will not be excused. I am afraid this type of teaching will cause many to miss the mark, because they continue to live in sin as they have been taught to. Their consciences have been seared by sin, and their minds say, “Amen.”
Paul spoke and said I have been crucified with Christ – I no longer live – Its Christ that lives – To live is Christ. The bible does preach sinless perfection – You must look a little clearer and allow the Spirit to teach. Yes even you wrote of Christ being perfect. How much of Christ did Christ give you at the cross? Look at Romans 8 and you will fing we are no longer of the flesh but the Spirit. We are accountable to walk by the Spirit my brother not the flesh, but if you are in the flesh then you will continue to sin and If so then the bible teaches that you do not Know Him.
With the many varied theories pertaining to sanctification taught in religious circles today comes the widespread theory of two natures in the believer. This theory has been advanced to such a degree that it would seem it is impossible for the believer to live a life free from sin and according to the will of God. But those who hold to the “two nature theory” have no working knowledge of the power of the gospel, and no clear understanding of what God has accomplished at the cross.
Because believers fail to realize the reality of their relationship with God, there is a lack of personal responsibility to God. This leads to spiritual instability. In most circles, men deal with the effects of sin, rather than the real problem. When we deal only with the effects, we keep having more effects and they get worse and worse. Only when the problem is done away with, will the effects be done away with. The “two nature theory” says that the believer has both a sin nature and a new nature. From this theory come many other false theories on how to deal with that “old nature” or “sin nature” which is said to exist within each person. Have you been crucified with Christ? Are you Dead? Has Christ delivered you from living here on Earth? God is loving and merciful and He also is Holy Whom spoke and said “Be Holy as I am Holy! There will not be 1 single sinner in Heaven!
The Bible does’t teach sinless perfection. The flesh is corrupt and even though you receive the Holy Spirit, you will continue to fall from the glory of God. Christ is sinless and was made to be sin for us to receive the gift of eternal life. After you accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, every believer has sinned after being saved. If we confess our sin He is faithful to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. No one ever saved has ever not sinned after salvation. If that were the case no one would be saved. It’s called sanctification.
Justification by faith in what Christ did alone. Your works cannot save you. Only your faith can, and your faith makes you daily wanna be like Christ. It’s a life long process. If you sin after you accept Christ you do not lode your salvation. God will never leave you nor forsake you. He will always draw people back to Him or at least continue to try no matter how much you fail. Because you will fail daily. His Word declares it. Seek to walk in Christ daily, & He in us. Deny yourself daily and pickup the cross. His perfection, not your own. You only lose your salvation when you reject the faith or put your faith in law. Then you are fallen from grace. But He will allow you to return to Him. He is love, merciful, kind, and Holy. He desires no one to perish. He is always there for us regardless what we do. We’re still His in Christ.
One of the largest deceptions known in Christianity today is that we will always make mistakes because we will always be sinners saved. If you were a sinner – How much sin did Christ Forgive ! And If He abides in you and you walk by the Spirit can you sin. Yes if you are a Christian then we were saved from our sin and all sin may I say and on top of all this when Christ comes in _ He gives you the ability to never sin again! I can hear the anger as some read this! What I am saying is Truth and If you walk by His Spirit you will not SIN – If you try to explain by your experiences then you will try to explain scripture to allow your sin to continue, however If you harmonise scripture you will find the Spirit will lead you into all Truth. Let us align our lives with Truth by His Spirit then you will see by faith what the Bible teaches. Paul wrote to the Saints not the sinners.
The Lord is worthy to be worshipped and praised. Amen
“But from the moment we believe in Christ and make him a part of our lives, his forgiveness is ours. ” When an unbeliever read this statement they will automatically think that without repenting they will be forgiven anyways. This was actually asked recently to an unbeliever and his respond was “As long as I turn my faith to him, I am forgiven”… is there any other way we can clarify this for others?
praise Jesus for there is no sin in Him and If He lives in us then we will not sin.
If we abide in Him then we cannot sin but he who sins does not know God and the love of God does not abide in him. Allow Christ full control and you will see Him walk. Yes He will deliver you from living here on earth and His life will live here!! Praise Jesus Christ our Lord.
thank you for the answers
God forgives all sin through His son Jesus Christ. Even after you are saved you will either sin willfully, or accidently. It’s a struggle we will have until the day we die or the day Christ returns. It has a grip on our fleshly lives. The only thing that God would not forgive is basically having a heart that says I can continue to sin, never repent and not pay for it. That is what’s meant in Hebrews chapter 10 verse 26-31. If you continue forever without the conviction in your conscious or heart, then the sacrifice is in non affect. But if you continue to confess and trust in Him to wash away your sin with a willful heart even if you make a decision to sin when you’re weak, if you return to Him he will forgive you. You just got to know who you will seek. The ways of the devil, or the ways of the Lord. I continue to struggle with sin, and I’m sure every other Christian that believes in Christ still sins without thinking about what they are doing. God is still God, He is love, he is righteous, He is merciful, etc. to those whom believe and trust in Him through His son Jesus Christ. It is Grace by Faith alone, because no man can keep the law, not one; Christ came to fullfil the law which we could not keep. So study God’s Word and place it in your heart. Live with it, you will fall short, but Jesus Christ’s blood cleanses you in the present always as a believer in Him in your heart. Trust that, not what other men say, or the devil’s lies, read the Word of God. Those are his promises to believers. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Turn to Him.
Our God is a wonderful God.Thanx father for taking all my sins,wash me now in the blood of the lamb so i will be whither than snow and clean from my transgressions.
God you are wonderful i will praise you till the grave, i love you Daddy so much and thank you for fixing me renewing me and purging me . LOVE YOU Dad
Yes, and we praise Him indeed “for letting us encounter His greatness.” It is in our weakness that He can use us mightily; for after forgiveness comes the reward of serving our King, of “being on His team”.
The question might arise “How come God’s forgiveness is limitless?” The answer comes from the big picture of God’s plan for mankind. In Romans 5:12-14 we read: 12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned— 13 for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come. NIV.
God created only one man, Adam, and from him came all of mankind. Then one man, Jesus, could die for one man Adam and all his descendants! (We might say that Jesus could die a thousand times for a thousand fallen angels, as they were individually created; but that was not in God’s plan.) It was God’s plan, however, from the beginning that all mankind could be redeemed by Jesus’ death. Also, as Jesus rose and ascended into heaven, so we will ascend into heaven to be with the Lord. This gift of eternal life is for everyone, yet only those who want to accept this great gift are able to receive it.
Thanks a lot for your sharing. I am surprised to actually see someone out there also thinking about this question..just how much will God forgive? especially for my repeated weakness. Reading this brings comfort and confirmation that God’s forgiveness is not the same as our sense and understanding of forgiving someone because they apologize or what not. God’s definition and impact of forgiving is immeasurable and uncontainable by words alone.
When we’re so not worth it in our own eyes, God finds us the most precious and still continues to dwell in us and empower us to do much more than what we can do alone by way of the Holy Spirit.
Praise God for letting us encounter His greatness. (:
Servant’s Heart,
I can understand where you are coming from. Every Christian struggles with feelings of inadequacy in light of our Father’s perfection. However, take a look at these verses again:
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1John 1:9) “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12)
God has already forgiven you! You just have to confess them to Him. But once he forgives you, you need to move on – He has already forgiven, forgotten and moved on. You need to do the same. He loves you so much that for you to be so focused on your sin, it is hard for you to focus on His love and grace. I encourage you to focus on the fact that you are forgiven and loved and not on how you aren’t perfect. If you would like to talk to someone about this further or just receive prayer, you can contact one of our mentors for free.
The more I want to avoid sinning, the more I felt worthless.. Felt so weak and vulnerable.. I really want to please and love HIM but dont hv the strength to do so.. If God really counts our wrongdoing, then I am the most.. :(
Is Christian really about perfection..? How did the others do it?
This is a good question because I am sure I am not the only one to struggle with it…how much does God forgives me? When we have guilt we don’t think rationally so we ask ourselves…Have I reach my limit?
This is good. It’s awesome how much God forgives.
at faith…. if we have lied then we should tell the person we lied to that we lied
What a great god we have.. Lord Jesus thank you soo much for taking my sins and my punishment… There is No one else like you…
before you get all confident that god forgives all sin take a look at hebrews chapter 10 verse 26-31 which states when we willfully sin and this is not an occasional act of sinning but to a counsious rejection of god. osin deliberately after recieving the knowledge of the truth is apostasy. a christian rejects gods provision for his or her salvation there is no other remedy for sins since forgivness can only be found in christ perfect sacrifice. we purposefully trample on the sared blood of christ.
Awesome!!! :D i really need the forgiveness for lying not too long ago with a friend/sister on my cell phone! so i prayed to God to forgive me for lying. i really dont want to end up doing it again
As it does say in the bible and is one of my favorite’s!…”No longer a manteach his nahibor, or a man his brother,saying, know the lord!; because they will all know Me. from the least of them to the greatest.” declares thr Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness.and remember their sins no more!-Jeremiah 31:34, I love this and I always remember it. Beacuase I make alot of mistakes, as we all do but I know that the big man up stairs always forgives :) praise be to God!
God is awesome! May we always be faithful!
God sure does rock!