That Christians can and do sin is not the issue.
The epistles to the Corinthinans should forever settle that, they were doing horrendous things yet Paul says of them
1 Corinthians 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
I don't care how many books by how many men are written, Paul the apostle calls them carnal and not all the human apologetics in the world can take that away.
To deny this state of carnality that Christians can enter into (call it something else if you wish) can engender a form of legalism which will eventually cause one to claim sinless perfection or give up in despair and depart from the Lord (although He will NEVER depart from you if you are His sheep but will seek you out, chastise you and bring you back).
Each of us who claim to speak for the Lord (and everyone on this board including myself has done so by voicing there view of the scriptures in question).
What do you think this means?
James 3:1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
One day we will answer for our "mastery".
The issue is the meaning of "committeth sin".
I used this illustration: If you are stopped by a state trooper and can't produce a driver's license you will be told "you cannot drive in the State of Washington without a valid driver's license".
It doesn't mean that you are unable to drive without a license but that it is unlawful and you will suffer the consequence of doing so.
Paul also uses this line of reasoning with the Corinthians:
1 Corinthians 10
21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.
22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?
23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
Obviously, this is exactly what they were doing, going back to their Pagan demon idolatry and then coming to the Lord's table some of them drunk from their debauchery.
Is it no wonder that he then says:
1 Corinthians 11:30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
Also, the Christians at Thiatyra
Revelation 2
20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach
and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and
to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
He gives them space to repent before he threatens them with "sleep".
Revelation 2
21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.
22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.
Even the Lord says He seeks His wandering sheep but many of you seem content to cast them into the lake of fire.
Now obviously there are pretenders, the tares, and they indeed will end up in the furnace of fire. And this is perhaps satan's strategy of this infiltrartion of his seed , to cause the church leadership to "root up the wheat" along with the tares.
My conclusion is this:
There can only be (IMO) 2 interpretations of "cannot commit sin".
The Christian cannot knowingly and continously be in a state of sin which carries the death penalty (e.g. having an adulterous affair) without being in danger of "the sin unto death". Physical death.
We are led of the Spirit, if we wander off into the jurisdiction of the law, we will suffer the consequence.
The other possibility is that this is speaking of a particular sin because it literally says "cannot commit THE sin". "Commit" is a present particle and could be an indication of a state of being and more that just a particular sin of the flesh. but a sin resulting in spiritual death as well.
And what is the one sin that indicates spritual death?
A continous and abiding state of unbelief in Jesus Christ.
A regenerate person is incapable of this sin because His seed (the Spirit of God) remains (abides, stays) in him.
There are so many other scripture that deals with the sins of the children of God that we must pay attention to them and take heed.
Particularly against each other.
1 Corinthians 8:12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.
LS theology needs to make room for the fact that Jesus "Lordship" is often a realization over time that is accompanied by JOY and not by the harshness of rules, and unreasonable demands made to those who are yet weak.
2 Timothy 2
24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
God's results need God's methods.
HankD