sin after salvation

Everone who is saved is still a sinner, without exception. I sin often, unfortunately, and I've been saved for 20 years. But I don't make escuses for them when they happen, and must take responsibility for them.

No, it's not right. Let me give you an analogy:

A man robs a grocery story and steals $1000. He feels bad about it, and askes God for forgiveness. Is he then permitted to keep the money?

No. If he's truly repentant, he will return the money to the storeowner. He must ask forgiveness from the storeowner, and must be prapared for:

1 - the store owner not forgiving him,
2 - the storeowner filing charges, and
3 - possible criminal prosecution, which may include jail time.

Otherwise, the robber is getting away with it. God does not permit us to get away with our sins. He will forgive us, but we still have a responsibility as Christians to right the wrongs we create.

I hate to say it, but if your friend isn't working to refrain from things like lying, cheating, etc, and, if she thinks that forgiveness is just asking God for it regardless if whether one demonstrates remorse, then she's not truly repenting of her sin.

 

Princess, just lovingly share with her I John 3:1-9, particularly vss 7-9. These verses do not teach sinless perfection, but they do reveal the true character of a believer.

Vs 9 says, "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin" (literally, practice sin as a way of life). Encourage her to take this passage to heart and claim her victory in Christ (Rom 6:9-11) or get saved.

 

==It does not seem weird to me. Sadly this is the state of the modern evangelical church. Anybody and everybody who claims to have "accepted Christ" is automatically declared saved no matter how bad their daily behavior. The Bible however paints a totally different picture.

Your friend needs to read 1John (w/out a Zane Hodges commentary!). For now let me focus in on the first part of chapter 2 because this chapter (and chapter 3) really get to the heart of this issue.

John starts out by saying:
"My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world"
1John 2:1-2 (NASB)

John realizes that Christians may indeed sin and he lets us know that God has provided a way of forgiveness for the Christian who sins. However this verse is no excuse for a light hearted view of sin in the life of the believer. For John has just stated that, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1Jn 1:9). To "confess" literally means "to agree with" or "to say the same thing". As believers when we sin we must agree with God that what we have done is sinful and that we should not commit that sin anymore. Notice what other verses of Scripture say about sin and confession:

"He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion" Pr 28:13

"I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide; I said, I will confess my transgression to the Lord; and You forgave the guilt of my sin" Ps 32:5

Notice that in none of these verses is there the slightest hint of the light hearted attitude of your friend. True confession involves repetance from sin and sorrow over sin. To confess a sin means to agree with God that it is wrong, and if we agree with God that it is wrong we will not have a light hearted attitude about the sin.

John says:
"By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, I have come to know Him, and does not keep His commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him; the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked" 1Jn 2:3-6

Your friend does not walk like Jesus walked. Jesus did not lie, Jesus did not cheat, and true believers in Him will not walk in those sins (1Jn 3:9-10). Consider that John stated that all liars have their place in the lake of fire (Rev 21:8) and that liars will not enter God's Kingdom (Rev 21:27). Only those who have their names in the Lamb's Book of Life will enter. Those who practice lying and abomination don't have their name in that precious book. Why not? Because they have not been born of God (1Jn 3:9-10). Look at what John said, "The one who says, I have come to know Him, and does not keep His commandments is a liar". How can your friend be in a personal relationship with the Lord of the Universe and not obey Him? How can she have Jesus as her Lord if she treats disobediance to His commands as a light hearted thing? I just ask the questions I think the Scriptures answer it well.

Personally I would pray for your friend. I would take her through the Word of God. She needs to come to Jesus Christ as Lord and be delievered from the power and eternal results of sin. She can by coming to Jesus Christ as Lord, through His death, burial, and resurrection.

In Christ,
Martin.

 

Well said.

 

This is what Scripture calls willful sin, and there are dire consequences. This is one problem in the modern church. They correctly teach that salvation is secure no matter what, but they fail to teach the consequences for our actions.

This is teaching a license to sin, and anyone who teaches that has much to answer for.

 

Looks like she is not hearing the whole counsel of God, if you ask me. Maybe you should encourage her to attend your church ?