What Sins Are Christians Capable Of?

Peter had not yet received Holy Spirit.

peace to youraise:

 

J.Jump: You do not appear to understand what it is we are discussing. Maybe you should read the whole thread before you post.

peace to youraise:

 

He was a believer, nonetheless.

 

Paul wrote in Romans 7:

And John wrote:

Looking at these two verses, I do not believe that the true child of God will willfully commit sin.

Will we sin? Yes. As long as we are in the flesh, we will sin. John affirms this when he wrote:

As I said, because of the weakness of the flesh, we will sin from time to time... but I do not believe the true child will willfully or intentionally sin.

 

Not in his heart he didn't. He lied three times to save his skin from harm, but that is not the same sin as disowning Him in the heart.

Secondly, the word 'deny' that is used for Peter's denial is not the same word as Jesus used when He said "whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father". They're very close, for sure, but I think the word in Peter's case is more akin to the English word 'disown', where in the above instance Jesus' use of 'deny' is more akin to our English word 'reject'. Maybe Dr.Bob or tcassidy or somebody can expand on this further.

In any case, while the Pharisees accusation of Jesus using the spirit of Satan to do miracles is indeed blaspheme of the Holy Spirit, the rejection of the Holy Spirit, whether through denial or flat out rejection is also blaspheme of the Holy Spirit, and many, if not all, lost souls commit this sin.

Since God the Holy Spirit resides in regenerate Christians they cannot, in their right mind, deny or reject the person of God the Holy Spirit, knowing who He is. Nor can they honestly attribute a clear work of the Holy Spirit to a demonic spirit.

:Fish:

 

No, I am not denying Christ when I sin. I may not be acting the way I should, but I vigorously disagree that I deny the true Christ as does an atheist, heretic, Buddhist, New Ager, apostate, Mormon, etc.

I used to deny the true Christ consistently before I was saved because I rejected the need for a Savior and did not believe he was the Savior as far as man's sins go. I had a New Age Jesus. Yes, at that time, I was denying Christ. Not now. No way.

 

I immediately thought of one verse in the Bible that defines what sin is.

I had never really thought about it until DHK mentioned it earlier, but I assume this would mean transgression of any law; civil law, as well as God's moral law (the 10 commandments).

Is there Scripture that defines sin as "a willful act of disobedience against God"?

 

Depends on what you mean by a believer. At this point, Peter was not indwelt by the HS and had no power from the HS. He was unregenerate.

We can see in the gospels how consistently the disciples were weak, did not understand most of what Jesus said, and were basically clueless most of the time. They didn't get it until after the HS came upon them. What a difference that made!

 

Marcia is right. Indwelling Holy Spirit marks the difference between someone making a profession of faith, yet unregenerate, and someone who is actually born again.

peace to youraise:

 

So you're saying that Christ's followers including the deciples were not saved even after His Resurrection but before Pentacost?
I don't agree with that perspective.

 

Yes, and he was not indwelt by the HS at the time! There have been a few previous posts on this thread on this very topic -- you must not have read them.

 

John 20:22 states that Jesus met with the disciples on the day of His resurrection and breathed on them, saying "Receive the Holy Spirit".

They didn't have to wait for pentecost for salvation.

peace to youraise:

 

Are you saying that the disciples were not saved until after the death of Jesus?

 

there's apparently two topics here at once.

take the peter discussion (since it has nothing to do with this thread considering how far it has gone) and start a brand new thread about it.

im getting confused about who's talking about what when where how and why.

 

I am saying they were saved when they received Holy Spirit, just like everyone else.

peace to youraise:

 

Many believe this in John was a temporary giving of the HS. It seems that the giving of the HS at Pentecost was the real indwelling and empowerment of the disciples by the HS. Otherwise, the descent of the HS on the disciples at Pentecost would not have meant what the Bible says it did.

 

I do not believe that the disciples received the Holy Ghost at the time that Jesus said 'Receive ye the Holy Ghost'.

Christ was admonishing and encouraging them that the Holy Spirit would be there soon. In John 16 Christ told them He would not leave them comfortless but would come again to them. Which He did that day in the room they were assembled in, Thomas not present. But He also said in the same chapter that He would not leave them comfortless, but would 'pray the Father that He send another Comforter (the Holy Ghost). The Holy Ghost did not come upon the disciples until Christ had ascended to His Father.


If I said to my wife, 'Receive my mother and sister'. My wife would wait for them to show up.

 

Sin is a transgression of the law. One deliberately disobeys or transgresses the law. Nobody forces him to do so. And when that happens he does not lose his salvation. "He that keepeth the whole law and yet offends in one point is guilty of all." Have you lied? Even one time in your Christian life? Then you are just as guilty as the murderer or the adulterer. You are just as guilty as having broken every one of the Ten Commandments. You choose to lie. You choose to sin. Does that mean you are not a Christian? I hope not. If that were the case, every one posting on this board would be unbelievers.

1 John 3:9 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.
The phrase "doth not commit sin" is in the continuous present tense meaning "does not continue to commit sin. In other words does not continue in a life of sin. A man may commit the sin of adultery for example. If he repents of it does not God forgive him? God forgave David. God forgave the individual in 1Cor.5:1-3 if you study out the epistle of 2Corinthians. However if the said man had continued in a life of adultery would he be saved? Whosover is born of God does not continue in a life of sin. This is the meaning of the verse. He cannot continue in a life of sin.
By your interpretation, this verse would contraditon 1John 2:1

1 John 2:1 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:
--John includes himself: "WE" have an advocate with the Father," he says. "If any man sin." The fact is that we will. John knows that we will. Provision is made for that. The provision that was made for the sns in our Christian life is that we can go to Christ and confess it to Him, our advocate, for He is the propitiation for our sins.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
--The Christian sins. Provision is made for the Christian who sins. He can go and confess his sins. Christ is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. John includes himself. He was a sinner also. Sins are deliberate choices of man's free will. We are not Muslims. Christianity exercises a free will. Islam has no free will. It is a fatalistic religion. As Allah will it will be so. Why do Calvinists liken Christianity to Islam?
DHK

 

Without a cause

Jesus got angry, and it wasn't sin.

However, it's talking about being angry with a brother. A brother is one who is obedient. So, even if "without a cause" is not legitimate, as some manuscripts suggest, this verse is still limited in the scope of the anger.

 

Read what JJump posted:

Actually each time you sin you are denying Christ as Lord.

What position do you put him in in your life?