What Sins Are Christians Capable Of?

[canadyjd]

Peter did. Three times.

Peter had not yet received Holy Spirit.

peace to youraise:

 

[canadyjd]

The overall context of I John is not eternal salvation. That's where a great many make their mistake.

Actually each time you sin you are denying Christ as Lord. Every sin says I am lord of my life. Christians can deny Christ and in fact there are a great many that do.

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:

 

[Gershom]

Peter had not yet received Holy Spirit.

peace to youraise:

He was a believer, nonetheless.

 

[standingfirminChrist]

Paul wrote in Romans 7:

For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

And John wrote:

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.

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:

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:

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.

 

[IveyLeaguer]

Peter did. Three times.

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:

 

[Marcia]

Actually each time you sin you are denying Christ as Lord. Every sin says I am lord of my life. Christians can deny Christ and in fact there are a great many that do.

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.

 

[Brian30755]

It has been stated before on this board that genuine Christians will not willfully sin against God. If a person willfully sins against God that proves they were never truly saved. That the Bible teaches that sin is a willful act of disobedience against God, it is clear that when we as Christians sin we do so because we choose to. The poll and the discussion for this thread is what sins are truly born again Christians capable of?

Bro Tony

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

1 John 3:4
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

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"?

 

[Marcia]

He was a believer, nonetheless.

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!

 

[canadyjd]

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:

 

[StraightAndNarrow]

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.

 

[Marcia]

Peter denied Christ 3 times.

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.

 

[canadyjd]

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.

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:

 

[J. Jump]

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

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

 

[gekko]

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.

 

[canadyjd]

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

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

peace to youraise:

 

[Marcia]

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:

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.

Lk 24.49
"And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."

Acts 1.8
but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."

Act 4.33
And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all.

 

[standingfirminChrist]

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.

 

[DHK]

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.

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

 

[Hope of Glory]

The question is: Do you agree with what the Bible says:

Matthew 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

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.

 

[Hope of Glory]

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.

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?