August 19, 2018 CAN WE LIVE AND NOT SIN ?
1 John 2:1 “My little children, I am writhing these things to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”
If you want to be encouraged as a believer and be reminded of your new identity in Christ, 1 John is the place to start. If we have not come to know our true identity as a child of God, we live with the lie that tells us that our sin nature is still active and strong and we find ourselves trying to overcome the old sin nature. The truth is that we were sinners, but we were saved and joined to God; we are no longer who we use to be. Hebrews 3:14 tells us that at the point of salvation we become partakers of the Divine nature. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 also tells us that the new self we are in Christ has been created in true righteousness and holiness. There are many scriptures throughout the word of God that describe the new creation that He has made us; this new nature includes a new mind, a new spirit, and a new heart. The truth is, once we come to know God, we no longer want to sin-sin is contrary to our new nature. This view or belief that we still have to live with the old sin nature as being ‘alive and well’ is a result of a sub-standard gospel being preached for many years (approximately 100 years) in the western world. Part of this sub-standard gospel we have heard emphasizes that ‘we are sinners’, and has neglected the clear teaching of the New Testament that at salvation, we are made new creations-not just refurbished. (Peter Parris has some great material on this subject.) Do we live with a consciousness of our new nature, or the old nature, or with a mixture of the new and the old? As this verse, and other verses tell us, it is certainly possible for a believer to sin, but when we sin, it is by our choice that we sin. Note that the verse above says that IF anyone sins. The over-riding message of the gospel is that we have been delivered from the power of sin! It sounds rather simple, but the way not to sin, is to walk by the Spirit-AND we can walk by the Spirit. “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16. Our part is to yield to our new nature and to reckon the old man as dead. “Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Galatians 5:24. Romans 7 is not Paul’s testimony, but a description of his life before he came to know his identity in Christ; his testimony is Romans 8:2 where he says: “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.” Yes, we can sin if we choose to do so, and if we sin and confess our sin, we have forgiveness in Jesus. BUT let us know that we can live and not sin!
Romans 6:6-7: “knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.”
Blessings,
Buddy
1 John 2:1 “My little children, I am writhing these things to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”
If you want to be encouraged as a believer and be reminded of your new identity in Christ, 1 John is the place to start. If we have not come to know our true identity as a child of God, we live with the lie that tells us that our sin nature is still active and strong and we find ourselves trying to overcome the old sin nature. The truth is that we were sinners, but we were saved and joined to God; we are no longer who we use to be. Hebrews 3:14 tells us that at the point of salvation we become partakers of the Divine nature. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 also tells us that the new self we are in Christ has been created in true righteousness and holiness. There are many scriptures throughout the word of God that describe the new creation that He has made us; this new nature includes a new mind, a new spirit, and a new heart. The truth is, once we come to know God, we no longer want to sin-sin is contrary to our new nature. This view or belief that we still have to live with the old sin nature as being ‘alive and well’ is a result of a sub-standard gospel being preached for many years (approximately 100 years) in the western world. Part of this sub-standard gospel we have heard emphasizes that ‘we are sinners’, and has neglected the clear teaching of the New Testament that at salvation, we are made new creations-not just refurbished. (Peter Parris has some great material on this subject.) Do we live with a consciousness of our new nature, or the old nature, or with a mixture of the new and the old? As this verse, and other verses tell us, it is certainly possible for a believer to sin, but when we sin, it is by our choice that we sin. Note that the verse above says that IF anyone sins. The over-riding message of the gospel is that we have been delivered from the power of sin! It sounds rather simple, but the way not to sin, is to walk by the Spirit-AND we can walk by the Spirit. “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16. Our part is to yield to our new nature and to reckon the old man as dead. “Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Galatians 5:24. Romans 7 is not Paul’s testimony, but a description of his life before he came to know his identity in Christ; his testimony is Romans 8:2 where he says: “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.” Yes, we can sin if we choose to do so, and if we sin and confess our sin, we have forgiveness in Jesus. BUT let us know that we can live and not sin!
Romans 6:6-7: “knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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