We should stop sinning

[TitusTwoWife]

The following is a quote from the doctrinal statement of Christianmyths.org written by Don Britton.

Concerning Sin and Salvation

For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth (knowing Christ), there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins (there once was for him), but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified (he was cleansed by the blood), and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY." And again, "THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE." (Hebrews 10:26 – 30)

He is obviously not talking about a lost person, but someone who was once saved, who once had received the sacrifice for sins, who once was sanctified by the blood of Jesus and who once belonged to God. He said that He would judge His people; therefore, He was not referring to some lost person in this statement. This talking about someone who was saved and then started or continued to sin willfully, thinking he was safe because of the false doctrine of eternal security. The way anyone tramples underfoot the Son of God, regards as unclean His blood and insults the spirit of grace, is to willfully continue in sin after being saved. This person will be destroyed in the same fire as all the other enemies of God, unless he repents before it is too late. God will judge His people!

Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother. (1 John 3:7 – 10)

Again, make sure that no one deceives you. He would not have written this if there wasn't a danger that you could be deceived. Today the modern belief is that everyone is a sinner (one who practices sin), including every "Christian", even the born again "Christian." It is commonly believed that it is normal for a believer to practice sin. I have even heard pastors support this position by saying, "I am just a poor sinner saved by grace. I sin every day." They contradict the scriptures when they say that, because the scriptures say that the one who is born again does not practice sin, much less sin every day. In fact, the scriptures say that no one who is born of God practices sin and the clear difference between the child of God and the child of the devil is that the child of God does not practice sin and the child of the devil does practice sin. Since this is true, the church and the paid pastors that support the idea that it is normal for Christians to sin, especially all the time, are the children of the devil, because they practice sin and excuse the practice of sin by others in the church.

Just for clarity, to practice is to do something repeatedly. If you used to get drunk every day and now you only get drunk once per week, or even just once per year, you are still practicing drunkenness. It doesn't matter how often or how few times you do it repeatedly, it is still your practice if you still do it even occasionally. If you repent, you stop doing it at all. I used to practice committing adultery on occasions before being born again. If I now committed adultery just one time per year, each year, I would still be practicing adultery and would still be under the wrath and judgment of God. Some people compare how much less they practice a certain sin with how much more they used to and somehow justify themselves because they think that they are doing "better" than before. Repentance is not about doing better or sinning less often. Repentance is turning away from the sin completely.

Also, I must say that there is a difference between willful sin and unintentional sin. Willful sin is when you go ahead to do something that you know is wrong and you choose to do it anyway. This includes sins like adultery, pornography, stealing, lying, unforgiveness, cheating, pretending and any intentional wrong done to another. Unintentional sin is when you stumble and do something you didn't mean to do, like get angry, say something you shouldn't have without thinking first, doing something in an unplanned selfish way, having a lustful moment, having a prideful moment, bragging too much, reacting to criticism, returning insult for insult, entertaining a sinful thought, etc. All of which are usually emotional reactions to something but were not planned or intentional but are still considered to be sin. The true believer can sin in this way and does have forgiveness without losing his soul. But if he is a true Christian, he will repent quickly, confess his sins and make it right with all parties involved.

For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. (Jas. 3:2)

There is a big difference between stumbling that results in tripping and falling into a mud puddle vs taking an intentional dive into the mud. It is always about the motive of the heart. God looks at the heart, while man looks on the outside. Be very careful about your motives and the reasons why you do things. You can fool man but not God.

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. 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 (which is without sin). (1 Jn. 2:1 – 6)

So, you see here that it is possible for a Christian to stumble and sin. But notice that he wrote "IF" you sin, not as you "continue" to sin. For a Christian, sin should be the rare exception for him, not a normal thing to be expected. As he grows in the grace and knowledge of the Lord, he should leave behind the emotional reactions and fleshly responses to situations that in the past caused him to stumble. John said that he wrote these things "that you may not sin" meaning that you should come to a place where you didn't continue to sin anymore, certainly not intentionally. I must add this in as well. A true Christian can also sin intentionally. It does sometimes happen. But God has a remedy for that as well. He will discipline His child who commits sin. Then God will give him time to repent. (see Hebrews 12) But if he refuses the correction and does not repent in due time, the Lord will eventually cut him off like a branch without fruit (see John 15) and cast him into the eternal fire. The Lord is patient and long-suffering. No one can ever blame the Lord. Also, the Lord is not some angry God just waiting for us to sin, so He can condemn us. He does not desire the death of anyone ( see Ezekiel 33), but that everyone would repent and turn to Him for mercy. But just because He is patient and long-suffering, we should not test the Lord and play around with sin because the wages of sin are still death, for anyone who will continue in wrongdoing.

 

[David]

“We should stop sinning.” This statement is biblical. The Bible says this plainly and frequently. John writes to believers, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.” ~1 John 2:1. This is the standard he commands us to uphold. Paul is even more direct: “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid.” ~Romans 6:1-2. The gospel does not merely give us forgiveness; it gives us deliverance from sin’s power so that we can live for God. Jesus died to destroy the devil’s works, and the children of God are called to walk just as He walked. ~1 John 3:8; 2:6.

The statement by Don Britton gets some things accurate and some things inaccurate when held to Scripture strictly. He is right that no genuine believer continues to practice sin as their way of life. The one born of God “doth not commit sin” continually because he does not keep on practicing it, since God’s seed abides in him. ~1 John 3:9. There is a difference between the children of God and the children of the devil: One walks in righteousness, the other walks in sin. ~1 John 3:10. Pastors who laugh off that promise and say, “Look man, I sin every day. I’m just a sinner saved by grace” are teaching people to walk after the flesh when they have been born of the Spirit, and that is antithetical to the new birth. To repent means to turn from sin, not learn to live with it or sin less frequently.

However, this quote also reads into Scripture in a couple places. First, Hebrews 10: 26-30 is not addressing the saved person who slips up and keeps on sinning, falling away from grace and losing their salvation in the process. The context is a stern warning against wilful apostasy, knowingly turning away from Christ after having the truth, trampling the Son of God underfoot, and abusing the sacrifice that Jesus paid for us by considering His blood unholy. It applies to those who had almost believed but then rejected Jesus entirely and returned to the old way of religious ceremonies or plain disbelief. The passage does not say that every intentional sin you commit after salvation voids your sacrifice. It condemns the willful rejection of Christ after having accepted Him. Yes, believers are cautioned against drifting from the faith or hardening their hearts, but nowhere does that passage teach that if you stumble and sin you are destined to be envious scoffers cast into the fire with no chance of escape.

1 John never teaches that Christians will be sinless and perfect here on earth. Right after instructing us not to sin, John immediately follows with, “And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” ~1 John 2:1. John says “if” a believer sins, not “when you inevitably continue on sinning.” James agrees with John that believers will stumble. ~James 3: 2 While in this sinful body, we still sin sometimes through our words, our anger, selfish reactions, or impure thoughts. Yet the lifestyle of a true believer is not characterized by ongoing, willful sin. When we stumble, we confess our sins to God, repent of them quickly, and continue walking forward. While the quote is right to distinguish between “unintentional” sin and willful rebellion, Scripture does not excuse every sin because you feel you did not mean to do it. All sin deserves God’s discipline. ~Hebrews 12: 5-11 However, our God is faithful when we are not. The blood of Jesus continues to cleanse us from our sin as long as we walk in the light and confess our sins to Him. ~1 John 1:7-9

The plain conclusion from these passages is this: We should stop sinning. Period. That is what the Bible says. That is what the Bible commands. That is the expected direction anyone who is born of God will go in. We are no longer slaves to sin. ~Romans 6: 11-14 Growing in grace simply means putting more and more of our old life behind us. Scripture also plainly addresses what happens when we do fall into sinful thoughts or actions during this life. It does not tell us to excuse ongoing sin or make it our new normal. Neither does it tell us we are losers every time we stumble. Instead, it tells us who to run to for every sin and power to overcome sin, we should run to the Advocate, repent of our sin quickly, and keep walking in the way that Christ walked. Anyone who says they know Christ but continues to willfully practice sin and refuses to repent is a liar, and the truth will have no place in that person. ~1 John 2:4

 

[TitusTwoWife]

However, this quote also reads into Scripture in a couple places. First, Hebrews 10: 26-30 is not addressing the saved person who slips up and keeps on sinning, falling away from grace and losing their salvation in the process. The context is a stern warning against wilful apostasy, knowingly turning away from Christ after having the truth, trampling the Son of God underfoot, and abusing the sacrifice that Jesus paid for us by considering His blood unholy. It applies to those who had almost believed but then rejected Jesus entirely and returned to the old way of religious ceremonies or plain disbelief.

I'll ask then

Hebrews 10:26-30
King James Version
26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people

In verse 26, what does wilfully sin mean?

 

[David]

In verse 26, what does wilfully sin mean?

You have to hear the weight of this the way the passage hits it. This is not talking about somebody who stumbled last night and is back on their knees this morning asking God for mercy. This is not the worn out believer fighting the same battle again, hating their sin, still clinging to Christ. Scripture already gives hope there: “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” ~1 John 2:1.

No, Hebrews 10 is dealing with something far more dangerous. It is the moment a person sees the truth clearly, understands exactly who Jesus is and what He did, and then makes a settled decision to turn their back on Him anyway.

Listen to the language the Spirit uses: “trodden under foot the Son of God… counted the blood of the covenant… an unholy thing… and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace” ~Hebrews 10:29. That is not weakness. That is not struggle. That is open, deliberate rejection. That is looking at the cross and saying, “I don’t want that.”

And once a person does that, there is nowhere else to go. “There remaineth no more sacrifice for sins” ~Hebrews 10:26. Not because Christ’s sacrifice is lacking, but because they have rejected the only sacrifice God has ever provided. If you push away the only lifeline, you are left with the storm.

Hebrews 6 says the same thing from another angle. “If they shall fall away… seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame” ~Hebrews 6:6. That is not falling into sin. That is falling away from Christ. That is walking out on the only Savior after you have already seen enough to know better.

Now put it back into the flow of Hebrews 10. The chapter lifts up the finished work of Jesus, one sacrifice, once for all, no more endless offerings ~Hebrews 10:1-18. Then it calls believers to draw near, hold fast, and stay anchored ~Hebrews 10:19-25. And right after that comes the warning. Why? Because some don’t hold fast. Some turn around and walk away.

But then the Spirit draws a line in the sand: “We are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul” ~Hebrews 10:39. Which means they were never born-again.

That is the dividing line. A true believer may fall, but he does not walk away from Christ as worthless. He may struggle, but he keeps coming back because he knows there is nowhere else to go. Like Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life” ~John 6:68.

So “wilful sin” in this passage is not about a Christian battling sin. It is about a person who has seen the truth, understood the gospel, and then deliberately rejects Jesus Christ Himself.

That is why the warning is so severe. Because rejecting Christ is not just another sin. It is rejecting the only cure God has given for sin.