Results 1 - 3 of 3
|
|
|||||
Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Are christians sinners or not? | Rom 3:23 | Robert Nicholson | 69267 | ||
Greetings: When we are saved our sins are forgiven. However, we forget at times that God's view is eternal. The work of Christ has cleared us from all guilt forever Romans 5:1 On the other hand we read these wonderful words written by Paul, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." (1 Timothy 1:15) Paul has written much about the daily warfare within the christian. Although, we have been freed from the power of sin, we still have the old nature which we must put in the place of death daily. That is what is wonderful about God's salvation. In ourselves we will never be righteous. However, when we trusted Christ our sins were forgiven and we are clothed in the righteousness of Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21) "If we say we have no sin...the truth is not in us" 1 John 1:8 Robert |
||||||
2 | Are christians sinners or not? | Rom 3:23 | mbooker | 69433 | ||
Hi Brother Robert… I hope you don’t mind that I picked you to ask this question, since a couple of others in this thread have quoted 1 John 1:8. Are you saying that 1 John 1:8 is one reason Christians should consider themselves sinners? (btw, I am using the biblical word for sinner: hamartolos - devoted to sin, a sinner, not free from sin, pre-eminently sinful, especially wicked, all wicked men, specifically of men stained with certain definite vices or crimes, tax collectors, heathen) Another point I have been pondering is this: Just because we have sin, as 1 John 1:8 states, does that automatically mean we will sin? I ponder this for 2 reasons: One because of what John said in 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. He wrote that they sin NOT. BUT, he said IF any sin, not WHEN any sin. I see a big difference in those 2 little words. And two, because of what Paul said in Romans 6:11-12: Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. From John and Paul, I gather that while we have sin, we are to consider ourselves dead to it and not let in reign in our mortal body. But IF we do sin, thank GOD Almighty, we have an advocate, our big Brother! Another reason I believe we are no longer sinners (as defined by the bible) is because we have been made new creatures and we have been made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. When I think of the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (what we have been made into) being called a sinner, I think of 2 Cor 14-16: Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. While I understand that this passage is talking about being yoked together with unbelievers, when I think of the righteousness of God and sinner being ‘joined’ in the Christian, I think ‘what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?’. And that is where I have difficulty calling a Christian a sinner (the biblical definition). My, this is longer that I had intended! : ) Grace and peace to you Meredith |
||||||
3 | Are christians sinners or not? | Rom 3:23 | Robert Nicholson | 69455 | ||
Greetings sister Meredith: Thank you for your thoughtful response. I believe that as those redeemed by the precious blood of Christ that we are forgiven from all sin. I agree that the word sinner or sinners "hamartolos" refers to "those whom you have rightly pointed out who are devoted to sin, not free from sin..."-slaves to sin. In Romans 6: 17-18 we find what has happened when we were born again. "ye (we) were the servants (slaves) of sin,, but you have obedyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you" Being (present/continuous) them made free from sin, you became the servants of righteousness" In the above verses we are free from sin, we are no longer slaves to sin and we have a new master which is Christ. When Paul writes to the Romans he addresses them "beloved of God, called to be saints" (note small "s") Romans 1:7 If we followed the epistles we never find the christians addressed as "saved sinners etc." but rather beloved, saints, saints in Christ Jesus, faithful brethren, to the church, my own son in the faith, my dearley beloved son (Timothy) and my little children. We have a high calling in Christ. We have a new relationsip with God as sons or children of the King. However, the reality from a practical perspective, as you have mentioned in Romans 6 "We are to reckon ourselves dead unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord" V.11 Nevertheless, in Romans 7 we find that our "old nature" although reckoned dead is in constant warefare with our new nature which is in Christ. Acccording to Romans 7:25 that we can be delivered on a daily basis "through Jesus Christ our Lord". Thus far there are three important trues: First, when we are saved, we are freed from the power of sin and through the Spirit of God we can have victory. Secondly, Romans 8:26 shows us the intercessory work of the Holy Spirit on behalf even when we don't know what to pray for. Thirdly, 1 John 2:1 "If any sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous. What about your original question 1 JOhn 1:8 I am going to make a statement which may get me into trouble. Sin is the accident in the life of the believer, we will not be perfect until Jesus takes us home. However, does accidental sin make me a sinner? if I have already been made a saint when I trusted Christ? I do not believe that if we are redeemed, beloved, called to be saints, servants of righteousness which is a result of the new birth, that we will ever be a slave to sin again. That is what redemption is all about. Jesus paid to price to buy us back from the slave market of sin and set us free. It is out of love and devotion that we are willingly servants of righteousness. I believe what John is teaching is that we still have to contend with the three fold enemy the world, the flesh and the devil and as such we will sin. To suggest that we are unable to sin is a claim which only Christ can own, However, when we sin, we are forgiven, he cannot deny himself. After much thought, I would suggest that those who know Christ are saints who can sin in contrast to sinners who are in salvery to sin. Your brother in Christ Robert Please forgive me for the length of this post. |
||||||