Christians Do Sin

At first glance, this statement is obvious. Most Christians understand that only God is sinless and the best a Christian can do in his Christian walk is try not to sin and try to be blameless and above reproach in conduct and attitude.

The question is not whether Christians would sin or not, but more importantly are genuinely born again Christians supposed to sin and yet acceptable to God.

Recently I was asked to comment on a verse written by John in his first Epistle:

"Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God" (1 John 3:9, NKJV, emphasis added).

My own paraphrase of this verse goes like this:

"A true Christian who claims to be born again does not sin because God's seed remains in him. The fact that he has been born of God, not only he does not continue to sin but he is not capable of sinning".

If my interpretation is correct and acceptable then true Christians do not exist and no one has God's seed remain in him. Furthermore, whether a believer is born again or not has no significance because everyone is quite capable of sinning without even trying! I must have taken this verse out of context; or this must be one of the "hard sayings" in the Bible.

Before we throw up our hands in disbelief and consider this as one of the "secret things" of God (Deu. 29:29) let us look at some other translations:

Instead of using the phrase "he cannot sin" (as in King James, NKJ, New American Standard and RSV), the NIV says "he cannot go on sinning", the New Living Version says "they can't keep on sinning".

A not-so-common version of the Bible - Charles B. Williams's New Testament Translation - says:

"Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin because the God-given life-principle continues to live in him. And he cannot practice sinning, because he is born of God"

The Amplified Bible also says "he cannot practice sinning".

In my opinion "he cannot practice sinning" seems to be a more accurate description. The word "practice" implies sinning willfully, openly and in action. The phrase implies that a true Christian does not sin in deed (Rom. 1:32) and in word (Matt. 5:22). But, he can (even if he is not expected to) sin in thought.

A good example of sinning in thought is:

"Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life" (1 John 3:15, NIV).

Another example is:

"But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matt. 5:28, NIV).

God allows Christian to sin

The Scripture says not only God allows but expects Christians to sin. There are several reasons for this:

1. Paul's teaching

The apostle Paul acknowledges this truth. In Chapter 7:14 to 25 of the Epistle to the Romans Paul describes the burden of sin vividly:

"For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me" (Rom. 7:19, 20).

In verses 17 and 25 Paul says it is the flesh in him that causes him to serve the law of sin.

Paul further says that, "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit" (Rom. 8:1, emphasis added).

In other words, born again Christians (those who are in Christ Jesus) would not be condemned provided they keep on walking according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh.

2. John's teaching

The First Epistle of John is written to believers to give them instructions in their Christian walk. John acknowledges that Christian do sin sometimes even in their fellowship with God and with one another.

"If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses up from all sin. If we say that we have not sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:6 to 8, emphasis added).

John tells Christians what to do when they sin:

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).

In other words, Christians must confess their known sins - sins revealed by the Holy Spirit. Notice that the Holy Spirit convicts and does not condemn.

Why do Christians sin?

Let us turn our attention to Paul's epistle to the Romans:

"For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified" (Romans 8:29, 30).

Some Bible teachers call this well-known passage the "Golden chain of salvation". The Bible never endorses instant salvation for mankind. Salvation is a journey or a process begins with God's foreknowledge and is carried through to the glorification of the believer. Those who are interested to know my comment on foreknowledge and predestination should read my earlier posting - "God's Choice and God's Calling" dated 28th Feb. 2005.

Born again believers are saved as Paul said, "being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus ... " (Romans 3:24). But, their salvation is far from complete. Believers sin because their salvation is not complete. They need to go through the process of sanctification in their life:

Paul said, "But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctifiaction by the Spirit and belief in the truth" (2 Thess. 2:13, emphasis added).

Jesus prayed to the Father, "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth" (John 17:17).

In other words, God's Word and God's Spirit are the means of sanctifying and cleansing (read Eph. 5:25 to 27).

Salvation will be complete at the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ:

"And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation" (Hebrews 9:27, 28, emphasis added).

In other words, complete salvation is offered to believers who are ready and and are eagerly waiting for His return.

Believers will have glorified bodies (1 Cor. 15:51 to 54). They will be glorified just as Christ is glorified and becomes sinless as Christ is sinless - for there is no sin in heaven!