Gideons300
Well-Known Member
People who say that all sin is willful sin must have not ever had a battle with an addictive sin, whether it be drugs, sex, overeating, porn, gambling, alcohol or the like.My point has been that the law is not a requirement if, for the believer, there are no consequences for violating it. For we are forgiven; and our relationship to the law has changed. We are not under it any longer (Romans 6:14), we are dead to it (Romans 7:4, Galatians 2:19), and we are delivered from it (Romans 7:6). So there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (John 5:24 (kjv), Romans 8:1) who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.
Now, we are certainly obligated to not obey the flesh; but this is not the exact same thing as being obligated to obey the law.
The law is not a requirement; it is the desire of the Lord that we keep it; and the Holy Ghost within us motivates us, by His love, to walk in such a way that the law is not violated by our behaviour.
The person who willfully sins against the Lord is not covered by the blood; but the one who "blows it" has grace...the law does not point the finger at him because he is not under the law, is dead to the law, and is delivered from the law. The one who sins willfully is in a different boat because his behaviour indicates that he is not born again.
These are sins that are in the Romans 7 category. The ones you love and hate at the same time. The ones you truly long to be freed from but find you cannot. Such sins cling to you, and the battle within is very real and very hard. You may experience victory occasionally, but more often than not, you fall again to its pull, and either way, there is no rest found here.
Willful sins are like "I know I should not sleep with my boyfriend but thank God I am forgiven.Isn't grace wonderful?"
It is knowing that something is not glorifying to God, the Holy Spirit has convicted us of our error, then chastened us if we continue and still, we willfully choose to do it anyway. There is no battle. None. It is, at its root, simple rebellion.
And if continued in, choosing to continue in the sin we refuse to submit to the Lord, we will let it harden our hearts towards God, and slowly but surely, our living faith begins, little by little, to solidify into head knowledge, and we will not even be aware. This should bother us. The fact that it doesn't is most concerning.
Is this, clinging to the sin we like, not like the ground that had good seed cast upon it, the good seed sprouted to new life, but because of disobedience and shallowness of root, and choosing the pleasure of this world over pleasing God, the willfully disobedient soul brings forth no fruit. And what are we told happens to the branches in Him that bear no fruit? Ouch.
If I could shout one warning to the church, it would be this. Cease ALL willful sin, for it is an affront to God, splitting on the sacrifice of Jesus as if to make His blood common. I will let God deal with each heart as to whether or not willful sin can keep one from Heaven, but how can we say we love Him and choose darkness by our willful disobedience.
Oh saints, fight sin with all that is within you, and when the battle wears you out, and it will, trust me, lol, and you finally see that the real enemy is YOU, the old nature, and cry out to God to be freed from its grip, you are finally prepared to receive the miracle God has with your name on it.
blessings to all,
Gideon