A Christian is sinless

[elysian]

A Christian is sinless in the sense that he will never commit sin born of malice. But there are sins born of the weaknesses of flesh ... such sins will continue all through life. This is the reason for the apparent contradiction in John.

Discuss.

 

[elysian]

In case anyone is confused about John, I meant 1 John 1:8 apparently contradicts 1 John 3: 6-9.

 

[dougishere]

The prodigal son was in the family, part of the bloodline of the father. He seemed to have malice toward his father when he took off with his part of the inheritance. He insulted his father with malice before he committed the sins of the flesh. But regardless of what he did, the father waited for him and took him back in the end.

 

[elysian]

The prodigal son was in the family, part of the bloodline of the father. He seemed to have malice toward his father when he took off with his part of the inheritance. He insulted his father with malice before he committed the sins of the flesh. But regardless of what he did, the father waited for him and took him back in the end.

That was before his repentance, not after. That's the point you missed.

 

[dougishere]

That was before his repentance, not after. That's the point you missed.

I see repentance as something that is on going in a Christian's life. Regardless of the severity of the sin - malicious or not.
For the nonbeliever, the Greek grammar used in 1 John 3:6 is

No one who abides in Him practices, makes a living at, sin; no one who practices, makes a living at sin has seen Him or knows Him.
This is why these verses can be tied perfectly together to 1 John 1:8. Christians don't practice or make a living at sin, but they can get sinful at times, even maliciously sinful. The parable about the prodigal son can represent a born again believer as the son (he is part of the father's family) who sins by going wayward. But when he comes to his senses, then he comes back.

The grace of God is the point in this, that it's given to the non-believer and believer alike. Much like the Gospel is for an unbeliever and believer alike.

 

[Lively Stone]

The prodigal is a parable about a son of the father, and represents those who are of God, not those who are outside of the family of God. This son wandered and sinned, but he never lost his place in the family. Therefore, we as Christians can indeed wander and sin and even in malice, but we do not lose our salvation.

We move from the grace to law every day depending on where our mind is at the time, which means that when we sin, we have moved to the law---but we are not kicked out of the family of God.

 

[aspen]

The great thing about parables is that they can speak to you in different ways.

 

[Lively Stone]

The great thing about parables is that they can speak to you in different ways.

Yes, and none of those ways contradicts the other, nor the word of God.

 

[Hollyrock]

The prodigal is a parable about a son of the father, and represents those who are of God, not those who are outside of the family of God. This son wandered and sinned, but he never lost his place in the family. Therefore, we as Christians can indeed wander and sin and even in malice, but we do not lose our salvation.

We move from the grace to law every day depending on where our mind is at the time, which means that when we sin, we have moved to the law---but we are not kicked out of the family of God.

Amen, a Born-Again Child of God is sinless in that their spirit (inner man) is born/renewed of God and cannot sin...we however, can and do sin when we step out of grace, but the Blood of Jesus can easily take care of that.

 

[FHII]

Ask God if a Christian is sinless, ask other Christians if a Christian is sinless and the world if a Christian is sinless.... You may get two different answers.

 

[ttruscott]

Hmmm,

If you are a Christian and still on earth, you are probably sinful. Christians who are perfected tend to die and go to their reward. Others are perfected by their death, foetus' and babies that are elect and the martyrs for instance.

If you are here, you are suffering something, a sign of sin, unless you are here to suffer for GOD's glory like the man born blind.

The judgement upon Satan et al was postponed until the church was sanctified and made Holy, ready to accept GOD's will for the non-elect as proper and just. Living here implies you are still addicted to the idolatry of HIs eternal enemies (a son, a dughter, a friend) or to the addictions of the flesh you picked up when enslaved to sin.

I don't know about a "sin born of malice." so I can't speak to it. I don't remember where the sin of malice is restricted to those not yet redeemed.

God bless..

Ted

 

[Lively Stone]

Hmmm,

If you are a Christian and still on earth, you are probably sinful. Christians who are perfected tend to die and go to their reward. Others are perfected by their death, foetus' and babies that are elect and the martyrs for instance.

If you are here, you are suffering something, a sign of sin, unless you are here to suffer for GOD's glory like the man born blind.

The judgement upon Satan et al was postponed until the church was sanctified and made Holy, ready to accept GOD's will for the non-elect as proper and just. Living here implies you are still addicted to the idolatry of HIs eternal enemies (a son, a dughter, a friend) or to the addictions of the flesh you picked up when enslaved to sin.

I don't know about a "sin born of malice." so I can't speak to it. I don't remember where the sin of malice is restricted to those not yet redeemed.

God bless..

Ted

I find this to be very convoluted reasoning.

If we are here it is becasue we have been ordained lifea at this time in history. We do not have to be suffering saints, nor 'addicted to idolatry' or anything else, for that matter. When we know and walk with Christ, we are to walk in victory, and reveal to the world that we have something that they are looking for.

 

[Foreigner]

A unique article.
Read into it what you will.......



http://www.patheos.com/blogs/nadiabolzweber/2012/02/i-love-jesus-but-i-swear-a-little-an-open-invitation-to-unfriend-me-on-facebook-stop-following-me-on-twitter-and-discontinue-reading-my-blog-if-you-need-to/

I love Jesus, But I Swear a Little: An Open Invitation to Unfriend Me on Facebook, Stop Following Me on Twitter and Discontinue Reading My Blog if You Need To.

Posted on February 3, 2012 by Nadia Bolz Weber

If you are a Christian who takes offense at swear words or believes for some reason that clergy should never be cranky or irritated, then I am not the person for you to follow. It’s ok. You don’t actually need me. The entire publishing arm of the Christian Industrial Complex (I believe my friend Shane Claiborne coined that term) has a great deal of material that is just for you! Countless Christian websites and books and blogs are your brand of Christian. No need to leave me comments about how disappointed you are in my use of language because out there in cultural Christendom you will find niceness in abundance, super-duper positive thinking, and lots of inspiration with (best of all!) no swear words! The Christian world is your oyster.

You are not my audience.

But there are other folks out there who are comforted by ambiguity, who need a Word of grace which is not covered in strawberry syrup. Who need the stark truth of what it means to be broken and blessed at the same time. Who are at home in the Biblical story; stories of anti-heroes and people who don’t get it; beloved prostitutes and rough fishermen. They tend to not really care that I use colorful language. If anything, they are relieved that they don’t have to watch what they say around this particular member of the Christian clergy.

I’m not a role model. I’m not really that nice (but I hope that I am kind). I’m just trying to figure out what it looks like to confess the truth about being deeply faithful and deeply flawed at the same time – and how to have humility in all of it without being self-apologetic.
Because, I seriously love Jesus, but I DO swear a little.

 

[Lively Stone]

Luke 6:45
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

 

[justaname]

Good to see you are posting again. Just wanted to say that for now.

 

[gregg]

what would of happened if he had not returned?

 

[elysian]

what would of happened if he had not returned?

Me or Jesus? Lol.