justbyfaith
Well-Known Member
The provision is so that if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous One.If you will still be sinning in the present and future as some teach, how is that free indeed?
However, it is of course also true that being born again of the Holy Spirit means that I am a new creature in Christ who is inclined towards obedience.
We are told to "agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou arr on the way with him."
Therefore I find that sometimes the devil does the Holy Spirit's job (of convicting of sin) when he accuses me of sinning.
When this happens, I tend to agree with mine adversary, I confess my sin immediately; and it is also immediately forgiven.
But if I were to deny that I have in fact sinned when I am accused, I am on my way to the judge; and it may very well be that the judge will hand me over to the officer; and I will be cast into prison.
We overcome the accuser not only by the word of our testimony but by the blood of the Lamb.
There is forgiveness with the Lord even concerning sins that you may commit in the future.
Am I telling you to commit sin? No; but emphatically I say to you that if you are born again you will not sin.
But if you are still saved by grace, you are forgiven of sins that you may commit in the future.
So then, what is the motivation that deters me from committing sins in my future?
I must needs be apprehended by the love of the Lord; in order that I may love Him enough to keep from dishonouring Him with sin; to keep from grieving Him by my sinful behaviour.
I will say that our freedom from slavery to sin is a direct result of being forgiven so that our relationship to the law has changed. We are no longer under the law; we are dead to the law; we are delivered from the law (Romans 6:14, Romans 7:4, Galatians 2:19, Romans 7:6). Therefore what we find in Romans 7:5 and Romans 7:8 as a principle does not any longer affect us unto the practice of sinning.
Thus we are set free from sinning when we are set free from the law.