Total Freedom from Sin?

[Jimmy Engle]

When a person is born again will they have freedom over sin? Or will they have freedom over some sins and over time gain freedom over more and more as they grow in faith and righteousness? Like if a person is in bondage to a sexual sin such as fornication or adultery does that necessarily mean that he is not saved?

 

[Christina]

You have freedom from sin only after you have repented of that sin ..If you comit it again your guilty again and must repent again ...Being saved does NOT save one from temptation ..That is the way of the flesh .. Being saved gives you a way, a reason to fight temptation ... The flesh is sinnful ...but Christ paid for that sin ..the stronger you walk becomes the less you are tempted to indulge in the temptation of sin ..We all fail we all fall short ... But in Christ we have eternal hope..forgiveness..

 

[Jimmy Engle]

The reason I asked was because I was looking at 1 John for assurance of salvation and in 1 John 1:6 says...If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.Verse 9 goes on to say...If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.That goes along with what you said Christina but then there are other parts of scripture such as Romans 8:13 which basically says that if we don't put to death the deeds of the body or our flesh we will die. So based on that I drew the conclusion that if your saved you will not be in bondage to sins. Yes we will sin at times but there should be times when we overcome them and have victory. If a person is in bondage to a sin however, then he is not putting the deeds of the body to death so he will die? Therefore not saved? Hmmm....

 

[Christina]

[/FONT] This goes to the heart of true repentance one can not just voice with his mouth forgive me ..God reads our heart .. one must truly be sorry even if he falls short and sins again if his spirit hates it if he is sorrowful in his heart he will live ... because he will be repentant God never says we be sinless after we are saved ...Only one was perfect without sin and that was Christ we can never be sinless ..We are all sinners .... But we are to strive to be as sinless as we can ..and turn to him for strenghth and upon his grace for repentance when we fail ... As long as we are flesh we will be tempted of the flesh ... We are in a battle of spirit vs flesh ..with a growing faith and the stronger our walk becomes, the less we are tempted by flesh and his spirit grows stronger in us ..helping us giving us strength

 

[Jimmy Engle]

That makes sense. So in other words, the true sign if someone has been saved is that they will have true repentance when they do sin...even if they keep falling to the same sin over the course of their life. Am I understanding this correctly?

 

[Christina]

yep you got it Jimmy

 

[kestrel]

I have to agree with Christina on this one

 

[Surf Rider]

You have freedom from sin only after you have repented of that sin ..
If you comit it again your guilty again and must repent again ...
Being saved does NOT save one from temptation ..
That is the way of the flesh .. Being saved gives you a way, a reason to fight temptation ... The flesh is sinnful ...but Christ paid for that sin ..the stronger you walk becomes the less you are tempted to indulge in the temptation of sin ..We all fail we all fall short ... But in Christ we have eternal hope..forgiveness..

repenting and repeating is an oxymoron, isn't it?

 

[kestrel]

repenting and repeating is an oxymoron, isn't it?

More like human nature

 

[Yies1]

My understanding of being free from sin.

If you have ever loved anyone so much, that you would do ANYTHING for them, even give your life for them, would you ever do anything that might cause them pain?

In fact if you did love someone that much, the idea of causing them pain would never even enter your mind. Because even the thought of causing them pain would cause yourself to feel ill, that the thought just wouldn't happen.

Now imagine the love that Jesus had, He loved All mankind and God in the same way. He was willing to give His life for people that did not even exist yet. Jesus had the same love that God has.
Jesus had the ability to sin, but He couldn't, and never would sin, because He knew that would cause pain to God.

To be totally free from sin, means we have to have the level of love that God has.

If one TRULY loves God, then even the thought of doing wrong would cause you pain, in the same way that we would never even consider hurting our loved ones.

That is TRUE freedom from sin.


Yies1



To be in harmony with others is the first step toward happiness.

 

[Samuel Pickens]

Read Acts ch 5. This is serious. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a living God. As many as I love I chasten. If you sin and do not feel the chasening hand of God, then maybe you are not one of His.

 

[RichardBurger]

Why do the children of God worry so much about their sins of the flesh? Don't they have faith, trust, and confidence in the work of God (Jesus) on the cross. His works paid for ALL of our sins of the flesh. We already have the victory over our sinful flesh. Not that we don't sin any longer, but that we are no longer condemned by our sins of the flesh. God has made a way for sinful people to be called righteous and that is what we should be teaching and thanking God for..

Every child of God knows they sin and realize their need for the covering of Jesus' blood. In other words since they acknowledge, to God, that they are sinful in the flesh they are being honest with God and are repenting continuously.

Psalms 32:1-2
32 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit.
NKJV

But to some that is not enough. They think that repentance is acknowledging a perticular sin and repenting of it. What about the sins that are commited that they are not awary of? Repentance is not a ritual. It is being aware that you are sinful in the flesh and thanking God that Jesus made a way for us to be called the children of God.

 

[RichardBurger]

True Repentance:

I believe that repentance is necessary for the child of God. But that repentance is not a ritual that is done when they think they have sinned. I believe in a repentant attitude, an attitude of continually acknowledging, to God, that the sins of the flesh are always present in the mind.

Having said the above I must state that, to some, repentance seems to means that they perform a ritual of repentance. I do not believe that knowing you have committed a sin and then pulling down your get out of sin repentance card is true repentance. It ignores the fact that they sin in their minds all the time.

In this article I have said what I believe true repentance to be. Some seen to have a different opinion and they are welcome to it. But that does not mean I have to share their opinion OR that they have to share mine.

IMHO (In my honest opinion), to the religious mind, repenting of sins is something that a person does, at some time or other, to ask for forgiveness for a sin they think they have committed. I say it this way because, for them, they must pick a time and go to God in a prayer of words and ask for forgiveness for that sin. They do it only when they think they have done something wrong. For the rest of their time they rationalize that they do not sin and therefore do not have to repent.

True repentance "IS" a "CONSTANT ATTITUDE" of the heart and is not an action that is done at some place or time. --- It is constantly acknowledging (admitting to God) that you are a sinful person in the flesh and that you need His forgiveness, the need for God, who paid for your sins, to save you from your sinful nature in the flesh. -- It is a constant humble walk with God (the Holy Spirit that lives in your heart) in honesty, without deceit. -- To be exact it is and attitude of the heart and it is not a ritual that you do at some place or time.

1. A repenting; penitent state; feeling of sorrow, etc. especially for wrongdoing; compunction, contrition; remorse. A child of God feels remorseful that he/she sins but since they live in a body of sinful flesh there is no way they can stop from sinning in the flesh. Paul couldn’t in Romans 7 and neither can we.

Ps 32:1-2
1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
(NKJ)

Deceit = dishonesty / a person saying they have no sin is being dishonest (deceitful) with God. Therefore having a constant honest attitude of acknowledging your sinful nature to God and placing your faith, trust, confidence, and hope in God's work on the cross to save you from your sinful nature is true repentance. A person that does not acknowledge his/her sins (sinful nature) is being dishonest with God and will feel no need to have an constant attitude of repentance. IMHO they are like the Pharisee below.

Luke 18:11-14
11 "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men-- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.
12 'I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'
13 "And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'
14 "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
(NKJ)

The tax collector was repenting, he was sorrowful, contrite, remorseful, because of his sinfulness. But that does not mean he stopped being a sinful person or a tax collector.

 

[bling]

When a person is born again will they have freedom over sin? Or will they have freedom over some sins and over time gain freedom over more and more as they grow in faith and righteousness? Like if a person is in bondage to a sexual sin such as fornication or adultery does that necessarily mean that he is not saved?

This is a big subject.
1. Sin actually has a purpose for the nonbeliever.
2. Christ as our example shows us the when deity dwells in human form it will not sin (if you do not quench the Holy Spirit).
3. Is "sin" the problem or is unforgiven sin the problem?
4. Would it be good news to know that you did not have to go on sinning?
5. 1 John 2:1 uses "but if" and does not say "but when".

 

[thurt]

IF you mean "total freedom from sin" by repentance? Yes, when we repent to Yahweh for both sins we’re aware of and those we’re not, we’re not resaved yet restored to Him positionally. If "total freedom by sin" you mean will believes ever get to the point of not sinning, scriptural - all have sinned and come short. I think it is choices we make daily. When Christ Jesus was tempted, He said, "It is written" that's what we can do also. So one way to help stop sinning is to stop it when it first becomes a thought before we get into more thoughts and/or actions - replace it with The Word.



2 Chronicles 7:14
”If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”



When we dwell on our past after we’ve ask for forgiveness, we’re not accepting Yahweh’s forgiveness. Unforgiveness of others and towards ourselves opens a landing strip for the enemy.



What are we think about? “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Phil 4:8

 

[bling]

IF you mean "total freedom from sin" by repentance? Yes, when we repent to Yahweh for both sins we’re aware of and those we’re not, we’re not resaved yet restored to Him positionally. If "total freedom by sin" you mean will believes ever get to the point of not sinning, scriptural - all have sinned and come short. I think it is choices we make daily. When Christ Jesus was tempted, He said, "It is written" that's what we can do also. So one way to help stop sinning is to stop it when it first becomes a thought before we get into more thoughts and/or actions - replace it with The Word.



2 Chronicles 7:14
”If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”



When we dwell on our past after we’ve ask for forgiveness, we’re not accepting Yahweh’s forgiveness. Unforgiveness of others and towards ourselves opens a landing strip for the enemy.



What are we think about? “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Phil 4:8

OK.
1 John 2: 1 says "but if" and not "but when". So Christs do not have to sin again which is good news.

 

[RichardBurger]

The reason I asked was because I was looking at 1 John for assurance of salvation and in 1 John 1:6 says...If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.Verse 9 goes on to say...If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.That goes along with what you said Christina but then there are other parts of scripture such as Romans 8:13 which basically says that if we don't put to death the deeds of the body or our flesh we will die. So based on that I drew the conclusion that if your saved you will not be in bondage to sins. Yes we will sin at times but there should be times when we overcome them and have victory. If a person is in bondage to a sin however, then he is not putting the deeds of the body to death so he will die? Therefore not saved? Hmmm....

"If we say we have fellowship with Him"; the operative word here is "SAY". == If we say we walk with Him and do not really place our faith, trust, confidence in His work on the cross then we are lieing.

We must approach Romans 8:13 in truth. No one can put to death his/her sins of the flesh. However, since we acknowledge our sinfulness in the fresh "at all times" Jesus' blood covers all our sins. But acknowledging our sins is not acknowledging a perticular sin, at a perticular time, but our continuous sins of the flesh.

There is not a perticular time that we overcome sins of the flesh. We already have the complete and total victory over our sinful nature in Christ. For a person to place ALL their faith in God's work on the cross IS denying self; that the self can do anything to save. The flesh is in bondage to to sin. According to Romans 7, Paul never said we are, at anytime, free from sins of the flesh. He says just the opposite in the last verse of Romans 7.

As for me I know I am sinful and can do nothing to change that fact. Because of this I totally rely on God's work on the cross. He gets all the glory. I look ahead to the future when I go to be with Him and will be free from this body of sin and death.

 

[Joseph77]

You have freedom from sin only after you have repented of that sin ..If you comit it again your guilty again and must repent again ...Being saved does NOT save one from temptation ..That is the way of the flesh .. Being saved gives you a way, a reason to fight temptation ... The flesh is sinful ...but Christ paid for that sin ..the stronger you walk becomes the less you are tempted to indulge in the temptation of sin ..We all fail we all fall short ... But in Christ we have eternal hope..forgiveness..

This is a message especially needful for today.

 

[Joseph77]

POSITIVELY !

What are we think about? “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Phil 4:8

============================================

2 Chronicles 7:14
”If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Healing the land..... people think more about this today possibly, than in the past ?

But are not generally inclined to trust God nor to repent, are they ? Rather trust man, and continue to live in the flesh as they got used to ?

WYC
forsooth if my people is converted, on which my name is called, and if it beseecheth me, and seeketh my face, and doeth penance of his full evil ways, then I shall hear from heaven, and I shall be merciful to the sins of them, and I shall heal the land of them. (and if my people, who be called by my name, be turned, and if they beseech me, and seek my face, and do penance for their full evil ways, then I shall hear from heaven, and I shall be merciful to their sins, and I shall heal their land.)

AMPC
If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.