The Absence of Sin in the Life of a True Christian

Have you ever met a "professing" Christian who maintains the position they no longer sin? That since their conversion, they have not transgressed God's perfect law, that they have been absolutely perfect in thought, word and deed? Well, as foolish as it may sound, there are those who maintain this view point. Let's take a look at one of the passages of Scripture that has been twisted to support this false teaching.

1 John 3:9 says, "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."

If you "transliterate" the "translation", you basically get the idea that once you become a Christian you will no longer sin. Not only will you not sin, but you can't sin. If that were true, then not only would the Apostle Paul be a false convert (1 Timothy 1:15), but so would every other professing Christian who had ever walked the face of this earth. The Bible is very clear in Romans 3:10-11 that no one is without sin, not even one; that no one seeks after God.

So, to say that a Christian cannot sin is an incorrect interpretation of the text. As Christ said, "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41). Although we are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), having been reborn spiritually (John 3:3), having received from God, by His sovereign decree, His Spirit (Ezekiel 36:27). Although a true Christian has a redeeemed Spirit, that Spirit is still housed in a body of unredeemed flesh. It is only through that rotten, stinking flesh that sin can manifest itself in the life of the Believer.

Those who do maintain they have not sinned since becoming a "Christian" are deceived and guilty of the sin of pride. Scripture says, "Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; Though they join forces, none will go unpunished." (Proverbs 16:5) All Christians go through a process of being "cleansed from all their filthiness and all their idols". (Ezekiel 36:25) This is sanctification. This is the "process" through which the Holy Spirit begins to separate the Child of God from the sin in their life and drawing them closer to Himself. The Holy Spirit will bring about convictions that may have never been there in the past and intensifying convictions that may have been present in the past, but were ignored. The joy and pleasure that used to be found in the of sin in your life has been stripped from you. Those same deeds will bring about great discomfort, restlessness, grief and sorrow. As you think about your past, your gross indulgence in sin, binging on the lusts of the flesh, you are sickened by your blatant rebellion toward God, your utter disregard for Him, your hatred toward Him revealed in your thought life and all throughout your entire lifestyle.

Philippians 1:5-6 is describing this work of sanctification and the confidence we have that His work will continue until the LORD Jesus Christ returns!

Philippians 1:5-6 - "5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;"

Now, let's take a look at the proper interpretation of 1 John 3:9.

If we look at the grammatical construction of the text used in the Greek New Testament, we will find that the word "sin" (and he cannot sin, because he is born of God) is a present tense infinitive verb, which refers to continuous or repeated action. Therefore, to properly interpret this verse is to say that "a true Christian cannot maintain a continuous pattern of sin in their life because the Holy Spirit dwells within them".

So, can a true Christian sin?
Most certainly.

Can a true Christian maintain a lifestyle of sin?
Absolutely not.

I fear for anyone who professes to be a child of God, yet maintains a lifestyle of sin. A lifestyle that is contrary to that which God has revealed to us in Scripture. One that contradicts God's nature and His will. Examples would be those with a foul mouth, drunks, homosexuals, members of cults (idol worshipers), use of porn in any capacity, drug abusers, liars, thieves, and on and on. Those who profess to be Christians, yet live daily with any of those attributes, with a clear conscience, are being deceived. (Romans 1:21-25)

When a Christian sins, they stumble into it, they don't make provision for it, they don't make plans to sin. Furthermore, when they do stumble they're broken over it by the conviction of the Holy Spirit. They repent and ask forgiveness from God because they realize their sin is vertical (not horizontal) in that they've sinned against a holy God, not man, that they have offended the God of Heaven and Earth and have grieved the Holy Spirit who dwells within them.

To have heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ and yet sin repeatedly with utter disregard of God's law and the sacrifice of His Son, is to trample the blood of Christ underfoot. It's to say, "hey, thanks for taking my punishment for me... thanks for being beaten and humiliated in my place.... thanks for having Your flesh pulled apart as You were scourged for me, thanks for giving up Your life and dying a horrific death for me, but you won't mind if I went ahead and <insert your own sin here> again, would You?" Blatant disregard for the price that was paid for the forgiveness of sin.

2 Peter 2:20 - 20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.

Hebrews 10:28-30 - 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,"says the Lord. And again, "The LORD will judge His people."

The Bottom Line
If there is any doubt whatsoever as to your eternal salvation, if you are not 100% sure that if you died today you would go to heaven, or if your assurance is coming from anywhere other than the Holy Spirit (no pastor, friend, or relative can assure you of your salvation) then you need to cry out for God to save you! Cry out for God to draw you, to reveal Himself to you. Ask Him to show you your need for His forgiveness, to change your heart, open your eyes so that you see Christ in all His glory, flee the wrath of God and fly to Christ! The Bible says to repent and put your trust in Jesus Christ, trust Him alone with your eternity, the Bible says to repent and believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that we are saved by repentance toward God and faith in our LORD Jesus Christ! There is nothing in and of ourselves that we can do, for salvation is of the LORD! (Jonah 2:9, Mark 1:15, Luke 13:3, John 3:16, Acts 4:12, Acts 20:21, 2 Thess 1:7-9)


Therefore, repent and believe the Gospel!