The Matter Of Your Sin Nature – Real Or Imagined? Series

THE MATTER OF YOUR SIN NATURE – REAL OR IMAGINED?

[A]. PART 1. THE REASON BEHIND THIS

A Christian wrote to me from the United States with a biblical question because she was confused with a posting by someone on Facebook.

This is what she explained, [[“He said that Jesus' death on the cross paid the penalty for our sins, but to be forgiven, each person has to receive Him as their Savior. They don't receive forgiveness or eternal life if they believe He was God and died on the cross for them. He goes on to say that's the difference between justice and forgiveness.”]]

Well, if you are sound in doctrine you might be scratching your head right now. What that “bible teacher” said started as true, for Jesus’ death on the cross did pay the penalty for our sins. The next thing he said was that “They don't receive forgiveness or eternal life if they believe He was God and died on the cross for them.”

Now, maybe that is an example of what your mind knows but the written words are lacking proper expression, thus contradicting what your believe. Perhaps the person thought, “Just to believe in God and that Jesus died on the for us is not enough. We must receive Him as personal Saviour.” However I can not exactly speak for that “bible teacher” on that point.

The bible teacher then continued to say that's the difference between justice and forgiveness. What would he have meant by that? I can’t say because I am not in his mind. If we give him the credit for what he said, then we have to understand the difference between justice and forgiveness IN HIS MIND.

Maybe what he is saying is that Jesus’ death on the cross for forgiveness of sins is justice, BUT the forgiveness can only come through personal faith in that cross work. I want to leave that point there and move to a more serious one that he was writing on. This confused and upset the lady who wrote to me.

[B]. PART 2. A SERIOUS ERROR

The lady raised another concern with me:-

[[“In another video where he's portraying a Christian and God talking to each other, the Christian is saying how he's sinned and lost his salvation because of this sin. I can't remember the entire exchange, but God tells him essentially that he (Christian) never had a sin nature, and still doesn't, but that it's the world and its influence that affected his judgment, and that's why he sinned. I believe originally Adam and Eve did not have a sin nature, but I also believe once they fell, that all human nature is intrinsically corrupt (except for innocent children), and that's why we need a Savior.”]]

This is where we really run into problems. Without question, it is false doctrine and that makes one a false teacher.

[1]. A serious matter is here raised where that man claimed he sinned and lost his salvation because of that sin. I know this is a hot potato with some, where some believe if we sin (have unconfessed sin) then our salvation is lost. Nowhere does the bible teach this. In Galatians 6:1 we are told that if a brother is overtaken in a fault (sin) then the spiritual men among them are to lead him to restoration, NOT to be born again.

A Christian sinning is always aimed at restoration, not eternal condemnation. I know in some Charismatic groups that practise “easy believeism” – just come to Jesus and get saved (they de-emphasise the necessity of conviction, repentance and confession), then they believe sin loses salvation, which is why in some meetings you frequently have people coming out to be saved again and again. Thus, easy entrance; easy exit.

Falling into sin does not lose salvation. It breaks fellowship but it does not abolish salvation for a truly born again Christian. That exquisitely wonderful passage in John’s letter covers that – {{1 John 1:7-10 “but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. IF WE SAY THAT WE HAVE NO SIN, WE ARE DECEIVING OURSELVES, and the truth is not in us. IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”}}

We are all sinners and sin as Christians, but God in graciousness gives us the way of return into fellowship with the Godhead. The conviction of the Holy Spirit is a very real thing as sinning Christians can testify to.