“sinning Willfully”

One of the primary evidences to the believer concerning the assurance that “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit, that we are children of God” (Rom 8:16), is our desire to please God. This reveals that God is “working in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Phil 2:13).

The intention of the believer is the commendable, but yet impracticable (incapable of being performed or accomplished) desire not to sin, thus all unfolds down to the inquiry of intentional and unintentional sin, both of which are obvious to the individual. It should be easily agreed that one who is a Christian never desires to displease God, and this is what He regards, not the sin itself. For example, the issue is not the sin but the origin of its intention, in which for the believer, sin is never intentional.

This does not mean that the unintentional sin is insignificant to God or us, concerning its presence, but He does not regard the believer concerning sin’s guilt and even ensures we are no longer controlled by it (Rom 6:12, 14). Due to the Father’s work (Phil 2:13) and the Spirit’s work (Gal 5:17) within, there will never be a sin that is approved by the believer, but rather hated (Psa 97:10; Pro 8:13; 1Pe 3:11). This also means that obstinate and habitual sin will inevitably be desisted (unless God is absent), for the significance concerning the intention of sin in God’s people has always been an issue in both dispensations (Num 15:22-30; Heb 10:26).

Due to the wording, Scripture often presents passages that are somewhat obscure, resulting with difficulty in understanding, and which requires the collation of the entirety of Scripture (hermeneutics) for its intended meaning. Concerning the often phrasing of Scripture that appears to present the concept of the believer not sinning, there must be consistency with the remnant of Scripture.

For example, “Whoever has been born of God does not sin . . . and he cannot sin” (1 John 3:9). I find no confliction with Scripture when interpreting this to intend that believers do not sin willfully, e.g. whosoever is born of God does not sin willfully and cannot sin willfully. Why? “For His seed (Christ’s nature – Col 3:10; 2 Pet 1:4) remains in him . . . because he has been born of God.”

“The meaning is, he that is born of God, as he is born of God, or that which is born of God in him, the new man, or new creature, new nature cannot sin; for that is pure and holy; there is nothing sinful in it, nor can anything that is sinful come out of it, or be done by it; it is the workmanship of the Holy Spirit of God; it is a good work, and well pleasing: in the sight of God, who is of purer eyes than to behold sin with delight; and an incorruptible seed, which neither corrupts nor is corrupted; and though it is as yet an imperfect work, it is not impure.” John Gill

This answers to the reason why Scripture never refers to the people of God as “sinners.” A sinner isn’t just one who sins, but one who sins willfully. The Christian is no longer considered to be of the old nature, but of the new nature (Rom 8:9), and so everything within the Christian’s life is considered after that which is of the new nature; which answers to Paul’s awareness in Romans 7:17, 20, and gives clear view to the intention of, “bringing me into captivity” (v 23). The sins of the Christian are unintentionally committed against his will, same as one who is held captive against his will (saint), unlike when we were captive with consent (sinner).

- NC
 
Why don't you join some of the other conversations? There are people who ask questions and want answers. Trust me, many do not read but a handful of words...
 
Why don't you join some of the other conversations? There are people who ask questions and want answers. Trust me, many do not read but a handful of words...
Hi Abdicate - I spend much time posting on many Christian forums and I do spend much time answering questions which are presented to me. My hope is that some day I will have time to read through many other posts, but for the present, it would require more time than I have in a day to do so.

Thanks for your concern and reply. God's blessings to your Family!
 
Amen! It would be a real blessing!
Hi Major - Refreshing to see your reply, and thanks for the compliment. I would like to give an open invitation to any who would be interested in requesting my opinions concerning anything in Scripture. May God direct our correspondence and teach us as we share together in His Word!
 
Hi Major - Refreshing to see your reply, and thanks for the compliment. I would like to give an open invitation to any who would be interested in requesting my opinions concerning anything in Scripture. May God direct our correspondence and teach us as we share together in His Word!

My dear brother. I have read all of your posts and I have never found any reason whatsoever to question anything you have posted.
I have found you to be totally in line and grounded in the Word of God and it would be a wonderful blessing to have you join in here as we have so many people who are at the extreme limits of the Christine faith. Your added Biblical support would be wonderful as there are many who need to understand the lessons found in God's Word.
 
My dear brother. I have read all of your posts and I have never found any reason whatsoever to question anything you have posted.
I have found you to be totally in line and grounded in the Word of God and it would be a wonderful blessing to have you join in here as we have so many people who are at the extreme limits of the Christine faith. Your added Biblical support would be wonderful as there are many who need to understand the lessons found in God's Word.
Thanks again for you compliment, and I always welcome questions and comments concerning anything within Scripture. I'm blessed to spend many hours doing just that for many Christian forum sites for the last 6 years.

God Be Blessed
 
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