Can a Christian Sin?
A brother once shared the results of a Swiss study on factors in children’s attendance of religious services. The study showed that two-thirds of all children will attend religious services at least sporadically if their father attends regularly. Two-thirds will not attend religious services if their father never attends. Why is this that a father has such a great influence? We cannot deny the results but perhaps we can better understand.
Have you ever looked at a child and said, “he looks like his dad.” it is pretty easy to tell if we can look at a man’s son and see the physical likeness? We might also notice the family resemblance in a child's mannerisms. Also, one tell-tale sign of a father is a child's attitude.
Fathers love hearing about the good qualities that are seen in their children. It is a sense of great joy when the good is seen. One thing I know is that anyone who is in Christ has the best Father. We as His children can work everyday to look more like Him. Jesus said, “Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” Matthew 5:48. If we are going to be perfect (complete) we will look like our perfect Father.
Who Do You Look Like?
If we live contrary to God’s Word we will look like the Devil. Think about a father's worst characteristics and that would not even come close to the wickedness of the Accuser. John wrote,
And ye know that he was manifested to take away sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither knoweth him. My little children, let no man lead you astray: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous: he that doeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. To this end was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
(1 John 3:5-8)
It does not have to be that way, but it is the reality. Jesus did his part to take away sins, but the non-negotiable of this is that the one who has received the remission of sins is not to sin. Why is this the case? The righteous do righteous things. Our Father is righteous, so thus we will look righteous, have righteous mannerisms, and a righteous attitude. The time for sin has long passed for a New Testament Christian. That is the work of the Devil and those who are by their own actions his children. Jesus even told the Jews,
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and standeth not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof.
(John 8:44)
Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil (and He did). We have a way out of a life of lies, abuse, and wickedness. Jesus made the way possible for adoption to the Father. We have to stop looking like Satan, and start reflecting the character of our heavenly father
Is it Possible?
The first thing we must remember is to say “no” to sin. Just say no! That was a popular anti-drug program of my youth. The idea was to say no whenever you are offered narcotics. The same is effective when we consider the right approach to sin.
Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. For this is the message which ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another: not as Cain was of the evil one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
(1 John 3:9-12)
We will be encouraged to sin by others. We must say no? Why, because we are begotten of God. We are sons of God. We are sons of righteousness. His seed abideth in Him. The Spirit teaches that because of this the child of God cannot sin, because he is begotten of God. Does this mean that a Christian cannot sin? Yes and No.
First, no a Christian does not lose his ability to sin when he obeys the Gospel. He remains with the ability to sin and even fall away from the faith (cf. Acts 8:20-23; Gal. 5:2-4; 1 Tim 4:1) However, a Christian cannot sin because he is begotten of God. What does that mean? It means that while he has free will to sin, he consciously makes the effort day in and day out to not sin. He does so by replacing activities, actions, and attitudes that promote sin with those that help us look like the Father.
For example, a parent has the ability to abuse their children, they still have freewill to do that, whether it be emotional or physical. Yet, a faithful Christian parent does not abuse their child because they made a choice to be like their Heavenly Father, and thus cannot abuse the child they say they love. A Christian does not steal from the grocery store. It is possible for him to do such, but he will not because of who he is called to be in Christ. He cannot steal from the shopkeeper, because he is his neighbor. The choice to be a Christian must direct every subsequent choice in our lives. Yes, we have to choose God’s way continually. Cain and Abel had the same earthly father, and the same Heavenly Father. Cain had a choice to look like the Heavenly Father, but chose the way of the evil one and he slew his faithful brother. Every choice matters.
God wills that we do not sin (cf. 1 John 2:1). In fact, not sinning is a very real possibility otherwise the Spirit would not have said so. It is not only possible it is probable when we are making the effort to remember to look like our Father. “And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Romans 12:2). There should certainly be times where the Christian goes days, weeks, months, even years without sin. When you look like your heavenly Father, you will look less like the Devil.
Whose image are we portraying with our lives? Do our mannerisms, attitudes, and words reflect our Heavenly Father? May we never look like the Devil, the father of lies.
Grace and Peace,
R.D. Beavers
