A Christian Can Live Without Sinning
INTRODUCTION.
A. There are those who believe that a Christian cannot live the rest of his life without sinning. Sometimes these same people will go as far as to indicate that God’s grace will overlook or bridge the gap caused by our sins.
B. The question that we must answer is this: “Can a Christian live the rest of his life without sinning?”
1. If the answer is, “No,” then what’s the point in trying because the Bible promises that we will be judged for our sins.
2. If the answer is, “Yes,” then we know that there is an attainable goal that will prepare us for heaven.
C. It is the purpose of this lesson to show that a Christian can life the rest of his life without sinning.
D. Before we go any farther with this lesson, let it be understood that man is not saved by boastful works. Our ultimate salvation is a gift from God. (Romans 6:23) However, Christ did teach the necessity of works or obedience in Matthew 7:21-29. James also wrote, “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” (James 2:26)
E. Let us begin by examining God’s expectation of the Israelites.
I. GOD EXPECTED THE ISRAELITES TO LIVE WITHOUT SINNING.
A. Under the Old Covenant, God demanded obedience from His people. When God’s people disobeyed His word, they suffered the consequences of their disobedience.
1. A sin of open rebellion would not be forgiven. (Numbers 15:30-31)
2. Consider the example of the man of God who prophecied against King Jeroboam. This man of God perished because he later disobeyed God’s commands. (I Kings 13:11-25)
3. God did not tolerate the sins of Nadab and Abihu when they offered a strange fire, a fire not commanded by the Lord. (Leviticus 10:1,2)
4. God did not tolerate the disobedience of Moses when Moses struck the rock. (Numbers 20:7-13)
B. David prayed that the Lord would help keep him from presumptuous sins. David wrote, “Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression.” (Psalms 19:13, NKJV)
C. There were instances when a person could be forgiven if he ignorantly trespassed against the law of God. (Leviticus 5:15-17)
D. Under the Old Covenant, God expected his people not to sin. When the people did not meet God’s expectation by willfully sinning, they suffered the consequences.
II. GOD DOES NOT CHANGE.
A. God has always demanded and expected His followers to obey His words. When they did not meet God’s expectation, they were punished.
1. Adam and Eve would not have been cast out of the garden had they not disobeyed God’s commands. (Genesis 3)
2. God spared Noah and his family because they obeyed the command to build an ark according to God’s specifications. (Genesis 6-8)
3. God blessed Abraham because he obeyed the command to leave Haran. (Genesis 12)
4. As mentioned earlier, Moses was kept from entering the promise land because he disobeyed the command of the Lord. (Numbers 20:7-13)
B. The question that must be asked is this: “Has God changed in His expectation of His people?”
1. The Lord told Malachi to write, “For I am the Lord, I do not change; . . .” (Malachi 3:6, NKJV)
2. James taught that there is no variation or shadow of turning with God. (James 1:17)
3. Hebrew 13:8 teaches that Jesus Christ does not change. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8, NKJV)
C. The Old Covenant was fulfilled, being taken away. We are under the New Covenant which became effective after Jesus’ death.
1. Colossians 2:14 - “having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” (NKJV)
2. Hebrews 9:11-17
D. The same God, who demanded and expected Israel to obey His every command, expects His children under the New Covenant to obey His every command.
III. GOD EXPECTS HIS CHILDREN TO LIVE WITHOUT SINNING.
A. What is sin?
1. I John 3:4 reads, “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.” (NKJV)
2. A person sins when he transgresses the law of God. In other words, a person sins when he does something the Bible commands him not to do, or when he does not do that which the Bible commands him to do.
B. Here is how we know that God expects His children not to sin.
1. When a person becomes a Christian, his past sins are washed away.
a. Acts 22:16 - “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’” (NKJV)
b. I John 3:5 - “And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.” (NKJV)
2. A Christian, a child of God, is to walk in Christ. (Colossians 2:6)
a. The child of God who is walking in the light will not willfully sin. (I John 3:6-10; 1:5-7)
b. As long as a Christian retains the seed, God’s word, in his mind and heart, he will overcome temptations. (I John 3:9 - “Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” (NKJV)
c. When a Christian who is retaining the word of God in his mind faces temptation, he will know the difference between right and wrong and see the way of escape from that temptation.
(1) All scripture has been given to us so that we can live righteously. (II Timothy 3:16-17)
(2) The writer of Hebrews explained that it is possible for Christians to “have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” (Hebrews 5:14, NKJV) This is accomplished through a thorough study of God’s word.
(3) With the knowledge of God’s word, when a Christian faces temptation, he will see the way of escape provided by God. (I Corinthians 10:13)
3. God expects His children to be “neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (NKJV)
a. Peter taught the Christians how to obtain this goal of bearing fruit in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (II Peter 1:5-8)
b. A Christian who does not obtain the goal in II Peter 1:8 is described as being “shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.” (II Peter 1:9, NKJV)
c. If a Christian adds those things listed in II Peter 1:5-7, then he “will never stumble (sin).” (II Peter 1:10; NKJV)
4. Christ set an example for us to follow.
a. Christ was tempted, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
b. Peter taught that Jesus, “Who committed no sin,” left us an example that we should follow His steps. (I Peter 2:21-25)
C. As we have seen, God expects His children to live without sinning. While no man can say that he has not sinned (I John 1:10), after he becomes a Christian, he can strive to live without sinning and be successful. Remember, the Bible never teaches that a Christian is destined to sin or that he has to sin.
D. Before we conclude this lesson, let us remember the words of John when he wrote, “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” (I John 2:1-2, NKJV)
CONCLUSION.
A. The Bible does not teach that man has a sinful nature. On the contrary, Paul wrote, “Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; . . .” (I Corinthians 15:34, NKJV)
B. When a person becomes a child of God, he is to “put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” (Ephesians 4:24, KJV)
C. As you have the time, study the following passages. You will find that they all show clearly that God expects His children not to engage in sin.
1. Ephesians 4:17-24
2. Colossians 3:1-10
3. I John 1:5 - 2:6
D. God expects Christians to overcome temptation and say, “No!” to sin.
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A Christian Can Live Without Sinning -- February 24, 2002 -- File # 1360 - Sin
by John M. Duvall – Lawton ,OK