You say that a person that is having “anxiety about your [their] life” is sinning as “it is a form of unbelief”?

I would say having anxiety in this life is some thing most people have regularly and certianly in hard financial times. Therefore under your position anyone that is having anxiety about life is sinning. So how to we determine how much anxiety one much have before it is sin?

And how will this concept fit what the Bible says. For example John says “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1Joh 2:4) and “He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings:” (Joh 14:24).

So what do we tell the dear sisters in the Lord that have five children and their husband gets laid off and the bills are getting behind and they are having some anxiety? Surely you will not tell them they are sinning and that they are liars and don’t love Jesus?

I think in your hurry to find some way to invalidate the teaching of Free From Sin experimentally you have not thought these things through Jake.

Jesus can to “save his people from their sins” (Mat 1:21) not in their sins, and to not only to impute but to impart righteous and holy to his people so that “he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still” (Rev 22:11). This holiness teaching is found from the first chapter of the first book to the last chapter of the last book in the new covenant canon.

It is the highway of holiness and “the unclean will not travel on it” but “the redeemed will walk there” (Isa 35:8, 9 NASB). It was prophesied that in the gospel day that even on the bells of the horses would be “holiness unto the Lord” (Zec 14:20).

The promises of the Lord are “yea and in him Amen” (2Cor 1:20). Here ye them and plead no more for sin in the life of a Christian.

1Co 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

2Th 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and keep you from evil.

2Pe 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

Jud 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

First of all I apologize for not answering your questions. I will attempt to do so :

“Would you hold that if a person doesn’t rejoice in the Lord always that that would be sin? Would you hold that it is sinful to take though for tomorrow?”

Yes i believe that If God has inspired a command to be written in the Bible it is not and option. I agree with your definition of breaking a known command of God being sin. Of course rejoicing in the Lord always needs to be defined, we are also commanded to mourn with those that mourn. I believe Always rejoicing is a state of heart in wich we are not murmuring or complaining but are to be rejoicing in the Lord’s goodness and provision always no matter what the circumstances and I believe that leaves room for mourning. I don’t believe that we need to be Praising and saying halelujah all day long (although that wouldn’t be a bad idea).
Taking thought for the morrow is speaking of anxiety about your life. It is a form of unbelief and yes i believe that is sin.
I will respond to the rest of your post later.
Thank -you for taking the time to respond!
God Bless you Bob!

They clearly are commands.

I think it would be fair to say that with many commandments one can’t keep them all in one day. We are told to visit the fatherless and the widows (Jam 1:27); in Act 1:8 we are told to be witnesses to Jesus in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the uttermost parts of the earth (for us that would be our home town, the nearest big city, our province, and around the world).

Let me go back to your original list and deal with them one by one.

>>>Take…no thought for the morrow (Mt. 6:34a).

I understand that scripture to mean to not allow your self to be over come with the cares of this life, don’t strive to be rich, but to put the kingdom first in your life and God will provide. I can say by the grace of God I am doing this. I don’t think that it means to never thing about tomorrow. If you take this literal then we are all practicing sin and no one is saved.

Here is something that you need to consider if you are trying to discredit the teaching that Christians are experimentally “free from sin” (Rom 6:18). When you make your definition of sin you need to take it the New Testament and see if it fits in with the scriptures. The Bible says to rebuke them that sin before all (1Tim 5:2). So you must ask yourself does this fit with what I am trying to define as sin. If those that don’t “Take…no thought for the morrow” is sin does this fit with the Bible that we should rebuke such a one before all.

We are told by John that “ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him” (1Joh 2:29 KJV). The English word “doeth” is translated from the Greek participle ποιῶν (poiōn) which is in the Greek present tense. If you are unbiased you will need to add practice or continuously before doeth in the same way you desire to add practice of continuously before the Greek participle ποιῶν (poiōn) in “He that committeth sin is of the devil;” (1Joh 3:8 KVJ) so that you have “ye know that every one that continuously doeth righteousness is born of him” (1Joh 2:29 Modified).

If you would hold that it is a requirement to at all times, to literal “Take…no thought for the morrow” then you must ask yourself do I continuously “Take…no thought for the morrow”? If you hold that as commandment and you are not doing it continuously then according to 1Joh 2:29 you are not born of him.

In this one you could even use 1Joh 3:8 modified. If you would hold that it is a requirement to at all times to literally “Take…no thought for the morrow” and to not do this is sin. Then if continuously not doing this which is sin, then you must deal with “He that continuously committeth sin is of the devil;” (1Joh 3:8 Modified).

I have gone though this exercise with you to get you to think a bit. Personally I don’t maintain adding the word continuously in either 1Joh 2:29 or 1Joh 3:8. I would suggest you to read further on the continuous tense in my article Sinning And The Greek Present Tense.

Let’s look at the next commandment in your list.

>>>Judge not that ye be not judged (Mt. 7:1).

The Bible clearly teaches that we are to judge. We are to know those that do spiritual labor among us (1The 5:12). Jesus told us that we would know people by there fruits (Mat 7:16). Clearly both of these things call us to make judgments.

When we look at the context of Mat 7:1 we see that it is teaching “For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again” (Mat 7:2). Also here the scriptures refuse hypocrites the right to judge others for things they are doing themselves. “And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?” (Mat 7:3).

By the grace of God I can say that I am not a hypocrite and that when I judge others I am careful to consider that I am having godly judgment knowing that in the same way I judge others the Lord will judge me. I have found that there is little profit judging others but much profit in judging yourself.

>>>All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them (Mt. 7:12a).

I do my very best to do this. I think I would have to admit that there have been times when I have done things and then later realized that I won’t want some one to do that to me and I have had to correct that. But I can say that I have not knowingly or willfully when ahead and done something to someone else that I wouldn’t want them to do to me.

So now the question is when we unknowingly or unwillfully do things to others that we would not want them to do to us, is that sin? I would hold that the New Testament teaches that sin is a willful transgression against a known commandment of God. You can read more on this in my article Biblical Definition of Sin.

God looks at the motive of the heart. He is not a hard task master. If in our humanity we miss keeping a commandment God sees that completely difference than willful disobedience and open rebellion against him. James tells us “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (Jam 4:17). To commit sin it takes first the knowledge of a commandment and second a person must be tempted (Jam 1:5).

Some people choose to call the commandments that people miss unknowing, unwillful sins and then those that are done knowingly they call willful sins. The problem with this system is that the willful and unwillful are mixed together and they are both called sin.

Then what we end up with is professing Christians hiding there willful sinning behind this system that pleads for sinning by using similar arguments to those you have raised in your above post.

In this time of great apostasy we should be calling people from sin, not making excuses for sinning. About two years ago I read in a Christian Today poll that stated that 60% of male protestant missionaries have problems with pornography. Missionaries are considered to be the more spiritual people of a congregation. This shows you the terrible condition of professing Christianity today.

This condition Jake, is the fruit of lay people and ministers that try to make an excuse for sinning. They plead is, just as you have in your above post, that it is not possible to live free from sin, it is not possible to keep God’s commandments.

>>>Do all things without murmurings and disputings (Php. 2:14).

I looked up this scripture in Barnes and Clarke to see what they feel like murmurings and disputings mean. Clarke says “Without grumblings and altercations. Be patient in, and contented with, your work; and see that ye fall not out by the way.” Barnes says “In a quiet, peaceful, inoffensive manner. Let there be no brawls, strifes, or contentions.”

With the help of the Lord I would say I am doing this. However I think there has been times when I have looked back on my conduct that I have not done as well in this as the Lord would have me do or as well as I would have liked to do. I would have to say I can’t remember willfully murmuring and disputing in the anything but I think there have been a number of time the Lord has pointed out to me that I need to do better in this area.

>>>Rejoice in the Lord always (Php. 4:4).

Well I am a pretty upbeat person and by nature very positive. My day typically starts with “Praise the Lord” and ends with a “thank you Jesus”. Do I rejoice at all times, no. Many times my mind is on work for hours at a time and I am not verbally rejoicing in the Lord. But I would testify to the glory of God and by his grace that I have a deep seated joy in my heart at all times.

>>>Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men (Col. 3:23).

In this area I am careful in what I do that I am doing it as unto the Lord. I have no fear of man or what they can do to me. By the grace of God I stood for truth with I was with the COGR people even when it cost my 20 plus years of friends and my spiritual relationship with my dear wife.

The NIV translation says “work at it with all your heart”. As far as doing things heartily or “with all your heart” I would say there has been many times when I feel like I could do better in this area. As far as doing thing unto the Lord and not unto men, I resist the temptation to do things to be seen of man and I can’t think of a time that I have willfully done something for the sole cause to be seen of man.

So now I have a few questions for you Jake.

Why do you want to justify sin in the life of a believer when 1Cor 10:13 says “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

Why don’t you accept what God states? Why take the low road? Why stand up for sin in the believer’s life, when sitting in front of you is a clear promise to make a way out?

Is it that you have willful sin or have had willful sin your life? Is it that those you minister to are still falling into and out of willful sin?

What causes you as professed minister of God to promote sin in the life of a Christian where God promises are “yea and in him amen” (2Cor 1:20).

Do you think God can empower man to live free from willful sin? And if you think God can empower man to live free from sin do you think he wills for man to?

I am sure you hold there is no place for robbing banks and murdering in the Christian life.

If God can save us from big sins, why can’t he save us from the “smaller sins”? Is it that he can’t do it or he wills not to do it? If you answer that God wills not to save from “small sins”, would you tell me why that would be?

These questions are good to meditate on. Don’t go by your experience and bring the Word of God down to match your life experience. Get a hold of what the Word of God teaches and then bring your experience up to the Word. Remember, sin will never enter heaven and if the blood of Christ can’t or won’t save you from sinning here how to you expect to get into heaven?

I responded back to your last post with some questions and I noticed you passed those questions by. Jake if you are going to make further post in this thread I would ask that you take time to answer the questions I have asked you. I have taken time to answer yours and I expect the same from you.

My question is are they commands or not? If they are, then we are to obey them just as you said and if we don’t that would be sin, otherwise we have the option to pick and choose what commands to Obey and i don’t believe that you believe that, do you?

I can say by the grace of God Jake that I have not willfully disobeyed any of the commandments you have have listed.

Would you hold that if a person doesn’t rejoice in the Lord always that that would be sin? Would you hold that it is sinful to take though for tomorrow?

Also thank you for the link to the list of commandments!

“It doesn’t take practicing sin or continuing in sin for some unknown period of time. It doesn’t take “big” sins like adultery or murder for you to be separated from God. It takes one single act of willful disobedience to a known commandment of God.

Here are a few known commands of God. Have you kept them perfectly?

Take…no thought for the morrow (Mt. 6:34a).

Judge not that ye be not judged (Mt. 7:1).

All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them (Mt. 7:12a).

Do all things without murmurings and disputings (Php. 2:14).

Rejoice in the Lord always (Php. 4:4).

Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men (Col. 3:23).

for a complete list go here: http://www.bethelministries.com/nt_commandments.htm

To your question am I or are Christians always dead in their sins. The answer is clearly no. God give Christians complete victory over all sinning (1Cor 10:13; 2Pet 1:10; Jud 1:24; 2The 3:3).