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Many people do not expect Christians to make mistakes or to sin, considering the fact that they confess that they have been saved from sin. Of course, Christians have been saved from sin. Thus, the apostle John writes that:
“…And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him. Anyone who continues to live in him will not sin. But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know him or understand who he is. Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous.
“But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. Those who have been born into God’s family do not make the practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God,” (1 John 3:5-8).
Many read the passage of Scripture above and erroneously conclude that Christians must not sin at all. Now, one thing we must understand is that John is not talking about sinless perfection in the passage.
In other words, it is not proper for anyone to think that a person, who has been saved from sin has attained sinless perfection in this world.
What John is really teaching, here, is that a true disciple of Christ does not make a practice of sinning without repentance and restoration.
This means that when disciples of Christ are tempted to sin, they receive divine warnings or promptings in their heart to guide them to return to their holy and righteous position in Christ.
The truth is that true Christians have not been saved from the presence of sin. Therefore, anyone can be overtaken in faults. You may call it sin or transgression.
As long as Christians live in this corrupt, fallen and immoral world with daily temptations, while awaiting the return of our Saviour, King Jesus, we may slip here and there.
Believers who were shepherded by John himself sinned. And so he personally wrote about it in 1 John Chapter One. He wrote:
“If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”
No believer living in this world which is full of daily temptations, troubles and sufferings can claim to have attained sinless perfection.
However, children of God have God’s seed or life dwelling in them by which they are able to overcome the controlling power of sin over their lives.
This means Christians do not habitually continue to live in sin or deliberately practice sin as if Christ never saved, delivered or rescued them from the bondage or controlling power of sin over their lives.
The Holy Spirit, the Author of righteousness, who dwells in the hearts of true Christians helps them to rise up when they are tempted to fall so that they can continue to live a life of righteousness in Christ Jesus.
By James Quansah
