The question must be asked, since with God ALL things are possible, how much sin can God keep one from and for how long? Can one be kept from only some sin, from much sin, or from all sin? Also, it must be asked, how long can God keep one from sin – for an hour? For twelve full hours? For twenty-four hours? Perhaps even for a week, or more? (Remember what scripture says about the parents of John the Baptist. See Luke 1:5 and 6).
When God says, “Be ye holy for I am holy,” isn’t He demanding that we stop sinning? But if we cannot stop sinning, even with God’s help, isn’t then God demanding the impossible from His creation?
Also, it must be asked, “What IS sin?” There is only one verse in all the Bible that says sin IS….and then defines sin for us. That verse of scripture is found in I John chapter 3, verse 4: “Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law for sin IS the transgression of the law.” Nowhere at no time does the Word of God say, or imply that sin is “missing the mark.” That’s an invention of men.
No wonder Satan wants men confused as to what Paul meant when he wrote that believers are not under the law. Since sin is the transgression of the law, if Satan can convince you that you need not keep God’s holy law then he has convinced you that you are free to commit sin! Satan is good at what he does, folks. And he has a lot of help in circulating his clever deceptions through the teaching and sermons of men and women who have little comprehension of what the Bible actually says and teaches.
But didn’t the apostle John also write, “If we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us?” Yes, he did indeed write those words, also to be found in his first epistle. (See I John 1:8). But most, who quote those words to authorize their continued sinning, ignore the context in which John makes that statement. The context clearly shows that if and when we sin we claim we have not sinned, that God doesn’t see that sin but sees us as being clothed in Christ’s righteousness, we have then deceived ourselves and the truth is not in us. Just three verses later John writes, “My little children, these things write I unto you THAT YOU SIN NOT!” (See I John 2:1). Notice, this apostle is urging believers to stop sinning! He then writes: “And hereby we do know that we know Him (are truly converted) if we keep His commandments. He that says, ‘I know Him’ (claiming to be in fellowship with Jesus Christ), and keeps not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (See I John 2:3-4). Pretty plain language that, huh?
Again, I write to you the words of truth and wisdom. If you have ears to hear, then listen!
Christ’s Faithful Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley