Expert: Scott Talbot - 2/24/2009

Question
In the book of corinthians there was a group of christians practicing sins that Paul had to constantly tell them to repent. John in one of his epistles says christians don't practice sin. PLease explain.

Answer
Hi Al,

Nice to hear from you.

Of course Christians sin. As long as we have a sinful human nature, we will continue to fall. Even Paul himself, a model Christian, spoke of his constant struggle with the flesh / the Old Man / the flesh / the carnal nature. Look through the Bible, and you would be hard pressed to find one person whose life didn't include failure. This included King David, who was "a man after God's own heart." He committed adultery and murder.

John's first epistle (not the gospel of John, but the first of his three books that precede Jude and Revelation) points out the characteristics of a Christian. It is characteristic of a Christian to strive to live a life free of sin. It is only the Christian, who is a "New Creature," in whom lives the Holy Spirit, who has the ability to not sin.

This, of course, does not mean that a Christian will be consistent in living a holy life. It simply means that holy living should be the trademark of a Christian. At the very least, he should WANT to live a pure life.

I hope this helps.

Scott