Expert: Richard Aberdeen - 10/13/2011

Question
You wrote me....this statement, I received yesterday.

Followup to previous conversation:

This is why you are not correct about not still being a sinner, based on what two different authors in the New Testament clearly said:

Paul; from Romans ch. 7
In this passage below, Paul very clearly says he is still a sinner.

Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

John, from 1 John, ch. 1
John is very clearly writing to believers in this first chapter, as he says the word "us" more than once in the opening lines.

8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
My answer  

When one was crucified with Christ, buried with Him, and arose with Him, the one who died was the *old man*, the *sinner* condemned to death and separation from God! Now we are that *new man* the scripture states. No more the adamic nature, but partakers of the Divine Nature of our parent God the father.  

The Sinner that I was, is dead, and buried. Now called a son of God, and saints by calling.  BUT that does not mean that * I * a son of my Father, cannot  sin, it just means that I am not a sinner, but a son/saint that can sin if so chosen to do so..

The term * disobediant sons* is used several times in the new testament, clearly portraying that (1) they are sons of God, and yet disobediant to the call of righteous actions, over unrighteous acts!

Through our new parentage every believer is able and enabled to walk in righteousness if they are obediant to the unction of the Spirit, of which they have become one with the Spirit/Christ.

John 15 points to the fact of both branches that are attached to the Vine, have both the same capacity to enjoy the life that flows from the Vine and produce the fruit of the Vine, or not.

So, the Sinner is dead, but I, a new born son of God, still have the choice of doing sin, or not.  Paul mentions, that if He, being one with Christ sinned, would Christ be the author of that sin? No! He says, but I alone am guilty.

It truly is, " No longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me!"

regards
Bar.

Answer
That's nonsense, unless you want to call both John and Paul "disobedient" sons, as if you are any better.  John says, if WE, meaning including him, say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves.  Paul writes that in him, that is, in Paul's flesh, lives no good thing.  Paul writes that there is warring up within himself, that keeps him from doing what he believes to be good.  According to Paul in Romans Chapter One and Two, no man or woman is any better than any other man or woman, other than Christ living in us.  Paul clearly says if we condemn someone else, we admit that we are the same.  

There is a very simple test anyone can conduct to see if they are a sinner.  Try doing what you think is good all of the time and see how well you do.

Don't forget, no hot dogs, fast food, donuts, soft drinks or any of the other crap we put into our bodies on a daily basis, that we know can cause diseases and is a bad example for children, you must always help every person in need you see, you can never just drive by or walk by a single person in need, you must keep ever single law in the Old Testament, including the one's no longer practiced.  

You're no better than the rest of us and, you are only kidding yourself.

You quote Paul out of context.  Paul says, it is Messiah who lives in him and, "with the flesh I serve the law of sin".  Sinners do not have a choice whether to sin or not.  As Paul clearly says, he sees another law in his flesh waring against him and he cannot do the things he wants to do, that the good he wills to do he cannot do but the evil he wills not to do, that he does.

A sinner is someone who cannot save themselves, someone who cannot just choose to do either good or bad, as you say.  If that was true, then we could obey the law ourselves and thus, Jesus would not have needed to die.  

Sin is what keeps us from knowing, having, doing and being what we want to be; sin is what keeps us from being free, both externally and internally.  Salvation is a lifetime process of over time, being made more free and obtaining the desire of our hearts.  Someone who has no sin would be someone who is completely and entirely free.  Someone who has no sin would always love their neighbor as their own self, all of the time.  There is no such person living on this planet that I have ever met or heard of, other than Jesus.