Expert: Marvin Howard - 12/11/2005

Question
I am sorry if this question is a bit wordy, but I really need some clarification from a more mature Christian.  The more I study the Bible the more doubt I have about everything I believe in, and I know it shouldn't be that way.  So, here is the contradiction I am trying to sort out in my studies:  I used to get very depressed after I sinned, as I am a man, I have trouble controlling my thoughts, eyes, and actions at times concerning the opposite sex.  After I sinned I would get so depressed and frustrated over committing the same sins again and again that I would want to give up, and after a while my heart became hard and I did give up, accepting that I would probably go to hell, but still trying to serve God.  (Luke Warm)  Then I discovered Romans.  In Chapter 7 I understood Paul to mean that he still sinned when he said he does what he hates and does not do what he wants, and I understood John to still sin when he said in 1 John 1:8-9 "If we claim to be without sin the truth is not in us." while speaking to Christians.  Then when I read Romans 7 and 8 I came to this conclusion:  The Old Law was the law of Sin and Death, a law of fear.  And based on what Paul said when we are told we cannot do something, Satan puts every desire in our heart to do that thing.  Then he says, but the Old Law was not designed to cause sin, but to teach us what sin was.  Okay, then he explains we are no longer under a law of fear, but under a law of “Sonshipâ€? and that there is “No Condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus.â€?  From Romans and from verses like 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 “All things are permissible but not beneficialâ€?  that once we were saved and repented of our sins, slipping up and sinning again did not condemn us like in the old law, and that is why Jesus died.  Further more, because we were no longer under the law of fear, this freedom, and thankfulness for our Salvation is what made us free from Sin, and gave us the desire to NOT sin.  This changed my views, and I started viewing the New Law as, Jesus already paid for my Sins, so out of Thankfulness I will try to live a Holy Life and Serve him, and if I slip up I don’t have to feel defeated or depressed, I can ask forgiveness and I am still saved.  This freedom lifted a huge burden from my heart, and for weeks I felt great, and did better than I had ever done at living a Holy Life, because it was no longer out of fear of Hell that I tried to be Holy, but out of Thankfulness for my Salvation and debt to God.  
  Then it all fell apart as I continued to study.  I found verses like Ephesians 5:5 which listed out sins such as Sexually Immorality and said people who practice such things will not be in the Kingdom of God.  There are other verses similar to this one all throughout the New Testament, and if my understanding is correct of them, they contradict Romans.  That means if I am still slipping up and sinning, I have sexual immorality in my life, therefore I am condemned and going to hell.  So if I live a pure life (which I don’t) and then one day slip up right before I die, as John says we all still sin, I will go to hell.  How is that different from the old law of Sin and Death and Fear?  I am still required to obey the Law or go to hell no matter what.  If this is the case, Jesus would have died only to change a few customs and traditions of the Jewish people, and to spare the Bulls and Goats from being killed.  The Son of God would not die for something that small, so where have I gone wrong in my studies?  It cannot be both ways, and I am having a hard time understanding.  I have always had a bad habit of getting the New Testament and Old mixed up, sometimes thinking that I am getting to Heaven by the good works, when I should instead be doing good works BECAUSE I am going to heaven, but the whole subject keeps getting more confusing the more I study, and I thought studying and hearing the word is how I was supposed to grow in Faith, not loose it.  Please help me, I need help to understand the scriptures.  I have prayed but as my faith grows weaker with doubt and questions, my prayer life starts disappearing as well.  Thank you for your time.

Anthony


Answer
Hi!

Anthony, I do not mind the length of your question. In fact, a goodly amount of words allows me to get a better understanding of your question, and what it will take to give you a proper answer.

To rephrase your question more simply, you are seeking to understand why one set of passages says sinners won't see Heaven, while another says sinners will get there.

You are correct that your understanding of Romans 7 (and the other verses you cite) is in conflict with the more plain passages that mention what will not get into Heaven. God is not the author of confusion (1st Corinthians 14:33). The confusion you see is the result of the ideas of man, imposed over the truth of God, since the time of the Gnostics; shortly after the advent of the kingdom on the first Pentecost after the resurrection. In short, what is missed is the distinction between two types of sin: intentional and unintentional. We will delve a little more deeply into this in a moment.

The two are not contradictory, if they are placed in context. This is what we will examine in this answer.

First, you need to have a proper definition of sin. Here is a sermon I delivered to the congregation in Braswell just a few months ago on the topic.

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The “Nature” of Sin

Sin is quite an involved subject. I will do as much as I can, here, to simplify it, without detracting from the seriousness of it.

I would like to start by looking at the etymology, which is the root origins, of the word. By itself, the word is not ugly. It will need a context to make it so. The problem is, due to popular usage, the evil context is always added to it, having forgotten its root.

Originally, sin was an archery term, and it came from the competitive nature of the Greeks. Remember, please, Greece is the home of the Olympics. Its literal meaning was “missing the mark." Picture, if you will, a “bull's-eye" on an archery target. That is the mark, which one would strive to hit; it is perfection. It can be missed in any direction. You can aim too high, low, or to either side. You can also “think” you aimed correctly, and not have done so. Results are what counts. Intentions mean nothing when it relates to sin. For example, you might have been told that the wind is blowing more strongly than it really is. Let's say it is supposed to be a crosswind from the right. You would aim more to the right to try compensating for it. With the wind being false, your aim would be false, and you would miss to the right. On the other hand, you may have not been told to compensate for gravity; that it doesn't make any difference. Your aim would thus be incorrect, and you would miss the mark on the low side, or sin.

I will return to the archery analogy in a moment as it relates to religion. However, there are more recent uses of the word, in other languages. You must remember, Biblically, all languages have their roots at Babel (the story is in Genesis 11:1-9). It is a safe assumption that many words have common origins within the different languages. It is even more common among the simpler words. One who does word studies will see this more easily than normal.

In English, the word “sincere” is not a compound word. However, in Latin, it comes from two words. “Sine Cere” (pronounced, “see'-nay say'-ray”) originally meant “without wax.” In the marketplace, merchants would often wax furniture to hide the imperfections.  In fact, this was the normal practice. Those with better quality did not need this. They were said to be “sine cere,” or sincere. There was nothing to hide. While this was initially applied only to the furniture, it was eventually applied to the merchants, as well. The furniture was not hidden; therefore, the people did not want to hide it. It was applied to persons, and therefore, personalities.

Let's turn to a modern language: Spanish. If I go to a Mexican restaurant, and I want no ice in my beverage, I as for it “sin hielo” (with the silent “h” it is pronounced, “seen yay'-low”), that is, without ice.

So, we see, even in modern usage, “sin” remains close to its original meaning, “without,” or outside of the mark, having missed it.

Let's now turn to Biblical references to sin. I want to look closely at its origins there, for it will explain a lot.

Genesis 1:10, “And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.”

The same thought is carried in the twelfth, eighteenth, and twenty-first verses.

According to the first chapter of Genesis, all life, which God created, was perfect. Why do I say this? I wish to include an excerpt from Adam Clarke's “Commentary on the Bible.”

“Gen 1:10 - …And God saw that it was good - This is the judgment which God pronounced on his own works. They were beautiful and perfect in their kind, for such is the import of the word “tob” (pronounced, toe' beh). They were in weight and measure perfect and entire, lacking nothing.”

All life was perfect: none of it could miss the mark on its own. With this thought in mind, look at the thirty-first verse.

Genesis 1:31, “And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.”

All of life was “good.” All of life was perfect. Yet, man was not just good/perfect, man was very good/very perfect. It is not in the nature of humanity to sin! Sin is not natural. There is really no “sin nature!” There is a false doctrine out there, promulgated by one of the popes in antiquity, carried over into protestantism by Martin Luther, and made popular by John Calvin, that sin is inherited from the father. Well, this is not using logic (log'-os = words in the Greek). The Greek word for “father” is “pater” (pronounced, pat-ayr'). It has no other meaning than “creator.” If sin is inherited from the father, then Adam's sin was inherited from his father/creator, God. If that is not the case, then Adam's father/creator was Satan. The doctrine was created out of whole cloth, with no basis in fact. It is a superstition used by the idolatrous religions that believe in karma. Like many, many other things, it was incorporated into what was falsely believed to be Christianity.

Remember, I said the word “sin” by itself has no ugly meaning. Religiously is where it begins to pick up a negative context. The penalty for sin is death (c.f., Genesis 42:22 - the first instance where this penalty is recorded as applying to all sin, and not just murder, but is assumed to already be common knowledge).

Deuteronomy 24:16, “The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.”

2nd Kings 14:6, “But the children of the murderers he slew not: according unto that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall be put to death for his own sin.”

2nd Chronicles 25:4, “But he slew not their children, but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses, where the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin.”

This was important enough for God to record at least three times. Yet, all of the “popular” theologians miss it completely, saying we shall all die for the sins of our fathers.

The third chapter of Genesis records the first sin. Man had everything he needed. Only one restriction was placed upon him; do not eat of one particular tree. Man did not have the desire to eat that fruit on his own. He had to be enticed. Satan knew better than to approach the man; he used his best tactic of going to the woman. It would be easier to fool her. It worked.

God had promised that man would die “the day” he ate it (Genesis 2:17). Did man die? Many contend the answer is “no.” He was only kicked out of the Garden, after all. The “second death” is being cast from the presence of God (c.f., Revelation 20:14). The simple definition of death, then, is “separation.” It is either separation of the spirit from the body (physical death), or separation of the spirit from God (spiritual death). Man needs communion with God for his spiritual well-being; for the survival of his spiritual life. Adam was cast from the presence of God the very day he ate: he died spiritually. This is why we must be “born again” (John 3:3, while John 3:5 tells us how to be born again in response to the question by Nicodemus).

Let's look at a related word for a moment that we may get a better handle on sin. According to Webster's “Revised Unabridged Dictionary” (1913), iniquity is defined as:

1.   “Absence of, or deviation from, just dealing; want of rectitude or uprightness; gross injustice; unrighteousness; wickedness; as, the iniquity of bribery; the iniquity of an unjust judge.”
2.   “An iniquitous act or thing; a deed of injustice or unrighteousness; a sin; a crime.”

According to Webster, an iniquity is a sin. What does it do to us?

Isaiah 59:2, “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”

There is the proof that death is nothing more than separation, and sin is its cause. When we sin, we commit suicide, spiritually. We shed blood, spiritually. There is a penalty for this.

Genesis 9:6, “Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.”

God is just, and will impose the penalty (1st Corinthians 1:9). Yet, He doesn't want to impose it (Deuteronomy 7:9). God had a plan (John 3:16 Genesis 3:15), a propitiation. He was not ready to implement it (Galatians 4:4). I will get there in just a minute. Nevertheless, to get us ready (Galatians 3:24-25), God put a stopgap, if you will allow that expression, in place. This is the “blood of bulls and goats” (Hebrews 9:13): the Old Law, Old Testament, or Old Covenant. Why do I call it a stopgap?

Hebrews 10:4, “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.”

While “the blood of bulls and goats” (Hebrews 9:13) was used to sanctify and purify man, it didn't really do the job: it couldn't do the job. These laws were needed to teach the subject of obedience to God's people.

I have just one more thought, and the lesson will be yours this morning. After eating of the tree of knowledge, we find out that man changed. He now knows right from wrong. All men do. We suffer the consequences of Adam's sin, without suffering the guilt.

Romans 3:23-26, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

The majority of the religious world, all of the denominations save one of which I am aware, misinterpret this passage. They think “freely” means “with no strings attached.” “Dorean” (pronounced, do-reh-an') is the accusative case of “dorea” (pronounced do-reh-ah') as an adverb; gratuitously (literally or figuratively): and means “without a cause, freely, for naught, in vain.” It means He didn't have to do it. It means the gift isn't empty of meaning. It does not preclude any strings (actions/works on our part) required to accept the gift. The gift is Jesus: His sacrifice and His blood. Animal blood is not as important as ours; it doesn't work. Jesus' blood is purer and more valuable; it is what we need. God is imposing the penalty, just not on us if we obey. He will impose it on His Son, instead.

So, what do we have to do about the sins we have? What must we do to be saved, to get our spiritual lives born again? What must we do to contact the saving blood of the promised Messiah? I know the whole counsel of God on this subject goes against the teaching of every single denomination, without exception. However, it is taught in the Bible, and therefore the church teaches it. I am duty bound to show it.

Remember our archery analogy. If someone tells you to do too much, you miss the mark too high, or sin. If someone tells you to do too little, you miss the mark too low, or sin. If someone tells you the wrong things to do, you either miss the mark to the right or left, or sin. Since part of what God says (Luke 13:3) is that we must repent (quit sinning), committing sin, however well intentioned, while trying to be saved will not save you. Remember, you have already sinned (committed iniquities/done wrong). Two wrongs cannot make a right.

Romans 10:17, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Will you say God will save everybody? Or, will you accept the Word of God.

John 8:24, “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.”

Will you say we can think Jesus was just a good person? Or, will you accept the Word of God?

Luke 13:3, “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”

Will you say you don't have to quit doing wrong? Or, will you accept the Word of God?

Acts 8:37, “And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

Will you confess that, “God for Christ's sake has pardoned my sins?” Or, will you accept the Word of God and confess that, “Jesus Christ is the Son of God?”

1st Peter 3:20-21, “Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:”

Will you be baptized “because you have already been saved?” Will you refuse to be baptized at all? Will you demand God give you the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which has only been given in three instances in the Bible? Or, will you accept the Word of God and be baptized in order to be saved by water (and therefore by the blood), as was Noah?

Will you not seek to walk with God? Will you not obey Him, not only in the beginning, but continually? Are you willing to accept God's terms for salvation rather than inventing your own; or accepting the inventions of another man such as Calvin, Armstrong, or any other? Will you not seek the Lord's way in everything you do, especially in matters concerning salvation? Will you obey God's Grace? Or, would you rather obey man's commands, such as “Faith only saves us. Nothing else is necessary.” My friends, I can safely tell you, if this is your choice, you will be lost for all eternity. All things are ready. Will you not come to God?

It may be that you are a Christian already, but have fallen from Grace, as Galatians 5:4 plainly teaches can happen. Whatever the need, will you come to the feast God has prepared? Today? As we sing this song of encouragement?

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With this thought in mind, let's get back to the difference between intentional sin and that which is unintentional.

Hebrews 6:4-6, “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.”

In the same context, we find this as the summary of the point:

Hebrews 10:26-29, “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?”

Writing to Christians, the Hebrew writer states plainly that falling from grace denies us the efficacy of Christ's blood we once enjoyed. In other words, Christians will go to Hell if they sin wilfully. How can this be? They are no longer penitent; the repentance required for salvation (Acts 2:38 and others) is no longer there, and it is the fault of the fallen. Repentance is not a once and done deal. If you examine the entire first chapter, you will see this is the intent behind the passage you referenced in 1st John. We must continue to walk in the light. It is not optional. So, who is the light?

John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

So, we must continually walk in Jesus to be saved. But, wait, John calls light the “Word,” as well, defining it as Jesus.

John 1:1, 9 & 14, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world...And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

So, we know we must continually walk in the Word in order to get into Heaven. How can we do that?

Hebrews 4:15, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

Jesus was tempted in all points like as we are! How wonderful is this good news! This is doubted by many, because there are so many temptations that did not exist at the time of the writing. Even I had problems with this at first, and my faith wavered. But, through my continued studies, I found the following passage to be relevant:

1st John 2:16, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

There are three types of sin. They are listed here, and declared to be all that is in the world. Every temptation we can possibly face falls into one of these three catagories. Look at Jesus' temptation at the beginning of His ministry (Matthew 4:1-11). There were 3 temptations. One involved His hunger because of His fasting. The second involved His physical life. The third involved gaining power. Together, Jesus suffered the lust of the flesh (for food), the pride of life (His protection by angels), and the lust of the eyes (all of the kingdoms He could see). How was Jesus able to defeat these? God loves us as He loves Jesus, desiring all to be His children (2nd Peter 3:9).

1st Corinthians 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.”

God gave Jesus a way to escape, just as He does for us. To all three temptations, Jesus replied, “It is written.” We walk in the light to receive the cleansing blood, and that is the same as walking in the Word. New Christians are not expected to know the Word well enough to defeat Satan (and temptation) with it. However, we are expected to grow.

Hebrews 5:12, “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.”

Anthony, I realize this is quite long of itself, especially with the inclusion of an entire sermon, but there is one more point that needs to be made. What is the result of unintentional sin?

In Isaiah 59:2, we already found that sin separates us from God. Do you remember we found that repentance is not a once and done deal? Unintentional sin is the topic of discussion you find in the writings of Paul that formed your premise. When we sin unintentionally, we are not fighting God, that is just a case of the spirit being willing, but the flesh being weak (Matthew 26:41). We must turn and repent of the sins when we find we have sinned. This is commanded in the Word (Acts 8:22 where Peter is talking to a Christian), and we must stay in the Word to get to Heaven.

In summary, there is a difference between willful sin (a pattern of conduct which is buried as the old man at baptism), and unintentional sin (individual acts in which we catch ourselves even though we do not desire to sin). Even so, both require repentance before entrance to Heaven will be granted. It just happens that “babes in Christ” will need more repentance than more mature Christians. This is the topic (still unintentional sin) under discussion by John, which you used to support your premise. Even the most mature of Christians will still sin sometimes. We do not develop a superiority which stops us from sinning unintentionally. We will always have need of the blood of Christ.

A person cannot continue to sin, knowing it is sin, and expect to get into Heaven.

Romans 6:1-2, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”

God gives us a way of escape. It is up to us to use it.

I hope this answer proves to be a valuable aid in your studies. Do not hesitate to ask if you need more information on this or any other topic.

In His Service,
Marvin Howard
preacherman_1962@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/preacherman_1962