Can a Christian still sin after being saved?

Question

A few of these versus made me think about this:

1 John 5:18 "We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him."

1 John 3:9 "No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God."

Are we allowed to make mistakes after we're saved? I know I have made plenty of mistakes after I have and I'm truly sorry for them. But is that enough? If I make one mistake after being saved does that mean I am going to hell? And if I make a mistake more than once can I still be forgiven?

Answer 1

Well, we're never really "allowed" to make mistakes! That's why they're mistakes! But to answer your question, sin is always a possibility as long as we are alive.

The sense of what John is saying in these passages is that the one who is reborn in baptism lives a new life, and leaves his formerly sinful ways behind. But we continue to struggle with sin, as John acknowledges in 1 John 1: 8-10:

"If we say, 'We are without sin,' we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we acknowledge our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing. If we say, "We have not sinned," we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us."

St. Paul talks about the struggle with sin and temptation in Chapter 7 of the Letter to the Romans, which includes the famous saying, "For I do not do the good I want, but I do the evil I do not want" (verse 19). Paul makes it clear that he depends on God to save him from his sins.

Jesus didn't remove sin and temptation from the world, but He showed us that they can be resisted and overcome, and He gives us the means to do so through the Church.

Answer 2

The scripture means, that no one committed to God will continue in the sinful life they had before they were saved. They now have new direction, but like any one experiencing a new venture, they will make mistakes. I heard it said this way."a sinner leaps into sin and loves it, a Christian lapses into sin and loathes it." I am a Christian and I sin every day. I really don't want to but the old nature creeps in sometimes.
Christians are not perfect, Christians are forgiven.

Answer 3

Without a doubt you can still sin after being saved!
Check out Romans 7. Paul said that he does what he doesn't what to do, but doesn't do what he wants to do. He says in Romans 7:17 that it is sin living in him that causes him to do that which he doesn't want to do. And this was Paul....who wrote numerous books of the New Testament.

The basis of Christianity is not being perfect, but desperately needing God's grace. We don't deserve it, but God gives us is love, even when we don't deserve it. It's a gift. Check out Ephesians 2.....it talks about how God saves us, not because we are holy enough, but as a gift b/c he loves us.

God knows how desperately we need Him and that's what Christianity is all about. It's not about trying to be good so that God will love us. It's about how we need Him to help us. It's good news. That's why Jesus called the gospel "good news." Jesus' message was, "I came here to help!"

I make mistakes. Check out 1 John 1:9. It talks about how when we confess our sins to God He'll forgive us. If we couldn't sin- than that wouldn't be the case.

Good luck.

Answer 4

No one can sin.

The first thing that someone should be considering is whether the idea of sin is actually real.

If God is supposed to be perfect how could She have made anything or anyone that wasn't perfect.
Think about it. The idea of sin assumes certain things about God that seem highly unlikely.

First it assumes a God who is too incompetent to organize a simple educational field excursion and figure out a way to get all of the students home safely.

How likely is this that God would not be smart enough to come up with a plan for our salvation that is going to work 100 percent of the time?

It also assumes that God must have created us imperfect if we are sinners.

One might assume that God would be able to create someone perfect each and every time if he chose to. Assuming God is capable of this, then it follows logically that we must be perfect creations if we are actually creations of this perfect God.

Unless of course you are saying that God chose to create us imperfect.

If God created us imperfect then anything that may go wrong is Gods fault, not ours. This seems a bit illogical at best so I think that we need to assume that What God creates would have to be perfect.

If this is the case and Gods creations are perfect, then nothing that we can do could change what God created perfect and make it imperfect unless we think that we are more powerful than God is.

How likely is it that we the creation could be more powerful than the creator. I personally find this idea somewhat amusing, and a bit absurd.

Religion tells us that God is perfect. If this is true then it could hardly be logically for Gods creations to be considered to be anything less than perfect.

If this is the case and we are perfect creations of a perfect God then Nothing that we can ever do could possibly change this perfection that God willed, unless we were so powerful that our choices could override and change the will of God.

How likely is that????

Think about it.

Love and blessings
don

Answer 5

A Christian will fall short of God (sin) until His return or a Christian's departure from this world. We are weak, human flesh subject to original sin in this world. Does this mean we will endanger ourselves of Hell or complete loss of the Holy Spirit?

Born of the Holy Spirit, one does not blaspheme Him. Blasphemy, or denial of the Holy Spirit, is the only unforgivable sin. He, the Spirit, protects us from this. He is present in our lives, loving us, keeping us for Himself. We are so loved by Him that we feel great love for Him. Our hearts want to love Him not reject Him. The passages in 1John refers to this kind of protection from sin. John means that no Christian, in a state of grace, is capable of unforgivable sin.

The Holy Spirit gives Christians the gift of Himself making it nearly impossible to reject Him. His love is so intense and pervasive that a Christian must consciously, with malintent reject Him in order to blaspheme. Only a Christian already fallen from the graces of the Church through serious or grave sin is subject to this temptation. When a Christian does this he or she is well aware of exactly what she or he is doing. After having blasphemed, the Christian loses all grace of the Church and is doomed for Hell. The redeeming factor is that the Holy Spirit will save the Christian again if he or she returns to Him in any state. The Holy Spirit can even redeem a soul from Hell.

Sins against the ten commandments will endanger Christians of Hell, if unforgiven. There was a time, even in the time of Augustine, when the Church believed that a Christian could not be forgiven any grave sins after baptism. This was taken so seriously that most Christian candidates would choose to postpone baptism until being near death. We now believe grave or serious sins can be forgiven by the Church. The Church has the merits necessary to forgive sins.

Yours in Christ Jesus, Grace

Answer 6

Child, may I speak to you in a fatherly way? You are a living, breathing human being born not of an invisible god in the clouds but of an Earth-bound man and woman, your parents. Why do you torture yourself with fear of 'sin' and 'going to hell'? If religion gives you comfort, by all means keep it in your short life. But if it causes you to fret and worry over every mistake you make, consider that it is bringing you discomfort and unhappiness. Clearly you are an intelligent, resourceful young person--bank on that, take your hopes and dreams and your aims and strengths as far as you can take them. And use your brief candle in a pursuit of happiness, kindness, generosity, creativity. Stop this instant any thought that you are a sinner, that you are going to a mythical hell. Sure, you make mistakes. We all do. You know what, making mistakes, falling short of your personal ideal, is commonplace, it is part and parcel of our species, and a person as wise as you simply says, "Ooops," makes any amends necessary, and goes on with his or her life. As the cliche goes, "This is not a dress rehearsal."

Answer 7

Of course we sin. We're human. But we are covered by the blood of Christ.

To "continue to sin" is different than 'to sin'. To sin means that we commit a sin (say, we get mad and yell at our co-worker) and we are required to make ammends, ask the coworker for forgiveness and of course ask God for the same.

Now....if you went in to work every day and continually harassed and yelled at your co-worker....that is "CONTINUING IN SIN". It means to start something (could be getting into porn, starting an affair, neglecting to pay tithe....etc.) and instead of immediately recognizing it as wrong, asking forgiveness and turning away from it, you go on and KEEP DOING IT. If you keep on sinning, you risk getting out of God's will.

Answer 8

a man or woman is in basic terms in a saved condition. they're nevertheless imperfect in this state. Being in a saved condition means that the guy has repented from gross sins endeavoring to no longer practice such back. in the event that they do sin in this style of way Jesus will help them to repent based upon their faith in him. no person is unquestionably saved until they actually grow to be perfect. it is the advantages interior the destiny if one keeps honest. people who practice gross sin after attaining a saved condition do want self-discipline. If a faith does no longer self-discipline those unrepentant gross sinners it relatively is responsible to God. So is all people who help this style of religion.

Answer 9

i THINK that God knows that it's impossible for us not to sin-everyone sins. Even after we are saved, so I think that if you ask for forgiveness and truly mean it, you will be forgiven and you will not go to hell. If you're still not sure, ask your pastor or someone else that is experenced with these topics at your church. I'm sure that they'll be glad to help.

Answer 10

I can give you an answer but I really think you should talk to your pastor or a spiritual father who knows you. There may be more to this question than what you typed.

This place is good for answers but regarding your question, seeking the counsel of those in authority over you is the way to go.

I hope that helps!