What is the acceptable sin threshold to still be considered Christian.?

Question

I have noticed when discussing bad behavior, and someone points out that Christians have also engaged in that bad behavior, there seems to be two common responses.

If the behavior in question is REALLY bad, (mass murder, torture, etc) then the answer seems to be "well, they weren't really Christian".

Milder bad behavior seems to be explained away by saying "Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven" or "Christians are still human, and will still make mistakes".

This confuses me, because I thought the fundamentalist standard was "sin is sin". So why do some sins mean the person or person in question really isn't/wasn't a Christian and some sins just mean that the person is a forgiven Christian, who is still human and still subject to sin ?

What's the dividing line between a forgiven Christian and a false Christian.

And why is that when non-Christians engage in the same behavior that would be considered ok for a "forgiven" Christian, they are still considered evil ?

Jasmine K, as I said in my post, if "sin is sin" then Christians should either not sin at all, or no type of sin disqualifies them from being a Christian.

If being a Christian "automatically" means they won't kill or torture anyone, then why doesn't it mean that "automatically" that won't even tell a small lie, think an unkind thought etc. ?

It seems to be that some are trying to have it both ways. "Sin is sin" but certain exclusions apply.

Godloves, YOUR religion tells you not to bear false witness against your neighbor. Many non-believers seek forgiveness from the people they have wronged, not from a God they don't believe in. Your blanket statement about non-believers is FALSE. Will you continue to bear such a false witness, even tho ' it is considered a sin in YOUR faith ?

Answer 1

all it takes is one sin undealt with to be deceived off of the path ..

Answer 2

Christians commit murder all the time and sometimes they even say God asked them to do it so its not fair to say that they were never Christian. I think some Christians just don't comprehend the fact that all sins are equal and the only one who can decide what is worse than the other is God. Murderers can be forgiven if they ask for it. And I believe that a traitor or liar is just as bad as a murderer or pedophile! The only thing I believe that can't be rebuked is suicide....because you have no way to pay for that sin other than being damned.

Answer 3

For me, I agree with the "sin is sin." Like you stated, "Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven," and if anger is taken far enough, murder may take place. I know a guy who was a Christian and still murdered his wife--I still stand by believing that he was and still is a christian.

But there is a line that if you're connected to God, mass murder and torture isn't really going to be in the question. Although all sin is a temptation by a demon, the actions you mentioned are usually performed by strongly possessed people, I believe.

Answer 4

Are you seeing that Christains are human and boy we make so many mistakes...We was able to come to Jesus by Grace...we should walk away from sin at all cost but some have not got that far,,we are called a work of progress...we should hold up higher standard than others but some don't in your eyes...but it is Gods eyes we are trying to seek out and He is the one who decides by forgiveness of a repented heart..
Unbelievers don't think they have to be forgiven for any thing wrong,we as Christians know we fall but get back up..
I know I am nothing but God is everything...

Answer 5

Hello. I see what you mean. What I have discovered is that there is a mystery about this which is undestood better than explained.

1. Being a Christian means you follow Christ in doctrine and practice (Chistian means follower of Christ, or disciple.)

Therefore no Christian will want to live in sin once conviction has been given to them on it, or else they are indeed foolish and out of God's will, which for some is for a time (and are in danger of being given their lot with the hypocrites the Bible says in the Gospels), and some stay out of God's will and are regarded as apostates who altogether forsake God.

2. Does this mean moderate / minor sin is permissable and does not encurr this punishment?

So long as ones purpose is always committed to walking in the Spirit (n Hebrews it says "follow peace with all men and Holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord") you might sin by being forgetful to walk in the Spirit, but so long as you purpose all ways in your heart to follow that which is right by God's standards, you are under a cloud of grace.

Answer 6

Would you not know within yourself what the threshold is? I know when I am teetering on the brink of a really big sin. I know when it's mild but still a sin. In times such as these, I have to draw myself back into myself and question - is it worth it? Really worth losing what I have to cheat on a Von's 1.00 off coupon? Or an extra 100.00 from the bank in error? Not even. Sin is sin. Man places the degrees of heinousness on murder - 1st, 2nd, 3rd, manslaughter, etc. In the eyes of God, it is all the same. A lie is equal to gossip is equal to murder is equal to adultry. We all sin. It is how we deal with it and what we do from that sin that matters.

Answer 7

Sin is sin, BUT, God gave a way for ALL to be forgiven. I don't care who you are, I don't care what specifically you're doing be it murder, rape, or something as "insignificant" as a tiny little theft. All of that is sin, if you're a Christian it's a sin, if you're not, it's still a sin. The only difference comes when you confess the sin, asking God to forgive you, and ask the Holy Spirit into your life to help you not do it anymore. so the "acceptable threshold" for sin is zero, but God is one who forgives.

Answer 8

Joining a union used to be considered a sin in the US because the Church was afraid that workers rights would lead to godless communism.

Depends on the time period and the church, but in reality the threshold is when you stop feeling christian as religious identity is more important than your status in a religious community.

Answer 9

The dividing line is whether or not someone has a CONVICTION of their sins. If they say, "I am a Christian so I can be a sinner, my sin doesn't matter" then they are not truly Christian. Here are a few scriptures to show you want I mean (I'm not saying you must believe in the scriptures, I am just pointing out why I believe as I do):

"For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord" Jude 1:4

"Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil. Live as servants of God" 1st Peter 2:16

"I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people - not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. Expel the wicked man from among you" 1st Corinthians 5:9-13

If someone has a conviction of their sins, and they struggle to live according to God's laws, but they at least do struggle to, then they should not be excommunicated. We all struggle, but the moment we say, "I am a Christian so..... this sin doesn't really matter" then we are in trouble.

"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and jst and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" 1st John 1:9

Oh, and why a person who commits small sins who is not a Christian is considered evil but Christians are forgiven.... Because Christians have sought the grace of God and seek righteousness. "But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins" 1st John 2:1. You do not have that same protection if you do not recognize what Christ did for you. The entire world has the chance to have this protection, its just a question of if you are willing to have a conviction of your sins and of the redemption God has offered.

Its not about how severe the sin is, its about whether or not you have a conviction that it is a sin. For instance a Vatican official recently admitted he was a homosexual and was suspended. If he admitted that it was a sin and he was seeking righteousness, I would have supported him, but he came out (pun intended) saying that he did not consider himself a sinner. That is huge. How can you be a Christian if you do not believe you are a sinner? Why would you take medicine if you did not have a conviction that you are sick?

George Washington had slaves but he had a conviction that slavery was wrong and he wanted nothing more to do with it, so I have some sympathy for him and so may God. Alexander Hamilton had a conviction that dueling was wrong and that he would not take the life of another, so God may have sympathy for him. Paul killed Christians, but he came to have a conviction of his errors so I think God had grace for him. But if one person who calls themselves a Christians sins and does not have a conviction of it, then they are not truly Christian, and are in very, very dangerous territory. They're not only sinners but they also turned their back on the grace God is supposed to have given them. In 2nd Peter the author says that those who become Christians and succumb to sin, it would be better than if they had never known who Christ was. Same thing with Judas I believe it was, I think it says it would be better for him if he had never been born. Whether you have lust or homosexuality or even kill a person, you can find the grace God has offered. But if you sin - and think that God will not care, you are in very dangerous territory. This is why Christ said it would be better to poke your eye out then to see something and sin because of it. Sin is a very bad and widespread problem, but if we realize that, we have a chance of forgiveness. Christ had to die because of sin. This is why God cares about our conviction of sin. He didn't die just for the hell of it, he died all because of this infection called sin. It is a disgrace for a Christian to turn around and say their sin doesn't matter, they are not sinners. That is why they are not true Christians.

I conclude with a quote by Benjamin Franklin, probably messed up a little because it is from memory. "Sin is not evil because it is forbidden, but it is forbidden because it is evil"

Answer 10

Even one sin destroy a persons relationship with God. None are truly good. Truthfully, we stumble and fall daily, and we must constantly reaffirm our commitment to God. Really, if we could be good on our own, Jesus would not have died for us.
As we often say- sin is sin.

Answer 11

Christians are forgiven of sins, past, present and future. Salvation can not be earned. It is a free gift.