A while back some friends and I were discussing the effects of known or intentional sin on a believer. Of specific interest was the nature and consequence of sins, if any, which were tantamount to a rejection of the Lord. Does the Christian sin? If so, in what way? Can a Christian deliberately sin and remain a Christian? What of repentance, or its lack? These where the core questions our banter revolved around. Needless to say, opinions were both ample and varied.
During the course of the discussion, after sharing that I believed a deliberate and conscious act of sin resulted in one no longer being justified in the sight of God, and that except one repent for such a violation they would face eternal punishment, one of the number responded that he did not believe in “revolving door” salvation. Of course what he meant was that he didn’t believe a deliberate act of sin separated a believer from Christ. If it could then salvation was like a revolving door with a person frequently repenting and sinning in turn, alternately revolving in and out of grace, so to speak. At least in his estimation of things.
Oddly enough, though I vehemently differ with his application, I concur with his statement. I do not believe in revolving door salvation either! Not because I believe Christians must be oft sinning and then repenting, and that deliberately. Rather, I believe a true experience with Christ is not so easily spurned or cast aside (2 Corinthians 7:10). Nor is it permitted to be so abused as to tolerate the popular notion of the “sinning Christian” (Romans 6:1-2). To that end I determined to elaborate on this rather brief, yet loaded, passage.
Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. — 1 John 3:6
Tense Stuff
It is generally agreed that the idea expressed here concerns one who practices sin — one who goes on sinning, who continues or persists in their sin. That is an important distinction to note. Else, one might wrongly get the idea that sinless perfection is the resultant state of all true conversion rather than the goal. In short, upon becoming a Christian one would never, could never, sin again. Thereby anyone who sins cannot be, and never has been, a true convert. By this application sin becomes an impossibility for believers since, according to John, whoever sins has not seen or known Christ. That is, of course, erroneous. The Christian need not sin, it’s true. Yet, he certainly does posses the capacity to sin, as John indicates so expressively elsewhere in this same epistle (1 John 2:1).
However, as surely as one could misconstrue John’s teaching by ignoring the implications of the attached tense (namely, that this refers to yet ongoing or forthcoming sin) one can also overemphasis the tense. An example would be in insisting that continuance in sin here means only a life characterized by ongoing, repetitive, and frequent sin. Effectively, this application pushes the determination of such committal into the realm of the unknown.
After all, the supposed “habitual” nature of such sin becomes rather subjective and arbitrary. In so doing one diminishes the gravity and seriousness of the possibility of sin for believers; granting (though perhaps unintentionally) a licentious view and abuse of grace, implanting a false assurance of right standing with God. How so? By effectively denying the Apostles first clause; whoever abides in Christ does not persist in sin. That is to say, as long as one continues in grace they are enabled to keep from deliberately and consciously sinning relative to their understanding and maturity in the Lord (1 John 1:7, & 1 John 3:3). The capacity to sin remains, but the ability to refrain from sin, known and deliberate sin, is graciously imparted and enabled. It only remains for us to lay hold on that gracious work by faith, proving we are in fact more than conquerors through Him that loved us (Romans 8:37), and that we indeed now reign in life by Christ (Romans 5:17).
Whereas neglecting the tense gives too narrow an interpretation, overemphasizing it gives to broad a one.
As a note of clarity, it is not the believer’s sinlessness (relative, though it is) that assures him of salvation. Nor is he, in his totality, necessarily without sin. Thus the need for believers to yet grow in grace and knowledge (2 Peter 3:18), to perfect holiness (2 Corinthians 7:1), and to renew our minds (Romans 12:2), etc. Rather, it is the Lord’s saving grace that assures us the forgiveness of sins past, and which enables both our relative sinlessness and progressive holiness. In short, we are not saved by our own sinlessness, but having been saved we have the fruit of righteousness unto holiness (Romans 6:19). Sinlessness, like good works, is the fruit (not the root) of our salvation. Yet, an unfruitful tree or branch, except it become otherwise, is yet bound for the fire (Matthew 7:19, & John 15:2-6).
In or Out
Thereby we are given to understand, through the Apostle’s qualifiers, that anytime a person deliberately and consciously sins, and goes on there in, they are not abiding in Christ. Consequently, except they repent, such are not in grace. They no more have life in themselves than the branch separated from its vine (John 15:6). Furthermore, though it is possible for a believer to yield to temptation and sin, to be overtaken in a fault, we are granted inspired discernment here on the difference between a person who is in Christ and one who is not. Those who persist in sin, as explained above, are not in Christ.
We may justly conclude then that any profession of faith that does not result in a changed person, abandonment of one’s former life for Christ, as well as the present and ongoing forsaking of known sin for righteousness and holiness, is a false profession. Further still, any claim to saving faith is likewise invalidated, though one has to that point lived a devoted and faithful life (attesting to the validity of their experience heretofore), when in failing to repent one actually persists in the resultant condition the commission of known sin leaves them in. You see, one need not repetitively commit sin (whether the same sin or varied) to continue in sin. One need only to fail to confess their sin, thereby forfeiting the absolution promised by our just and faithful God (1 John 1:9). Thankfully, when we so sin, God chastises us, as any good father would a disobedient child. He does so in order that we might repent and continue to partake of His holiness (Hebrews 12:6-7). However failing to repent serves only to severe one’s fellowship with the Savior, thereby refusing His grace and Lordship (Titus 1:16).
Revolving door salvation? Hardly! Still, the door does swing both ways. Whether you stay in or out is up to you. If you will abide in Him then Christ will abide in you! And the fruit of that relationship, while perhaps in need of maturity, will nevertheless be evident.
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