That is true, but we are also called by Christ to “go and sin no more”. I am born-again believer and I regularly need to check myself for sin. Guess what...I’m sinful and I admit I fail regularly in many ways I wish I did not. As Paul said...”Why do I do what I do not want to do...”. We are still wrapped in the flesh and the flesh itself is sinful.
I agree with Dever however...too many people think we can just continue to sin. If people aren’t checking their lives for sinful behavior...then I can see his point. The issue isn’t that Christians cannot sin, it whether they care enough to confess before the Lord that they continue to sin. It’s all about our hearts and unfortunately many people choose to know Jesus but they don’t choose to have a relationship with him. Even the demons acknowledge he is the Son of God. We put too much emphasis on a “decision” and not on our “relationship” with our Lord.
Someone told me you know you’re there when you know you’re a sinner and the very thought of intentionally sinning horrifies you.
So true, so true...!
I often asked myself, “Why do the born agains make the same mistakes again?”
What I found, after years of psychological research into mind control techniques was that the big difference between the real event and the false event is that the individual surrenders their authority horizontally to another person rather than going within, traversing the dark-night-of-the-soul experience and surrendering within to a higher power.
I’m trained as a stage hypnotist, but will never use it. I learned the techniques in order to understand how charismatic pastors controlled their followers. It’s relatively easy to do, even with intelligent educated people. It’s used in the political election process as well!!! Sad to say.
That is very insightful. I agree and believe that this behavior has its roots in two of the tenets of Protestantism; Once Saved Always Saved and being "Born Again" in which Salvation is an event rather than a life long process of conversion.
Not to say that Catholics are immune from this by abuse of the sacrament of Reconciliation, but when one believes that there is no substantial consequence for sin there is no real need to avoid it. Even St. Paul, following his Road to Damascus Epiphany, required years of further conversion and life long struggle against sin. Too many who profess to be Born Again have actually started their endzone dance at the 50 yard line.
The 'once saved, always saved' doctrine seems to allow lip service but not repentance in life.