[Canticle_of_Deborah]

Sin in the believer is restrained by the Holy Spirit and the Father's discipline

This is confusing to me. In Romans 14 Paul is speaking otherwise. He, more than anyone, teaches about appropriate Christian behavior and judgement by God. Paul says "Every one of us will have to give an account of himself before God......Use the faith you have as your rule of life in the sight of God. Happy the man whose conscience does not condemn what he has chosen to do!..........Whatever does not accord with one's belief is sinful."

How do Calvinists reconcile this? Paul is clearly saying believers in Christ can and do sin.

[drstevej]

drsj ***Sin in the believer is restrained by the Holy Spirit and the Father's discipline***

This does not say or imply that believers can not and do not sin, they do. My point is that a believer can not sin willy nilly with no consequence.

Justification frees us from the eternal condemnation of sin because Jesus paid for all of our sins. When a believer sins he/she does not forfeit eternal life but he/she does sever fellowship with the Father and incur the Father's chastening until such sins are confessed. (1 John 1:9 - a book addressed to believers, BTW)

Believers do appear before the judgment seat of Christ and are rewarded for works that withstand the test of fire. However, salvation is not a reward and is not at stake at the judgment seat of Christ.

Analogy. When my daughter was born into our family and my son was adopted into our family we embraced them unconditionally. They will always be my children. However, that security should not make them conclude that I do not care what they do and that they will not be disciplined.

When they diosobey they break fellowship with me and need to confess/repent. Their position in the family is not at stake. I discipline them because I love them and want them to mature (exactly the motive of the Father for spiritual discipline).