Willful, Habitual Sin / Willful, Habitual Holiness
Glenn on Discipleship
We won't "do it all perfectly", but we need to "do it"! Which will we desire and apply ourselves to -habitually?
Sooner or later a serious Christian deals with a tension between the grace of God- the ONLY thing by which we gain entrance to heaven ultimately- and the ongoing need to grow in both character as well as behavioral holiness.
We know we are only saved by God's grace in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross for our sin. We know the Bible teaches quite clearly that God not only considers us holy because of what Jesus has done... He also calls us to grow in Christ, i.e., "IF you love me you will obey my commandments".
In seeking to both understand and truly walk in freedom of the Spirit, we yet must learn to obey the Holy Spirit (see Acts 5.32, etc.). It is a two-way street- not just a talk but a walk, not simply information but transformation in mind and life that God is working in those who follow Jesus.
This is neither spiritual double-talk nor is God playing with us or our sense of logic when both sides of this coin are raised in the New Testament- and raised they are!
The fact is that you may born into a family and by blood, legally and any other criteria be truly a part of the family yet be quite estranged from your brothers and sisters, even mother and... Father.
Too many believers think too lightly and glibly about their ongoing relationship to God. Knowing we are saved by grace does not answer our need for spiritual growth much less God's own desire that we in love- not only out of a sense of duty or law- obey Him and actually apply (live out in daily practice) His Word.
Of course the charge of hypocrisy is one unbelievers level at Christians who say they believe but apparently live quite outside of the Bible's teachings in terms of their attitude, morals and relationships in daily practice. To say one is simply saved but not interested in personal holiness doesn't answer the deeper question: if you aren't for real, why should I believe God is?
Because Jesus paid the price for us and we are secure in our faith and salvation must not be taken as license to jump the "biblical fence" as far too many believers do. God's grace is boundless- but not without boundaries...
Let me be very clear: when I preach, teach and work at modelling a biblical life and lifestyle before God and people, my concern is not to somehow "earn" what is, according to the clear teachings of the Bible, un-earnable! Jesus ALONE paid the price for my entrance into the family of God, the kingdom of heaven and eternal life. I know it and believe it.
Yet the biblical concept of holiness- and by this I mean what God calls us as Christians to be and grow in- his Own attitudes, character, judgment and purity in our thoughts, words and deeds- is not optional. He declares us holy, and at the same time knows as we all do, that we are often quite unholy in our thoughts, words and activities.
Therefore, spiritual growth, real maturity that surfaces in actions that mirror and more reflect those of Jesus Himself, the actual living out the Word of God in our lives is where we all rise or fall. What I often term "practical holiness" is often left out of preaching and teaching in Christian circles. There is at times a confusion. "Am I saved or not, holy or not, accepted by God or not"? In and because of Christ, a repentant believer follows Jesus. Any serious student will learn and move beyond information to actual practice. Application (James says faith without works is dead... and it surely is) is sorely lacking all too often. I speak of myself, not only the reader! So YES, you are holy- but you may or may not be WALKING and living out holiness in your current choices and activities. I am married, but are my thoughts, eyes and body married this moment, this hour, today, in my practice?
When I call people -including myself- to holy living and growth in holiness, I do not mean that any of us in this life can somehow attain sinlessness. We have free will, we see the marks of sin, the effects of the Fall in all of us and in the world. There is still a fallen angel referred to in the Bible as the devil (or satanSatan, etc.) and there are fallen angels which we call demons who actively tempt us to think and act against the will/Word of God. This is reality.
All Christians sin. To say I don't or that somehow any of us can reach a state of complete and utter sinlessness in our thoughts, words and deeds while in this world is not only un-biblical, it is illogical and impossible.
I say this because anyone (like myself) who emphasizes holy living is open to either sound like or in actuality to be saying things in such a way as to confuse or cause people to feel condemned regarding their sins. This is NOT the heart of God Himself and certainly isn't what I'm trying to accomplish!
We ALL sin, and therefore we must come to a few basic conclusions about the Christian life and the Christian church, and here are a few in light of the present topic:
We each need daily grace, God's forgiveness for our sins. We all must truly and deeply forgive those who sin against us. We must grow in our knowlege of what GOD in His Own Word calls "sin", i.e., not what does person A, B or C think but what does God Himself in His Own Book refer to as "sin"? Other believers and the church as a local or larger fellowship of believers can give us good (or not so good) input on this, but in the end, the real Voice we must learn to hear is God's, and His Book is "the only perfect rule for faith, doctrine and practice", therefore, we must study His Word for clarity on what sin is and is not. This is in my view, a Major reason a lot of sloppy "truths" are passed around the churches: ignorance of what God in His Word defines as sin.
Unless one can find some clear and solid texts that are echoed in the Word itself ("two or more witnesses") regarding the possibility of Christians living absolutely sinless lives in this world (98 percent of believers throughout history would not agree that the Bible teaches sinless perfectionism- and I agree with that assessment), then we come back to the grace of God alone for salvation AND spiritual growth/discipleship. Christian growth is not about our works, our "white knuckling" ourselves, not our own power or ability, not our works.
Having said all this, I have long ago come to a position where texts such as those in 1 John that speak of sin among believers must be interpreted in the sense of "willful, habitual sin". Therefore the issue isn't sinlessness, nor is it about occasional stumbling, but rather that a person who willfully, continually chooses sin is in fact, in danger of having truly rejected the grace of God. Put another way for my Calvinist friends, we might say God rejects the person who willfully, continually chooses sin rather than Jesus and Jesus' ways.
Please read this last paragraph again for it is crucial to understand. IF we have no free will, we cannot be judged by God for what we had no control nor choice about in terms of sin. To say we will never again sin in area X or Y is wonderful, but problematic in terms of history and reality!
All of us stumble, we all sin. That's one thing. A willful, continual choosing to sin is something else. I think a lot of believers are condemned within themselves thinking they can't possibly be saved because they stumble. Others think they are surely saved due to acceptance of information in their heads... but much like a human encyclopedia, they -much like the devil- have information with little to zero application of the truths of the Word such as repentance, saving faith, trusting and applying God's grace and actually learning to love God and their neighbor. The fruit is not only lacking but near if not totally non-existent. Both people have serious issues regarding their relationship to God via Jesus Christ. The concept that He is my Savior but not my Lord is part of the problem. The other concept is that unless I fully comply (live sinlessly) that I can't be saved is equally rediculous. Both sorts of people are in trouble, and this is why I'm addressing these issues here and now.
We must face the truth that as believers, we must (as John writes) admit we indeed do sin, and that God's grace is sufficient for our forgiveness and right standing with Him- if and as we repent, confess our sins, and walk in the light, in honest fellowship rather than deception, rather than choosing to lie and live a sham life.
The church is called "the pillar and ground of the truth", and many of us in the churches deny the core Truth we say we believe. The issue is not what we think about it, but what God thinks about it and what can/ought/should we DO about it.
I do believe it comes finally not to sinlessness, but that in this life, in reality, that personal practical holiness and spiritual growth comes largely via repentance, humble confession and accountability with other godly believers in a local church community. The core in all this is both a personal AND shared deepening relationship with God- Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We are not saved by works, and if we sin we are not automatically losing our salvation, yet we must grow away from sin and actually manifest righteousness out of desire to apply the Word, to live out lives that are holy rather than habitually desiring and seeking out opportunities to sin.
If what I am saying makes sense, perhaps you will have a better understanding of what I believe is not only the grace of God, but daily application of that grace- not only in your life, but what I myself believe and apply in mine.
May we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and may we also grow in the love and holiness that God calls us to in His Word. May our willful, habitual sinful choices be replaced by willful, habitual choices to actively do His will, walk in His love and manifest the laying of our lives down that others may know He is real, relevant and risen indeed!
God's grace is apparent when a follower of Jesus Christ lives that way. Let's choose willful, habitual love and obedience. Cooperation with the Holy Spirit always produces holiness, for He does His work as we lovingly listen and obey.
-Glenn Kaiser April, 2004
Posted 04/28/04
