CALVARY INDEPENDENT BAPTIST CHURCH – “ CAN’T SIN?

”
“ there is the idea that the new nature within us cannot sin. II Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore if
any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things
are become new.” The idea goes something like this: Our new nature is of God – the seed
of I John 3:9 refers to that new nature. Deity cannot sin, and so this gift that God gives
cannot sin. We are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and of course the Holy Spirit cannot
sin. Some say, “These things prove that no true Christian can sin.” While this is basically
true, those people are still forgetting our old sinful, human, Adamic nature. The Bible says
the new nature in Christ and the old nature of Adam are continually at war with each
other. “The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh.” To repeat
myself, that is what Paul is talking about in Romans 7 – “For that which I do I allow not: for
what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I
consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth
in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is
present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would
I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I
that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.” Our new nature cannot sin, but our old nature and our
flesh still do. This is coming very close to what I believe that John was saying. But it is only
a corollary to the meaning of the verse.
The words “doth not commit” is a verb-tense which speaks about continuous, present tense
action. If I might be permitted to paraphrase what John says, it is something like
this: “Whoever is born of God does not continue constantly in sin.” “No one begotten of
God deliberately, knowingly and habitually practices sin.” “The person who has been born
into the family of God does not make a practice of sinning.” I think that this fits in
perfectlywith the context of I John 3. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth
not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like
him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth
himself, even as he is pure.” What must we do to purify ourselves? Isn’t this talking
about sweeping sin out of our lives? “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the
law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that he was manifested to take
away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever
sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.” Paul exhorts us to abide in Christ, because
that is where the strength of the Christian life is to be found. Those who don’t abide in
Christ will be prone to sin.
Roman 6:1-14 sheds some light on what John says here. “What shall we say then? Shall
we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to
sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus
Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into
death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so
we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the
likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this,
that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that
henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be
dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being
raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he
died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye
also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts
thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but
yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as
instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye
are not under the law, but under grace.”
Okay then, what is the purpose of all this?
It is certainly not to give any of us the slightest reason to justify our sin. Instead of “the
devil made me do it,” a lot of people try to say, “It’s just my sinful flesh; I couldn’t help
it.” But sin is as hideous after our salvation as it was before – if in fact it is even more
hideous. “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid.”
To my mind, we have in both Paul and John an exhortation to “reckon ourselves dead
indeed unto sin.” We have an impeccable seed within us, and we should strive to live that
kind of life. We are exhorted to constantly put off the old man, so that the new man might
be seen.
And a second conclusion is a reinforcement of the eternal nature of salvation. Every repentant
believer in Christ possesses the eternal and perfect seed of God. Possessing and possessed as
we are – God will not do anything less than bring His salvation to completion.
And a third effect ought to be to fill our hearts with praise and song. “For I know whom I
have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed
unto him against that day.” Is Christ Jesus your eternal Saviour; has He died for your every
sin? Have you repented before Him, and is your love and trust in Him alone? Then
praise the Lord and live your life in a fashion that glorifies His Name.