Proof that believers in Christ do sin!
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, or lose heart when He rebukes you. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises everyone He receives as a son.” 7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"
We are the temple of the Holy Spirit, we hate sin when we do it, so much so that we confess quickly to be cleansed.
The sad truth is that most believers never admit their sin, they even justify it, unable to grow in holiness.
We grow and are changed through confession, without it there is no growth or change.
1 John 1:9
"9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Just as we must confess to God to be heard by Him, we must also confess our sin to one another to restore a broken relationship.
James 5:16 "16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail. "
If a believer does not believe they sin after salvation, then they will not confess and they will not grow spiritually or emotionally.
It's becoming harder and harder to tell who is born again and who is not in the church, so many claim they are but they lack the fruit of the Spirit that sets them apart from the tares.
Galatians 5:22-23
"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
1 Corinthians 3:14-16 "…14 If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss. He himself will be saved, but only as one being snatched from the fire. 16 Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?…"
No one is without consequences for sin, saved or unsaved. I have recently made the decision not to worry about who is saved and who is not, it's too confusing anymore.
God told us not to pull up the tares in the church because we might be tearing up the wheat. This suggests to me that there are wheat in the church who look a lot like tares. God will sort it all out, but my new stance is to warn people that they may not be saved because they look like tares, they should go to prayer and ask God. Sometimes we can see if someone is not born again, but many times we cannot tell who is who.
Matthew 13:28-30 "…28‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. So the servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ 29 ‘No, he said, ‘if you pull the weeds now, you might uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At the proper time I will tell the harvesters, “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat into my barn.”’”…"
We are to tell the truth all the time, God knows what each one needs.
For those who think it is not important who we make our closest friends. God speaks clearly about this matter in many ways in His Word.
2 Corinthians 6:14-17
14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?
15 Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?
16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said,
“I will dwell in them and walk among them;
And I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
17 “Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord.
“And do not touch what is unclean;
And I will welcome you."
2 Corinthians 6:16-18 "…16 What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.”
17 “Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”
18 And: “I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”…"
Amos 3:3 "3 Do two men walk together unless they are agreed?
