Sheep Do Not Practice Sin?
FEEDBACK FROM THE PATRON SAINT OF CAPS-LOCK
A while back I received the following correspondence from someone I’ll refer to as the Patron Saint of Caps-Lock (PSCL):
ELECT SHEEP {DISCIPLES} DO NOT PRACTICE SIN>
WE ARE TOLD TO CONTINUALLY MORTIFY SIN>
MANY HYPOCRITES MAKE EXCUSES FOR LIVING A WICKED SINFUL LIFE>
PROVING THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN MADE A NEW CREATURE>
2 CORINTHIANS 5:17,ROMANS 6:15-23,1 JOHN 2:29,1 JOHN 3:7,{DO YOU PRACTICE SIN}? {HOLINESS}
RESPONSE
Setting aside the sins of all-caps and novel punctuation, I provided the following response
ELECT SHEEP {DISCIPLES} DO NOT PRACTICE SIN
Regenerate men indisputably commit sin, at times habitually so as a matter of shameful practice. Examples of such open rebellion to God by the regenerate is sustained by many scriptural proofs.
Abram (Genesis 12:13-15)
Moses (Exodus 2:12)
David (II Samuel 12:13)
Solomon (I Kings 11:1-11)
Peter (Matthew 16:21-23)
Paul (Romans 7:18-19)
John (Revelation 22:8-9, I John 1:8)
It is a FACT of bible revelation to us that regenerate men continue to sin throughout the remainder of their natural lives and that they are capable of doing so even very grievously. The notion of sinless perfection is totally false because sin continues to easily beset us even until our final glorification. (Hebrews 12:1)
WE ARE TOLD TO CONTINUALLY MORTIFY SIN
The bible commands us to mortify sin (Colossians 3:5) and our preaching should be replete with admonitions to flee from the practice of sin (Acts 2:40). The trouble is that we OFTEN do not do so, however unpleasant confronting that grim reality may be to our spiritual sensibilities. That is because sin so easily besets us (Hebrews 12:1) and we are often reluctant to receive biblical correction.
MANY HYPOCRITES MAKE EXCUSES FOR LIVING A WICKED SINFUL LIFE
That is certainly true of the profligate libertine. Perhaps more to the point, many hypocrites insist that because they are born again they neither commit nor practice sin anymore. The truth is that hypocrites say a lot of things that are not true and that is part and parcel of the sin of hypocrisy.
PROVING THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN MADE A NEW CREATURE
The truth is, even regenerate people can make excuses to justify their practice of sin. Upon the murder of Uriah by his own evil design, David said, “the sword devoureth one as well as another.” (II Samuel 11:25). Justifying evil is not ironclad proof that one is unregenerate. That simply does not follow. There are MANY examples of regenerate men (new creatures in Christ) who justified their evil actions in scripture.
DO YOU PRACTICE SIN? HOLINESS?
I struggle with sin every day. I try to follow Christ in obedient discipleship, but often fail. “Lord, I believe. Help thou mine unbelief.” (Mark 9:24)
PATRON SAINT OF CAPS-LOCK (PART DEUX)
SINCE U R A PRIMITIVE BAPTIST, DO U BELIEVE THAT A SINNER CAN BE REGENERATE> SAVED WITHOUT HEARING THE TRUE GOSPEL??I KNOW SOME PB WHO TEACH THIS HERESY> IF IT IS TRUE WHY DID THE APOSTLE PAUL SUFFER> LIKE ALL GODS ELECT SHEEP {DISCIPLES} SUFFER TO GET THE GOSPEL TO WORLD> SHEEP?
RESPONSE
SINCE U R A PRIMITIVE BAPTIST, DO U BELIEVE THAT A SINNER CAN BE REGENERATE> SAVED WITHOUT HEARING THE TRUE GOSPEL??
Yes, I believe that regeneration is not a function of gospel publication. The bible’s testimony is that many who never hear or understand the explicit NT gospel are eternally saved by the work of Christ. Consider these 3 biblical examples.
Job – who said, “I know it is so of a truth but how should man be just with God?” (Job 9:2) The explicit NT gospel is the exact answer to that question. What’s more, as a contemporary with Abraham, he is among those who never knew God by the name “Jehovah” (Exodus 6:3), let alone by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ or by the revelation of His saving work.
Abijah – who died in infancy and of whom it is said, “And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him: for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.” (I Kings 14:13) Clearly he never heard or believed the explicit NT gospel of our salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ yet was eternally saved.
Rachael’s Children – of whom it is said, “Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not. Thus saith the LORD; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD, that thy children shall come again to their own border.” (Jeremiah 31:15-17) Notice the promise of v17. The Lord Jesus Christ tells us that Rachel’s children were those slaughtered by Herod (Matthew 2:16-18). The only way to fulfill that promise and provide comfort to weeping mothers whose children have been murdered is to affirm that those children are eternally saved. It would be no comfort to a mother whose child had been murdered to tell the, “Cry not. Your child is in hell.”
That is the testimony of the word of God. And we should believe it.
I KNOW SOME PB WHO TEACH THIS HERESY.
You can add one more to your list. So far as the accusation of heresy is concerned, I can only echo the words of Paul, “But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:” (Acts 24:14)
Simply put, the teaching that men are regenerated directly by God without any human participation in the form of gospel mediation is not heresy. It’s the teaching of scripture provided you are willing to examine the matter free from the shackles of vain tradition. Christ is said to be the “one mediator” between God and men in the matter of eternal salvation (I Timothy 2:5). If a gospel preacher is also required for regeneration to occur, then Paul was mistaken and should have rather said, “There are TWO mediators between God and men, Jesus Christ and the gospel preacher.” We believe Paul got it right the first time.
IF IT IS TRUE WHY DID THE APOSTLE PAUL SUFFER?
There are many things worth suffering for beyond eternal salvation, like the building of the Lord’s church, the distribution of gospel truth, and the ministry of comfort to those who have the ears to hear. To that end I’d recommend you watch The Gospel and The New Birth, as it provides numerous additional reasons worth suffering for.
LIKE ALL GODS ELECT SHEEP {DISCIPLES} SUFFER TO GET THE GOSPEL TO WORLD
I’m sure that many of them have suffered to get the gospel to people, but the gospel does no impart eternal life, it brings life and immortality TO LIGHT (II Timothy 1:10).
Given your accusation of heresy, I find you a nasty person to interact with. I submit that for your consideration in all sincerity. I recommend that you temper your zeal for spiritual things with a greater measure of patience, charity, and case sensitivity.
CLOSING THOUGHT
I am not fond of John Calvin, but I do like Charlie Daniels. In the spirit of “give the devil his due” I found the following quote insightful:
A man will steer clear of adultery, of stealing, of drunkenness, in fact he will be a shining light of outward religious observance and yet will revel in destroying the character of others, this under the pretense of zeal but really through the lust of slander. (John Calvin)
- Elder Daniel Samons