Continuing in sin

 

Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. – 1 John 3.4-9

 

This is a tough passage to look at in some ways. The problem here is on of tenses. It cannot mean that someone who ever sins is not saved because John has already said that whoever says they are without sin is in denial.

 

The meaning of course that those who continue to sin and does not change is not of God. It doesn’t mean that every time I commit sin I disqualify myself from heaven. That would disqualify us as John wrote earlier that whoever says that he does not sin is a liar.

 

It does mean that if we live lives of continual sin it indicates that we were not really in Him.

 

The issue is for us to examine our own hearts – not others. We have known plenty of people who truly were saved, but, like Lot, they lingered in their sin being vexed by the world.

 

So how do we know if others are truly saved like Lot or never have been saved. We can’t. We can pray for them and lovingly try to lead then out of their sin.

 

One message is clear though – if they truly are in living in sin and not lingering in Sodom they never were truly saved. Salvation is eternal. It can never be lost. If we are continuing is sin we need to examine our own lives. Were we ever truly in Christ or do we need to return to Him?

 

I can’t judge that for anyone but me.