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What happens to a Christian who lives in sin? – A necessary prelude.
Abeiku Okai
I am writing this in response to an important question that arose after my previous post, “There is no justification for immorality in Christ.” This was the question:
“What happens or what is the end of a Christian living in immorality?”
If you haven’t read the previous post, here is the link:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/HXrDkqheFfRDUMh3/?mibextid=oFDknk
Now, let’s discuss:
It must first be established that what makes a person a Christian or a new creation in Christ include the following facts:
1. He is born again of the Holy Spirit (John 3:3-8).
2. By virtue of being born again, he is no longer in the sinful Adamic nature of the past (Romans 8:2).
3. Since he is no longer in the sinful nature, he is no longer a sinner but a new creation created in Christ Jesus, not in Adam (2nd Cor. 5:17).
4. Because he doesn’t have the sin nature, He has the Holy Spirit indwelling him. For the Spirit would not live in a vessel of sin nature (Romans 8:9).
5. He is sealed with the Holy Spirit for the day of redemption (Eph. 1:13).
6. He was bought with a price that no one or nothing else can buy him back (Acts 20:28).
7. His life is hidden in Christ in God (Col. 3:3).
From the above, it is clear that becoming a Christian or a born-again person is not merely a mouth confession but a spiritual reality that is well established and unbreakable. Jesus Himself said,
“And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.” (John 10:28).
Again, in His priestly prayer, Jesus said,
“While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.” (John 17:12).
As promised, Jesus Himself kept the disciples safe, except ‘the son of perdition’. That description of Judas reveals that he had a different father and so didn’t belong to the sheep but was just among the sheep. Christ Himself is responsible for keeping His children from stumbling. He is the only one who can present every true believer faultless before God. No one can present himself perfect before God with his morality or uprightness. We are all behaviorally imperfect. Jude said,
“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.” (Jude 1:24).
That should suffice to say that the fact that someone claims to be a Christian or is found within the corridors of the church doesn’t mean the person is a Christian, a believer, or a child of God – whatever term you may want for it. Such people who aren’t true believers but found within the faith would usually reveal themselves in several ways such as:
1. Not heeding to the voice of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said,
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27)
2. Falling away. John said,
“They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.” (1st John 2:19).
Thus, you will notice people who are not true believers by the fruits of not yielding to the leading of the Holy Spirit to live according to the grace of Christ, they expose themselves because those living under grace deny ungodliness, they don’t endorse or practice it.
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.” (Titus 2:11-12).
“Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are His,’ and, ‘Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.'” (2nd Tim. 2:19).
The final end of false brethren also appears in the fact that they fall out. You will hear them saying, “I was once a Christian but now I am this or that. And they speak against the Christian faith. The Bible says,
“Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.” (1st Cor. 12:3).
I have taken the time to lay this foundation down so we are all on the same page in appreciating the fact that the lifestyle of attitudes and decisions of some so-called Christians cannot become the hypothesis for doubting the salvation or eternal security of true born-again Christians. So the question is,
What if a genuine Christian lives in sin? What will be the eternal state of that person?
Follow my next post on this.
Abeiku Okai
Anathallo Chapel Int.