Many Christians believe that sin doesn’t matter and that you can live in sin and be saved at the same time. They speak constantly about grace and use the grace of God as a cloak to approve of sin. They believe and say that by faith in Jesus Christ and by His sacrifice and blood you have been made righteous. Therefore it doesn’t matter how you live. You can live the way you want to, because the sacrifice and the blood of Jesus ensure that you stay saved. But ofcourse this is a partial truth aka a lie of the devil that many Christians believe. Because what does the Bible say about living in sin (persevere in sin) and salvation? Can you live in sin and be saved according to the Bible or not?
What is the false doctrine of the Nicolaitans?
The Nicolaitans were such a group that followed their leader Nicolas and his false doctrine. His false doctrines deceived the Nicolaitans and caused them to deviate from the sound doctrine of Jesus Christ and go astray. The Nicolaitans believed they could keep sinning because they lived under grace and you still live in a sinful flesh.
The Nicolaitans used the grace of God, so that they didn’t have to die to the flesh and put off the old man and put on the new man. They could keep doing the works of the flesh and live sin, without feeling condemned, thinking they were saved and escaping the punishment for sin, which is death.
But these Nicolaitians didn’t know Jesus experientially. They had no knowledge of the Bible and didn’t have the Holy Spirit.
Instead, they followed the words of their leader, who preached this false doctrine; this lie. (Read also: The doctrine and works of the Nicolaitans).
Although the Nicolaitans were misled and believed this false doctrine and lived by it, because they considered it as the truth, Jesus hated the doctrine and works of the Nicolaitans.
The church at Ephesus hated the works of the Nicolaitans as well, just like Jesus.
However, the church at Pergamos (Pergamum), where the throne of satan was, embraced the doctrine of the Nicolaitans. Because some of them held the doctrine of the Nicolaitans.
Jesus didn’t allow the doctrine and works of the Nicolaitans, which caused the church to be defiled. But Jesus called the church at Pergamos to repentance. If they wouldn’t repent, Jesus would come unto them quickly and fight against them with the sword of His mouth. (Revelation 2:6, 15-16 (Read also: What is the throne of satan?)
The devil has deceived many churches with the same lie
We don’t know if the church of Pergamos listened and obeyed the words of Jesus. What we do know is, that the devil has succeeded again, by deceiving many Christians with the same lie and the same doctrine.
The devil has deceived many Christians, by making them believe that it doesn’t matter how you live and that you can live in sin, because you are not saved and justified by your works, but you are saved and justified by the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.
Again, this is a partial truth that is preached. Yes, you are indeed saved by the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. His blood has cleansed you from all your sins and iniquities and has made you holy and righteous and by which you are saved. No one can earn his salvation by his works. Up to here, it’s correct.
But… The blood of Jesus is not a permit to sin. The blood of Jesus doesn’t give you the right to persevere in sin.
The sacrifice and the blood of Jesus are not the same as the sacrifice and the blood of animals. The sacrifice and blood of animals provided a temporary atonement for the sins of the people. But the sacrifice and the blood of Jesus don’t provide a temporary atonement but deal with the sinful nature, which reigns in the flesh and from which sin proceeds.
The Old Covenant
In the Old Covenant, which was sealed by the blood of animals, the people of God constantly fell back into the same sin. Because they were still carnal and their spirit was still under the dominion of death.
They were trapped in the (sinful) flesh and the flesh ruled their lives. Therefore they constantly had to make atonement for their sins.
But despite the many sacrifices and the blood that was shed, nothing changed in man’s nature and nothing changed about man’s fallen state and nature. Which is the case in the New Covenant, which is sealed by the blood of Jesus Christ. (Read also: ‘What is the difference between the sacrifice of animals and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ?‘).
The New Covenant
In the New Covenant, it shouldn’t be that those who are saved and belong to God’s people fall into the same sin over and over again and persevere and live in sin. Because they have been delivered from the power of sin and death, through the death of their flesh in Christ. This was not the case in the Old Covenant. So if those, who live in the New Covenant keep sinning then they are not delivered from the power of sin and death (a.o. Hebrews 9, 1 John 1:5-7))
In the New Covenant, man has become a new creation through regeneration in Christ, which means the death of the flesh and the resurrection of the spirit from the dead. (Read also: ‘The circumcision in the New Covenant‘).
The new man is born of God and transferred from the power of darkness into the Kingdom of God, where Jesus Christ is King and reigns.
Therefore darkness has no more power over the new man.
The flesh no longer reigns, but Christ reigns in the new man. Since the flesh is dead and the spirit is alive.
Only when the flesh has died and the spirit of man is raised from the dead and the new man has entered the Kingdom of God and walks after the Spirit according to the law of this Kingdom in the light, man shall be saved.
Everyone, who is born of God stays in Him and doesn’t sin
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 (Romans 6:1-4)
Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother (1 John 3:6-10)
A person may repent and be baptized in water and receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit, but if there is no change in the life of the person and the person keeps doing the works of the flesh and of darkness and keeps walking in unrighteousness in darkness, then the life of the person shows, that the person has not repented and is not born again in Christ. Since the flesh in which sin reigns and from which sin proceeds, is still alive. The flesh has not been crucified in Christ.
The person has not become a new creation and is not yielded to Jesus Christ; the Word and the Holy Spirit and doesn’t do what They say. But the person is still the old creation, who belongs to the devil . Therefore the person still lives in disobedience to God and His Word after the will of the flesh in obedience to the will of the devil and sin and persevere in sin or fall back into the same sin over and over again. (Read also: ‘The will of God vs the will of the devil‘ and ‘The armor of darkness‘).
The true gospel of Jesus Christ calls to repentance
Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel (Mark 1:14-15)
And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His Name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things (Luke 24:46-48)
Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby (Hebrews 12:5-11)
The true gospel calls to repentance and sanctification and disciplines and corrects and chastises. The modern gospel, which is not a gospel, doesn’t contain these elements.
The modern gospel is a humanistic gospel (message) that pleases the ears, and feelings, and emotions of the people in the church.
This gospel welcomes everyone and everyone may stay the way they are. Everything is allowed and tolerated, nothing is wrong. God loves everyone, just the way they are. And so sin is embraced instead of condemned and removed.
Because you have to respect others and forgive and love others instead of condemning them. But is that true?
Where is it written in the Bible, after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, that you have to accept sin and that sin in the church must be tolerated? That if you live in sin you are saved? Where is it written that you must leave those, who persevere in sin alone?
Where is it written that it doesn’t matter if preachers, elders, and other leaders of the church become disobedient to God and His Word, due to the will, and the lusts and desires of their flesh and fall in sin and/or persevere in sin? (Read also: ‘The spirit of Eli’)
This is nowhere written in the Bible because sin is rebellion and disobedience to God and His will. And how can those, who don’t walk in the will of God and are disobedient to His Word, teach others to walk in the will of God and to be obedient to the Word, so that they will grow up into the image of Christ?
The new creation shall fulfill the righteousness of the law
Those, who sin and live in sin and refuse to repent of their lifestyle, show by their works that they don’t belong to Christ and are not saved, but that they still belong to the devil and are not the servants of righteousness but the servants of sin. They are carnal and still listen to the devil and do his will and serve the devil through their flesh. (Read also: ‘The commandments of God vs the commandments of the devil’).
God has given His commandments to make His will and His nature and righteousness known and to reveal sin. Jesus has never annulled the commandments of the law. But Jesus fulfilled them by walking after the Spirit in the will of the Father in righteousness. And those, who belong to Jesus Christ shall walk after the Spirit instead of the flesh and fulfill the righteousness of the law (a.o. Matthew 5:17-18, Romans 3:31; 8:4 (Read also: ‘Is man able to fulfill the law?’).
“Whosoever does not bear his cross and come after Me can’t be My disciple”
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin (John 8:34)
And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple (Luke 14:25-27)
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it (Matthew 16:24-25, also Mark 8:34-35, Luke 9:23-24)
Jesus never spoke about accepting people with a sinful lifestyle. He didn’t preach that sinners could live in sin and stay the way they were and be saved.
Jesus was not a Promoter of sin! He didn’t speak about respecting and tolerating sin.
On the contrary, Jesus said, that He hated sin and called the sinners to repentance. Because everyone, who commits sin is a servant of sin and is not saved.
Jesus said, that if anyone still loves his own life, and doesn’t deny himself, and doesn’t put Jesus above all, then the person can’t be Jesus’ disciple.
Jesus said, that if any man wants to come to Him and follow Him, then the person must deny himself and take up his cross.
Because if you don’t lose your own life in this world, you shall not find life.
Many churches tolerate sin from both church members as church leaders
In the Book of Revelation, Jesus didn’t speak to the various churches that He respected their behavior and the doctrines and works of the darkness.
Jesus didn’t embrace sin, since sin is the will of the devil. But Jesus commanded the churches to remove the sin, because if they wouldn’t, they would reap the consequences of their disobedience.
There are many churches today, where everything is tolerated. They not only tolerate everything from the members of the church, who say they are saved but live in sin and keep sinning. But they also tolerate everything from the preachers and leaders of the church, who are carnal and keep doing the works of the flesh.
Lying, cheating, fraud, idolatry (i.e. Eastern philosophies, yoga, mindfulness, meditation, martial arts, reiki, acupuncture), witchcraft, fortune-telling, fornication, adultery, extramarital affairs, divorce, living together unmarried, sexual relationships outside of marriage, porn, homosexuality, and all other (sexual) uncleanness, abortion, euthanasia, abusive drinking, etc. It has all become very normal and is not considered as sin anymore.
The conscience of many Christians is seared with a hot iron and they don’t even know it. They are blinded by the lies of darkness and allow everything.
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
“Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh”
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:16-21)
But the Bible (the Word) is clear and says, that those, who do these things are not born of God and don’t belong to God,, and shall not inherit the Kingdom of God (a.o. John 3:3-5, 1 John 3:8-9; 5:18)
Many Christians serve the devil instead of God
Many Christians don’t stand in the service of God and serve God, but stand in the service of the devil and serve him. Because instead of preaching the truth and the gospel of Jesus Christ and reconciling people to God, they preach lies and lead the people astray and make them walk on the broad way that leads to destruction. Because the way of the world doesn’t lead to eternal life but leads to death (o.a. 2 Petrus 2, Jude (Read also: Destroying the works of God instead of the works of the devil).
They are masters in adjusting the truth of God to the will and desires of man and the truth of the world, building bridges with the world and with other religions and philosophies, and adjusting the words of God to approve sin and compromise with sinners.
But preaching the sound gospel of Jesus Christ and calling sinners to repentance and delivering them from the power of sin and death and standing on the Word and keep standing on the Word and representing, preaching and bringing the Kingdom of God and walk in the authority of Jesus Christ on earth, they don’t know anything about and are not familiar with.
Many preachers and elders (leaders) of the churches don’t solve the problems. Instead, they allow the people to live in sin and leave them in their sins, because they don’t want to hurt or offend anybody’s feelings and don’t want to get involved and cause problems. And so they let everything run its course, hoping that the problems will solve themselves. But problems don’t get solved by themselves but go from bad to worse. (Read also: What does the Bible say about sin in the church?).
Jesus gave His life to deal with the sin problem
Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls (1 Peter 2:24-25)
Jesus gave His life and suffered immensely to deal with the sin problem. The sin problem didn’t solve by itself. But the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was needed to solve the sin problem. It was needed to redeem man from sin and death and restore the fallen position of man and reconcile man to God.
Jesus gave His life for man, so that man could be free from the power of sin and death and live in freedom. Because sin is bondage. Sin doesn’t lead to eternal life, as the devil made many Christians believe. But sin leads to death.
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be (Romans 8:5-7)
Someone, who lives after the flesh and is carnally minded shall persevere in sin.
Therefore if someone perseveres in sin, it shows that the person is after the flesh and is carnally minded and has not yielded to the Spirit and the law of God (the law of the Spirit), but lives in enmity against God and doesn’t love God and doesn’t belong to Him, but still belongs to the devil and death.
If you love God you will keep His commandments
Because if you love God, you will keep His commandments instead of being prideful and rebellious and disobey the Word and live in sin (a.o. Exodus 20:6, Deuteronomy 5:10, John 14:15, 23)
To be carnally minded is death. Because everyone, who lives in sin and keeps sinning and doesn’t repent shall deserve death and not, as is preached in many churches, life and be saved (Romans 1:24-32)
What does it mean to not live under the law but under grace?
How often do people say, “I don’t live under the law but under grace”. While they live in disobedience to God and His Word after the flesh in sin, just like the world. So what does it mean that you don’t live under the law but under grace? What is truly written in the Bible about not living under the law but under grace?
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. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness (Romans 6:12-18
For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:20-23)
those, who live in sin lives under the law
Everyone, who walks after the flesh and keeps doing the works of the flesh and therefore perseveres in sin lives under the dominion (authority) of sin and death and therefore lives under the law of sin and death, which reigns in the flesh.
The only way to ensure that you no longer live under the law but under grace, is through the death of the flesh in Christ. It’s through regeneration in Him and sanctification; putting off the old man and putting on the new man. (Read also: Put off the old man and Put on the new man).
Those, who live in sin are not in Christ and are not saved
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:1-2)
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law (Galatians 5:18)
Whosoever abides in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him (1 John 3:6)
Therefore, people may say they are saved and are not under the law but under grace, but if they still allow sin to reign as king in their lives, by obeying the lusts and desires of the flesh and therefore live in sin, then they are not living under grace. By living after the flesh and doing the works of the flesh, they still live under the law.
Everyone, who is not made alive in Christ by the resurrection of the spirit from the dead and doesn’t walk after the Spirit, but still lives under the authority (dominion)s of sin and death, still lives under the law.
Everyone, who by faith is born again in Christ and saved, and abides in Him, shall not (live in) sin. As a matter of fact, it is written that everyone, who sins has never seen Him, and neither has known Him.
The Word is clear, that those, who allow sin to reign as king in their lives and obey sin by living in sin, are not delivered and are not saved. But they still live under the authority of sin and death and their final destination shall be the kingdom of death (hell, Hades). Since the fruit of death is sin and the wages of sin is death and not eternal life.
Can you live in sin and be saved?
He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. Then answered the Jews, and said unto Him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour My Father, and ye do dishonour Me. And I seek not Mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep My saying, he shall never see death (John 8:47-51)
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death (James 1:14-15)
“Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God”
Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end (Hebrew 3:11-14)
And He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death (Revelation 21:6-8)
Can you live in sin and be saved? No, you can’t live in sin and be saved. Only those, who are born again in Christ and are born of God and have become a new creation (son of God) and submit to Jesus Christ and God the Father and listen to the Word and the Holy Spirit and obey and do the Word and walk after the Spirit and live in righteousness, they shall not see death but shall inherit eternal life.
Sin reigns until death; death in Christ or natural death
The fact of the matter is, that sin reigns as king in people’s lives until death. However, the people determine until which death this is; the death in Christ or natural death
A person can allow sin to reign as king in his lives until his repentance and the regeneration in Christ, when the flesh dies in Him. From that moment, the person is delivered from the power of the devil and the law of sin and death. Through the resurrection of the spirit from the dead, sin and death no longer have authority over the person. But the person has been made free and by walking after the law of the Spirit as an overcomer in Christ the person shall inherit eternal life.
Or a person can allow sin to reign as king in his life until the person dies a natural death, whereby the spirit of man remains under the authority of sin and death unto his death. The person shall not inherit eternal life, but shall go to the kingdom of death (hell) and on the Day of Judgment be cast into the eternal lake of fire and experience the second death.
‘Be the salt of the earth’
