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"Knowing
this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the
body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should
not serve sin. "—Rom. 6: 6.
Men's outward lives are usually an expression of their
inward state. Therefore, the condition of being free from
sin will naturally exclude sin from the outward life. As
certain as a pure fountain will send forth a pure stream,
from a pure heart there will proceed a holy life. For
"out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh,
" and all moral actions flow.
Out of the heart, we are told, "are the issues of
life. " But do the Scriptures actually teach
that salvation enables us to live without committing
sins ? There are a few texts in the Old and New
Testaments which, when not rightly understood, seem
to teach the contrary. One of these is in Solomon's
dedicatory prayer, 1 Kings 8: 46; a parenthesis
reading as follows, "For there is no man that
sinneth not." A very sensible translation of
these words is found in the version of the Old
Testament by Isaac Leeser, a Jew. It reads as follows:
"If they sin against thee (for there is no man
that may not sin)." Here is a beautiful consistency
that is wanting in the Common version, which reads as
follows: "If they sin against thee (for there is no
man that sinneth not) . " In the use of the word "if,"
a mere possibility of their sinning is expressed, while
a probability remains that they may not sin. But the
next clause virtually asserts that there is no if about
it, that all men do sin. There is, therefore, a lameness
in the translation that must be apparent to all. A
direct disagreement between the two parts of the same
verse. But as rendered by Leeser the verse is
consistent with itself and with the Bible throughout.
It does not teach that all men must and do commit
sin; but all may sin. And so may angels in heaven
sin. And some have "sinned," and "kept not
their first estate," "but left their own
habitation."—2 Pet. 2:4. Jude 6. While all
intelligent volitional creatures of God may sin,
there is no necessity for any child of God on earth to
commit sin. But there are in Christ Jesus abundant
supplies of grace whereby all may very easily live free
from sin.
We will not here take up other texts that are supposed to
teach that we must all continue to be sinners in this
life. They are all explained in a tract entitled,
"Must We Sin?" found in our catalog. But let us
appeal to the Scriptures to find our privileges in Christ.
While the Bible draws the true picture of human depravity,
the universal sinfulness of our race, aside from the grace
of God, it also teaches the all sufficiency of salvation
to preserve us from the being and practice of sin.
Anything less would not be salvation. " Thou shalt
call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from
their sins. "—Matt. 1: 21. Jesus means Savior. If
he is not able to save and keep us from all sin he is not
correctly named. We are told that Zacharias was filled
with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, "
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and
redeemed his people, and hath raised up a horn of
salvation for us in the house of his servant
David."—Luke 1: 68, 69.
"To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to
remember his holy covenant; the oath which he sware to our
father Abraham, that he would grant unto us, that we,
being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might
serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness
before him' all the days of our life. "—Verses
73-75. Salvation in Christ does not leave us
to resume the life of sinning in a modified degree, as too
many in error teach, not knowing the Scriptures nor the
power of God. Nay, the Lord has indeed "visited and
redeemed his people;" "delivered us out of the
hands of our enemies; " all inward foes that prone
the heart to leave the God we love. And the result of this
deliverance is that we may "serve God without fear in
holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our
life. " And no person can live a life of sinning and
holiness at the same time. Jesus has settled this question
when he answered that "no man can serve two
masters." And again, "He that sinneth is the
servant of sin." Therefore is not the servant of the
Lord. "A good tree can not bring forth evil fruit,
nor an evil tree good fruit." Therefore he whose life
brings forth sin, is a sinner and not a Christian.
To the man that Jesus healed at the pool of Bethesda he
said, "Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest
a worse thing come unto thee. "—John 5: 14. Thirty
and eight years this poor man had been bound by a great
affliction. Would the Lord Jesus heal and forgive him, and
then threaten him with a greater calamity in case he
sinned again, were it impossible to abstain from sinning?
This were cruelty instead of a blessing.
To the woman Jesus pardoned of her many sins he said,
" Go and sin no more. "—John 8: 11. Who but a
cruel tyrant would exact of his subjects a thing
impossible, But such is not the character of Him that
issued the imperative prohibition, "Sin not."
The Apostle Paul, writing to the Corinthians, says,
"I fear, lest when I come I shall not find you such
as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye
would not." "Lest when I come again, my God will
humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which
have sinned already."—2 Cor. 12: 20, 2,1.
To him, sin in the realm of professed Christianity was a
shocking thing. Instead of expecting them to sin, his
righteous soul was stirred with holy indignation because
many of them had sinned. He bewailed the fact and
threatened to come unto them with the scourge of sharp
rebukes. He had surely taught them something better than
the modern sinnership religion; hence his surprise that
"many had sinned." But these words also prove
that even in that carnal congregation all had not been
guilty of sinning. Therefore, none need to have been.
Hear this solemn blast from the trump of God: 'Awake to
righteousness and sin not; for some have not the knowledge
of God; I speak this to your shame."—1 Cor. 15: 34.
The man that sins is here represented as being asleep in
sin, and ignorant of God; a condition in which it is a
shame in the sight of God for any man to be, more
especially if professing Christ. He, therefore, that sins
is not a Christian: not even awake unto righteousness.
that whosoever is born of God sinneth not, but he that is
begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one
toucheth him not."
What can modern teachers who confess they sin daily in
word, thought, and deed, do with these scriptures Some
tell us that he that is born of God can not avoid sinning
because in this wicked world. But thus saith the Lord:
" Whosoever is born of God overcometh the
world."—1 John 5:4. If, therefore, the world
overcomes you, you are not born of God. Others tell us
that he that is born of God does not sin habitually, or
does not commit great, or mortal sins. But over against
these theories stand the words of God: "Whosoever is
born of God cloth not commit sin. " " Whosoever
abideth in him sinneth not. " Does not sin at all but
keepeth himself. It is very humiliating for pampered
members of the worldly sects to confess they are yet in
the devil's family. But in every attempt to deny that fact
while they yet practice sin, the immutable word of God
stares them in the face, contradicts their profession, and
overthrows their dead hope. Dear reader, we pray you to
soberly think of this matter. How can you rest at ease
with the word of God directly against you? If it stands,
you can not stand when judged by it in the last day. If
you sin, you know just where God classifies you.
"My little children, these things write I unto you,
that ye sin not. "—1 John 2: 1. What utter darkness
and confusion to suppose John would write these young
converts for the purpose of instructing them, in the grace
of God, that they sin not, and in the same epistle say, as
some imagine he does, "If any man saith he liveth and
sinneth not, he is a liar," etc. Thousands go on
consoling themselves with this homemade scripture, living
in sin, and yet hope to get to heaven. But salvation makes
us free from sin, and puts an end to the business of
sinning; and without this salvation your soul is lost
forever.
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