Believers, Sin, and Salvation

Believers, Sin, and Salvation

Someone recently asked me how I respond when other Christians ask if I believe that one who is in Christ can sin heinously and still go to heaven.

Scripture makes it clear that sin is no longer the issue between God and mankind. 2 Corinthians 5:19 (NASB 2020) tells us that “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their wrongdoings against them.” Additionally, we are no longer under the law (Romans 6:14-15, Galatians 5:18). Romans 4:15 (NASB 2020) tells us that “where there is no law, there also is no violation.” And Romans 5:13 (NASB 2020) says, “sin is not counted against anyone when there is no law.”

So, sin is not counted against us and that means we could go around sinning all we want. Paul spends some time on this is Romans. He asks “What then? Are we to sin because we are not under the Law but under grace? Far from it!” Romans 6:15 (NASB 2020). His point here is that we have been radically changed. We no longer find satisfaction in ungodly attitudes and actions.

When we are reborn as children of God, our desires change. We do not always see this immediately because we fail to understand just how profoundly different we are, but it is true. Philippians 2:13 (NASB 2020) says that God changes our desires. It tells us that “it is God who is at work in you, both to desire and to work for His good pleasure.” Titus 2:11-12 (NASB 2020) goes on to tell us that “the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and in a godly manner in the present age.”

Father changes our desires and teaches us to behave in godly ways. Consequently, those who ask whether we can commit heinous sins and still go to heaven must ask themselves one important question—“Do I want to sin?” Every Christ-one will agree that they do not want to sin. The real problem is almost certainly their concern that given this much freedom other believers will behave badly. Truth be told however, we all behave badly from time to time. While we may not murder people or do other things society considers particularly heinous, God does not rank sin. The wages of sin is death, and the standard of righteousness is “be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:48 (NASB 2020)

Saint, you no longer want to sin. The Spirit within you is leading you in the opposite direction.