SINNING RELIGION, NO

SINNING RELIGION, NO
I saw a link to a blog yesterday, which pointed out, "Six Reasons You Should Stop Listening To Joyce Meyer." My (dlg) immediate response was that it is sad that any Christian ever started listening to Joyce Meyer.

The blogger did a very good job in presenting his position (at least in five points), with actual clips, showing Meyer making the questionable doctrinal assertions. I agree with the bloggers assessment concerning 5 of the points, which are typical "Word of Faith" movement false doctrines. Remember, don't confuse "Word of Faith" movement with Biblical Christianity.

HOWEVER, one of the "Six Reasons" that the blogger mentions is the idea that a Christian is, "...No Longer A Sinner." The blogger, who is of the Reformed theological tradition, gives four N.T. verses (out of context) in an attempt to proove that Christians are still sinners, after conversion. This is not shocking, since the Reformed tradition believes in sinning religion rather than Biblical salvation, which saves people from their sins.

Below are some thoughts and verses in response to the bloggers errant position concerning Christians continuing to be sinners after conversion.

DLG response to an article, which asserts sinning religion.
The article correctly points out 5 errors in the teaching of Joyce Meyer, which are tied to the false doctrines of the Word of Faith movement. However, point number 4 (in the list of six) is refuted by the blogger, who holds to Reformed Theology, which has its own problems. I will not explain his misrepresentation of the verses he uses to refute Meyer on point #4 at this time.

Christians are not just forgiven of their sins, they are delivered from the power and pollution of sin also. Saved people are delivered from being sinners (disobedient to God), to being Christians, believers in and followers of Jesus Christ. (see the following verses).

A Few Passages Which Refute Sinning Religion

Matthew 1:21
(21) And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

John 14:15
(15) If ye love me, keep my commandments.

John 14:21
(21) He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

John 14:23-24
(23) Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
(24) He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.

John 15:10-11
(10) If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
(11) These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

John 15:14
(14) Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

Romans 6:1-2
(1) What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
(2) God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Romans 6:6-7
(6) 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.
(7) For he that is dead is freed from sin.

Romans 6:11-16
(11) Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
(12) Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
(13) 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.
(14) For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
(15) What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
(16) 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?

Romans 6:11-16
(11) Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
(12) Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
(13) 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.
(14) For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
(15) What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
(16) 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?

Romans 6:22
(22) But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

Romans 8:4-9
(4) That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
(5) 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.
(6) For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
(7) Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
(8) So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
(9) But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Galatians 1:4
(4) Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

Galatians 5:14-16
(14) For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
(15) But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
(16) This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

Galatians 5:24-25
(24) And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
(25) If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

1 Thessalonians 4:7-8
(7) For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
(8) He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.

1 Thessalonians 5:22-23
(22) Abstain from all appearance of evil.
(23) And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Titus 2:11-12
(11) For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
(12) Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

1 John 1:6
(6) If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

1 John 2:1-6
(1) My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
(2) And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
(3) And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
(4) He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
(5) But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
(6) He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

1 John 2:16-17
(16) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
(17) And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

1 John 2:29
(29) If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

1 John 3:4-10
(4) Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
(5) And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
(6) Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
(7) Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
(8) 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.
(9) 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.
(10) 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 3:24
(24) And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

1 John 5:2-5
(2) By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
(3) For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
(4) For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
(5) Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

1 John 5:17-18
(17) All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
(18) We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.