Can Christians Sin?
- Bishop Keith Butler
- Apr 26, 2023
- 2 min read
Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. (Romans 4:15)
Paul wrote this powerful statement in Romans 4:15 as a reminder of our accountability to God and our need for the ministry of the Spirit of Grace—the Holy Ghost. You are responsible for what is in the Word—whether you come to church or stay home. You are responsible for what is in the Word whether or not you read your Bible. You will be held accountable for what God's Word says. Thank God! He did not abandon us to figure everything out and do it on our own. We have the ministry gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher, and of the Holy Spirit to help. He is the Spirit of Grace.
Now, it’s important to note that grace is not a license to sin, as many mistakenly believe. Instead, grace is the Holy Spirit working in us and through us, helping us to live a holy life. Along similar lines of error about grace, some misinterpret Romans 4:15 to say that Christians can’t sin, but the New Testament has many verses that deal with sin, repentance, and forgiveness. 1 John 1:9, for example was written to Christians! It says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. John also wrote, if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). Obviously, Christians can and do sin. We are not under the law of Moses, but we are under the law of the New Testament, which is the law of love! Romans 13:10 says, “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is thefulfilling of the law.”
Practical Application
You are responsible to live according to God’s Word and to fulfill the law of the New Testament, which is the law of love. You are free in Christ Jesus, but it is not a freedom to sin; it is a freedom from sin!
