Is It Biblical to Claim that Someone Can Be Saved and Continue in a Sinful Lifestyle?

Christians sin. But it bothers us and we repent because we love Jesus (1 John 1:8-10; John 14:21; 15:10).

“No one who lives in [Christ] keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him” (1 John 3:6).

Genuine Christians refuse to live immoral lifestyles.

“For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin” (Romans 6:6).

“Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10 NLT).

Sadly, some professing Christians are challenging this basic truth, claiming they can live together without marriage or live an LGBTQ lifestyle and still be a Christian. 

Not true.

Verse 11 beautifully explains that when we come to Christ, we leave sinful lifestyles behind because we are washed, sanctified, and “justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” 

The most loving thing we can do is to warn people that sinful lifestyles lead people to Hell, but Christ can set them free and fulfill them in ways they never imagined. 

✜✜✜

 

I encourage you to read Why Genuine Believers Cannot Live a Sinful Lifestyle which addresses this truth based on our love for Christ.

Knowing what Scripture teaches on this subject can help you discern false teaching. 

I briefly mentioned Andy Stanley's errors in this regard in my devotion Why Christian Leaders Are Judged More Strictly (also on video here). But I offer additional quotes from Stanley and additional scriptural truths in Have We Misjudged Andy Stanley?

 

The passage below also adds additional insights:

“Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 

Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness” (Romans 6:11-18).

Bible Love Notes