# Practicing Sin



## Simply_Nikki (Nov 3, 2007)

I have come to a point where I need some clarity on what it really means to practice sin and what it really means to be sanctified. So here are my questions.

1. What does it mean to practice sin? If we do something twice? three times? every month? every week? every day? Is that practicing sin?

2. If indeed when we do a sin (and I don't mean always the same sin) often and this constitutes practicing sin, does this mean we should question our salvation, or the salvation of others? 

I'm thinking of all the passages of scripture that tells us the implications of practicing sin, such as Jesus saying "depart from me your worker of lawlessness" in Matthew 7, or John telling us that "whoever practices sin practices lawlessnes" and that whoever practices sin is not or does not abide in God in 1 John 3, or Paul telling us we are not to continue in sin that grace may abound in Romans 6, the list goes on.

3. I've heard the term "progressive sanctification", what does this phrase really mean? Does it mean that over time we will be less and less sinful as christians? If we don't, can we be really sure that we are saved? 

These are very powerful questions for me, not only for me, but others I know. I guess this is a classic Law and Grace question. 

I was going to draw out my thought process since on one hand i know the answers to these questions.. but on the other hand there is an interesting and crucial theological question that I get myself stuck in. However, I won't do that now, I just want to hear other's responses. Any thoughts?


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## panta dokimazete (Nov 3, 2007)

good questions - and we know there are no simple answers - couple of thoughts, though.

Bottom line - we are told to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." Phil 2

This tells me that sanctification is progressive, yet not complete in this life. It also leads me to believe that each person's path is different and we should never think we've "got it".

"Practicing" sin suggests premeditation and willfulness as opposed to unpremeditated sin. Frequent premeditated sin is not a fruit of the spirit or a sign of a sanctified heart.


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## Simply_Nikki (Nov 3, 2007)

jdlongmire said:


> "Practicing" sin suggests premeditation and willfulness as opposed to unpremeditated sin. Frequent premeditated sin is not a fruit of the spirit or a sign of a sanctified heart.


 
So what would constitute a premeditated verses unpremeditated sin? If someone lusts.. or harbors hatred or envy or something of that sort, is that premeditated or unpremeditated? Obviously I understand a christian should not sit and comtemplate how to kill a person then go and carry out the act. However, it seems like all sins are premeditated since we know before we sin we should not sin. I know before i lust that i should not lust, I know before I hate that I should not hate, I know before i lie, that i should not lie, so... when I choose to lie or hate or lust, am i not making a concious choice to do these things and therefore it would constitute premeditation?


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## Davidius (Nov 3, 2007)

Simply_Nikki said:


> jdlongmire said:
> 
> 
> > "Practicing" sin suggests premeditation and willfulness as opposed to unpremeditated sin. Frequent premeditated sin is not a fruit of the spirit or a sign of a sanctified heart.
> ...



David's sin was quite premeditated, yet he was regenerate. So while premeditation may be a factor, I don't think it can be the determining factor. As you pointed out, all sins are premeditated in some way, or at least most of them. We may just lash out from time to time but most of our sin requires some sort of prior mental cognizance. 

As I understand it, the difference has always been in the individual's general attitude towards sin. The Christian sees his sin as a wicked body of death which he hates and from which he desires freedom (Romans 7). Think of "practice" like practicing a skill. I practice languages because I love them and want to get better at them. Such are the wicked with sin. A Christian will not glory in his sin and "practice" it.


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## panta dokimazete (Nov 3, 2007)

CarolinaCalvinist said:


> Simply_Nikki said:
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> > jdlongmire said:
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Good points - note the qualifier "frequent" - if you hate sin, the frequency *and * premeditation should diminish over some stretch of time.


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## Simply_Nikki (Nov 3, 2007)

CarolinaCalvinist said:


> Simply_Nikki said:
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> 
> > jdlongmire said:
> ...


 
This was definately my own answer to the question, that is our attitude towards our sin. I think of practicing as a waton disregard for God's law with no conviction, no repentence. But then i think about... what about things we do that some people consider sins and others don't? I'm not trying to start a denominational war... but let's take the example of baptism...if it is a disobedient act to disregard the baptism of a infant who is born to a believer, no matter how you slice it, it would be considered a sin (since sin is defined by disobedience to God's law). Now in this case, someone who does not hold to baptising an infant would *not* have a heart of repentence, he would not have a conviction. Therefore his practice would be - well, just that, a practice. Now we could insert a number of things other than baptism, but do you see where this would logically follow?  Hence my theological crux. 

Also anyone care to address question 3? What really is progressive sanctification?


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## Simply_Nikki (Nov 3, 2007)

joshua said:


> Content deleted due to defunct links


 
Haha, its "Miss" for the time being 

Thanks for the links, I will get to reading them soon.


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