Sin Unto Death

[EricH]

Eric,

Rom 6:16

This is referencing all sin. Without the redemption of man by Christ, all men were in bondage to death and sin.

Christ freed us from the bondage to death and sin and made us free. Meaning, rather than be condemned by another man, namely Adam, we can now choose who we will serve. Man has two choice. We can now choose to be slaves to sin and suffer spiritual death or we can be slaves to Christ and righteousness and have life IN Him.

this is why repentance is of utmost necessity in the Christian life. Sin is accorded to you and you are responsible for your sin, having been freed of its bondage. We can reconcile ourselves to Christ through repentance and confession.

Agreed that Romans 6:16 is a generic statement regarding the nature of sin. So what is sin not leading to death?

That would be a sin that we repent of. We as human being are subject to sinning, but that doesn't give us a license to willfully sin. Our instructions as Christians is to abstain from sin. If we happen to fall into a sin we are instructed to repent of it and confess.

Romans 8:12-13 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Agreed that we as believers are commanded to repent of sin (1 John 1:9). I am not sure your definition of sin that does not lead to death fits both passages

It would only stand to reason that if it is our unrepented sin that leads to death that if we repent of those sins we will live.

James 1:14-15 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

That does not seem to be the gist of either passage

[~candice~]

I read about this on an online bible commentary last night. Apparantly, sin not leading to death, is sin commited by a believer (which will be forgiven) or by a non-believer who is not apostate. All of these sins are not yet leading to spiritual death, because forgiveness is possible.

Sin leading to death is apostasy (failure to head the call of the Holy Spirit and repent). You can't pray that God will forgive someone of that!

[humanoid]

judas iscariot committed a "sin unto death" when he committed suicide. despite how horrible the sin he committed was (betraying jesus), he still could have repented.

[Rick-Parker]

When one accepts Christ as their savior, they receive forgiveness for all sin, past, present and future. I also believe in willful sin and I say that if one continues in willful sin than perhaps they need to look at and consider whether they were really saved. Salvation is not based on repentance but faithful acceptance. Repentance (an act) comes after acceptance. It that acceptance is not wholly willful but with reservation, then there, perhaps, is no salvation. Therefore, IMO, sin unto death is not being saved. I pray I made sense.

Rick

[Rick-Parker]

In all actuality, when we are born again we are forgiven of all of our past sins and then have the ability to receive forgiveness of our present and future sins when we repent of them and ask forgiveness from God for them.

If Christ's sacrifice does not cover present and future sin without confession, then there is the chance that Christians can loose their soul if they die before having confessed that sin. That doesn't make sense to me.

Also, just because a Christian willfully sins does not mean that they were not saved.

No, it doesn't. We all sin, saved or not. But with us those are mostly inadvertant sins. What I'm talking about is if one continues to do the same thing over and over, say like participate in homosexual activity, looking at porno, or stealing, that perhaps they need to reconsider if they are really saved. With a saved person, the Holy Spirit dwells within them. He will not tolerate hypocrisy; nor can a Christian continue with such activity indefinitely because of the power of the Spirit. If one can sin willfully, without confessing the weakness and relying on the Helper to change, than....