NOTE: I wrote this out because I think it is one of the most overwhelmingly misunderstood concepts in Christian institutions such as VCHS, MU, and many churches and Christian friend groups around the Portland-Vancouver Metropolitan area that I have been a part of. This misunderstanding manifests itself when we abuse the grace and forgiveness of God by using it as a license to sin. And we are all SO guilty of it in evangelical America, including myself. I don't want to point the finger, but hopefully this will serve test and convict.
John the Baptist told the pharisees, "8Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 9And do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father,' for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham."(Matthew 3:8-9)
Calling yourself a Christian (or a son of Abraham, as the pharisees did) does not matter. Repentance matters. We are not saved because our facebook says "Christian," "I love Jesus," or even "Christ follower." We are not saved because our family is Christian and we were raised going to church.
We are as wicked and self-righteous as the pharisees when we identify ourselves with these things for our security in Christ. And we do it every day.
Repent. Acknowledge sin and turn from it to Christ for forgiveness. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning. And you must be born again to see the Kingdom of God (John 3:5). This does not mean that we do not sin, but it is a plea for repentance, an acknowledgment of one's sin and turning from it to Christ, something that must be done daily.
If we have been harboring and justifying pornography, drunkenness, etc by saying, "Yeah the Bible probably says it's wrong, but Jesus forgives so I guess I will keep doing it," then we should read 1 John.
"4Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 9No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. 10By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother. (1 John 3:4-10)"
If we are born again we are being saved out of sin.
The Gospel is not merely that God forgives us in spite of our sin.
The Gospel is that God is saving us out of our sin IN SPITE OF OUR SIN. (Eph 2:1-12) (Titus 3:3-7)
Sin destroys. That's why the gospel is good news. Sin might appear flashy and desirable now, but what about 30 years of addiction and slavery and broken marriages? What about an eternity of slavery to our vices? The gospel is good news.
If we are using Christ's forgiveness as a way to justify our sin that we actually love more than Jesus then we are completely missing the Gospel and will be judged. Let's test our hearts and live lives of repentance so that we grow out of sin into Godliness.
1 John 2:8At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.
Summary: Any kid in America can call themselves a Christian, but who is born of God but the one who does not continue in sin but rather repents.
