Refuting Will Kinney Concerning 1 John 3:9
by Sandra HooperBefore we go and take a look how Will Kinney has gone over 1 John 3:9, let us go back to the Scriptures and get the simple meaning of what 1 John is speaking about.
"Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. For this is the message which ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another: not as Cain was of the evil one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his works were evil, and his brother's righteous. Marvel not, brethren, if the world hateth you" (1 John 3:9-13).
When one reads through 1 John, he will notice that John is demonstrating the differences between true believers and false teachers. He tells us true believers walk in the light, they do Jesus' commandments, and they do not sin, while false teachers have departed from the faith, do wickedness and justify their wickedness (1 John 1-2). In 1 John 3:3-8, he continues this contrast: the child of God is pure and does righteousness, while those who sin are said to be the child of the devil.This contrast continues in 1 John 3:9-10. John says that a believer is known by his righteous conduct, and how they abhor what is evil (cf. Rom. 12:9). John says the distinction is manifest. How? Those who do not live righteously are not of God, while those who do live righteously are of God.People seem to have a problem with verse 9 and distort John's message, thinking he is declaring that a Christian can never sin. 1 John 2:1 works against such a view. It also shows us that the Christian is not in the habit of sinning. The verse says,"My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."First notice the encouragement is that you MAY NOT SIN. And then says, IF anyone sins..."So the Christian is not in the habit of sinning, but practicing righteousness instead. Why? Because he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. Should he stumble, the Holy Spirit will so convict him that it should bring him to repentance, to strive again, and not make sin a habit (cf. Heb. 10:26-31). A Christian who is walking in the light will discern both good and evil (Heb. 5:14).When we get to 1 John 3:10, he focuses not only on those who do not practice righteousness are not of God, but also those who do not love their brother. This is the case in verse 11 because they have heard the message "from the beginning" that they are to love one another. 1 John 2:7-9 confirms this regarding the "'new' old commandment." God desires for all to love one another and Jesus gives us the ultimate demonstration of love, and therefore only those who love are born of God and knows God, but those who do not love do not know God.John then gives us the example of Cain (Gen. 4:1-8). We know Cain and Abel offered sacrifices. Abel's is accepted, but Cain's is rejected by God. John intimates that Cain's deeds were evil and that is why the rejection. This would be in harmony with the text because of Cain's reaction to the rejection. He did not repent and do what was right but instead killed his brother. He added one sin upon another. God's word tells us Cain is of the evil one, and not to be like him.The message here is that those who don't love their brother are akin to Cain and Satan. Hate in the heart will lead to other sins. It manifests itself in the flesh as it did with Cain - he killed his brother.In verse 13 John tells us not to be surprised if the world hates us. Jesus even warned His disciples that the world would hate them (Matt. 10:21-26). Why? Because when you have Christians who follow God, keep His commandments, and who live righteously, it convicts the consciences of those who do not practice righteousness (John 8:34-47), whose deeds are evil.
Will KinneyFirst understand that this person, Will Kinney, is an advocate of the false doctrine of Once Saved, Always Saved (OSAS). So his interpretation is based on his experiences, and thus the need to support his doctrine rather than taking the Scripture passages at face value. Also pay careful attention how he will argue in favor of sin, because in the mind of the OSAS doctrine, no one can stop sinning as Scriptures instructs us to do. So with that mind-set, he has to explain Scriptures in such a way as to justify sin, and at the same time try to keep other Scriptures in harmony with his doctrine, but as you will see, it won't work.
1 John 3:9 "Whosoever is born of God DOTH NOT COMMIT SIN; for his seed remaineth in him: and HE CANNOT SIN, because he is born of God."
1 John 3:10 "whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God"
What do these verses mean? How are we to understand them in the light of not only a multitude of other Scriptures, but also our own Christian experience?
(My Comment) The verses mean exactly what they say. Also take note that the word "Doeth" is in the continuous tense. It is archaic present 3d singular of do. In the Young's Literal translation it says, "In this manifest are the children of God, and the children of the devil; every one who is not doing righteousness, is not of God, and he who is not loving his brother," In the NKJ Bible it says, "In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother." So we see that it has to do with our life style, the way we walk in this life. We are either walking in the light or we are not.
(My Comment) He believes that most commentators have missed the point, but what we must do here is go back to the word and study it for ourselves rather than take at face value what anyone says and claim it as true.
He must also set up the reader with the OSAS doctrine in mind. This is the foundation upon which he will build, and you will see that his commentary will leave many other portions of Scriptures and questions unanswered or ignored. In my past experiences, when confronting others about their contradictions, people have resorted to vicious ad hominem. That should tell us a lot if people cannot directly deal with the subject at hand.
"Whosoever abideth in him SINNETH NOT; whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: HE THAT DOETH RIGHTEOUSNESS IS RIGHTEOUS, even as he is righteous. HE THAT COMMITETH SIN IS OF THE DEVIL; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. WHOSOEVER IS BORN OF GOD DOTH NOT COMMIT SIN; for his seed remaineth in him: AND HE CANNOT SIN, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: WHOSOEVER DOETH NOT RIGHTEOUSNESS IS NOT OF GOD, neither he that loveth not his brother. For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that evil one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, AND HIS BROTHER'S RIGHTEOUS. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you." 1 John 3:6-13.
"If any man see his brother SIN A SIN which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that SIN NOT UNTO DEATH. There IS A SIN UNTO DEATH: I do not say that he shall pray for it. ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS IS SIN: and there is a sin not unto death. We know that WHOSOEVER IS BORN OF GOD SINNETH NOT; but he that is begotten of God keepth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not." 1 John 5:16-18.
The usual explanations given for the phrases "doth not commit sin" and "he cannot sin" are that the Christian does not HABITUALLY practice or engage in sin. However I believe this explanation contradicts a multitude of other Scriptures, including First John itself.
(My Comment) First, it would be helpful if he gave us some examples of how that explanation would contradict multitude of other Scriptures, but he doesn't.
But let us take a look at these Scriptures. "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."
Let's look at "cannot sin." Does this mean the one born of God "will never commit a sin after salvation?" No. Because this would certainly contradict what John says for the child of God in 1 John 2:1. Note it says "IF" any man sin. Certainly this is not a child of God who practices sin on a daily basis. For those Christians who claim they practice sin on a daily basis, something is terribly wrong. There is no victory in his life and Christ has set him free from nothing. Righteousness and unrighteousness cannot co-exist. No Christian whose allegiance is to the world, the flesh, and the devil can "stand begotten of God."
Note in his following comment how he speaks of a Christian who continues to sin on a daily basis. Jesus and the apostles preached against sin and preached repentance. What kind of repentance has taken place if one sins everyday in thought, word, or deed?
(My Comment) "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?"
His own explanations of sinning daily contradict other passages of Scripture. (1 John 1:6-7; 1 John 2:3-4; Rom. 8:12-14; 2 Tim. 2:12; 1 John 3:6; 1 Cor. 15:34; John 8:11, etc. etc.)
He continues:
"Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven." Matthew 18:21-22.
"Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him." Luke 17:3-4.
(My Comment) Here he uses the passages in Luke and Matthew to try and show us how our lives are a pattern of practicing sin on a daily basis. Did it ever occur to Mr. Kinney that the person who is sinning against his brother will end up in hell, as well as the person who refuses to forgive him?
Dear reader, please read the passages. This has to do with the topic of "forgiveness." Also note in Matthew that forgiveness is conditional. God will only forgive us on the condition we forgive others.
Not only that. Matthew 6:14-15 (as well as other passages in Luke chapters 11 and 17, etc.) is devastating to the Once Saved Always Saved (OSAS) teachers. It destroys the false teaching that when one gets saved all his future sins are forgiven. If all of one's future sins are forgiven automatically, then there is no need to have to forgive others who sin against us to get our sins forgiven, as Jesus plainly taught! A person, at the point of salvation, is cleansed from all his sins up to that moment (Col. 2:13; 2 Peter 1:9; 1 John 1:7-9). If a Christian happens to give into temptation and sin, he has an advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1). He needs to repent - stop the sin.
What was the outcome of the servant not forgiving? The servant who was forgiven of the ten thousand talents was called wicked and had to pay back his cancelled debt! In other words, his past sins were charged back to him because he did not forgive. God took the forgiveness back! Do we really want to practice not forgiving others when Christ has forgiven us of so much? Does not God's word tell you the consequences of not forgiving others? Read what happens to that wicked servant.
Rather than try to justify sinning on a daily basis by using such passages, Mr. Kinney ought to see the passages he quote is in harmony with the book of 1 John as well other Scriptures throughout the whole Bible.
He continues with justifying sin.
(My Comment) Oh yes, the famous Romans 7. Mr. Kinney would have us believe that no person who has been set free by Christ can do anything good even if he wants to - that even after salvation, all of us are still carnal and sold under sin. He simply took a verse that supports his experiences.
Nowhere in the passage is Paul describing his present life as a Christian. Talk about contradictions. One cannot take Romans 7 on its own without looking at Romans chapter 6 and chapter 8.
The truth is, in Romans 7:7-25, Paul contrasts the pre-Christian condition of the sinner. Many use this as "proof" to excuse Christians who continue to habitually sin. A careful reading shows this is not about the struggles of a born again believer at the time of this writing. Will Kinney's interpretation certainly contradicts other passages of Scripture (to protect the OSAS false doctrine). There are several reasons why this is not Paul's present condition or the condition of any born again believer.
Paul wrote five letters before the book of Romans. One of those five letters was to the Saints in Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians) which he says, "Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily, and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe" (1 Thessalonians 2:10). Does this sound like the person in Romans 7:7-25? It can't be because this person received the New Birth (Acts 9:17-18), and became a new creature in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).
It contradicts everything he taught up to that chapter (Romans 1:1-7; 6).
It goes against the teaching of the very verse before it (Romans 7:6).
In Romans 7:14 he says that he is "carnal" and "sold under sin." Is this the lot of Paul and every born again believer? This is not the lot of Paul or of any born-again believer (John 8:30-36; Romans 6:1-23; 8:1-13).
Twice he says that sin dwells in him (Romans 7:17, 20). Do you have sin dwelling in you or God dwelling in you? (John 14:23; 1 Corinthians 6:17; Col. 1:27)
Paul says he is a wretched man (Romans 7:24). Is this the description of the man who said he was "made free from sin" (Romans 6:18)?
Paul's deep desire and what he wants to know is who shall deliver him from the body of this death (Romans 7:24). How does this fit Paul who is a new creature in Christ, who has already received the Saviour way before Romans 7?
Paul makes it clear in the next chapter that the testimony of his struggle was before his salvation for he testifies that the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus had made him free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2).
It is evident that Paul was not talking about his present condition in Romans 7, but was describing his bondage to sin while under the law, and not his life as a believer who was delivered from the law (Romans 7:6). This is abundantly clear by the fact that right after he describes his bondage to sin and the law before he was saved, he says, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."
For further reading see: Paul Chief of Sinners?
(My Comment) Again he takes a passage to wrest it to fit man-made doctrine (OSAS). If we read it in context, we get a better picture.
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Note that those who walk in the flesh, who "doeth" (pattern of living) such things WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
Will Kinney took a passage of Scripture and twisted it from its context to prove something that is not Bible. This guy is going to tell you that you can't help but sin everyday in thought, word, and deed. Have you noticed what is going on yet? He took Romans 7, along with his experiences, and then tries to back it up with this verse to convince and prove to you that you cannot live above sin! He's teaching you death! He's trying to teach you that you will do nothing but sin until the day you die! And the Bible passages above makes it clear that if you live according to the flesh, you will NOT inherit the kingdom of God. Did you read the rest of the verses?
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ?s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another."
Will Kinney does not belong to Christ if he has not crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Walking in the Spirit does not produce us to continue in sin on a daily basis. The Bible is clear that if we live according to the flesh we will die. (Rom. 8:12,13) This has nothing to do with physical death, but spiritual death, as it did way back in the beginning with Adam and Eve. See Spiritual Death.
(My Comment) Weather these verses point to the elders or not, note that those who are sinning are to be REBUKED in the presence of all, that the REST ALSO MAY FEAR.
If Will Kinney wants Christians to believe that they cannot live above sin and grain in them that they sin everyday in thought, word, and deed, and use certain passages of Scripture to support his ungodly doctrine, why is there not a lot of open rebuke taking place on a daily basis, which would include him? What is the purpose of rebuking someone when he claims Christians will sin several times a day, every single day? This doesn't make sense! The rebuke would be worthless for something that is impossible to stop! And what is it the person is supposed to fear? The very verse he tries to use to support his false doctrine is the same verse that is AGAINST SINNING! Why all the warnings if a person's salvation cannot be harmed?? God has always been against sin and does not want us to sin!
(My Comment) He is vague here. Mr. Kinney would have us believe that what James is really saying is that he, as well as all Christians, offend others by sinning in many things on a daily basis? This alone would contradict what James said in chapter 2. James says our actions must accompany our faith or one's faith is dead. (James 2:18-20).
I like what one commentator said of this verse and agrees with Scripture and reality.
There are very few who walk so closely with God, and inoffensively with men, as never to stumble; and although it is the privilege of every follower of God to be sincere and without offense to the day of Christ, yet few of them are so. Were this unavoidable, it would be useless to make it a subject of regret; but as every man may receive grace from his God to enable him to walk in every respect uprightly, it is to be deplored that so few live up to their privileges. Some have produced these words as a proof that "no man can live without sinning against God; for James himself, a holy apostle speaking of himself, all the apostles, and the whole Church of Christ, says, In many things we offend all." This is a very bad and dangerous doctrine; and, pushed to its consequences, would greatly affect the credibility of the whole Gospel system. Besides, were the doctrine as true as it is dangerous and false, it is foolish to ground it upon such a text; because St. James, after the common mode of all teachers, includes himself in his addresses to his hearers. And were we to suppose that where he appears by the use of the plural pronoun to include himself, he means to be thus understood, we must then grant that himself was one of those many teachers who were to receive a great condemnation, James 3:1; that he was a horse-breaker, because he says, "we put bits in the horses mouths, that they may obey us," James 3:3; that his tongue was a world of iniquity, and set on fire of hell, for he says, "so is the tongue among our members," James 3:6; that he cursed men, "wherewith curse we men, James 3:9. No man possessing common sense could imagine that James, or any man of even tolerable morals, could be guilty of those things. But some of those were thus guilty to whom he wrote; and to soften his reproofs, and to cause them to enter the more deeply into their hearts, he appears to include himself in his own censure; and yet not one of his readers would understand him as being a brother delinquent.
(My Comment) Please, read the whole chapter of 1 Peter 4.
Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. 9Use hospitality one to another without grudging. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
There is still danger there because of sin. Compare that with James 5:20:
"Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins."
Our love for others does not mean it will induce God to pardon us. The person doing the sinning is still in danger. If the sinner is not converted, his soul remains in death - eternally separated from God!
Again, the overall message it to stop the sin. We know Peter is talking with those who are born again (1:23) and redeemed by the precious blood of Christ (1:18), but this in itself would not prevent them from becoming captive to sin again (note Simon in Acts 8:13,23). We have a free will, and along with that comes responsibility if we want to remain free. After salvation we should not still be conforming to the evil desires we had when we were not saved. Even Peter says to be holy in all you do. (1 Peter 1:14-16).
In Peter's second epistle he wrote about certain false teachers who wandered from the faith to follow the way of Balaam (2 Peter 2:15). These false teachers were not only covetous, they were also guilty of mental adultery (v. 14 cf. Matt. 5:28). Peter says they were once again slaves to sin. (2:19) These are apostates. He also said concerning these apostates:
"For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: ?A dog returns to his own vomit,? and, ?a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.? (2 Peter 2:20-22)
Peter is very aware the believer's security was and is conditional. The OSAS advocates can only come up with one solution by saying, "They were never saved to begin with." I don't know how an unsaved person becomes an apostate, since apostasy means a departure from the faith.
There will always be excuses for sin and excuses to defend a false doctrine of OSAS that is dangerous to your soul.
(My Comment) Again, defending sin. Please read Ps. 51:1-13.
At the time of John writing this, he was dealing with heretics. His epistle is a warning and a refutation of the Gnostics. The Gnostics believed that man is totally depraved (as taught in many churches up to this day) because man is born with inherited sin (pure Calvinistic teaching: see Are We Born in Sin) and will sin as long as he is in the body. The Gnostics taught that the soul of man was pure no matter what he did in the body. This person's "inner body," his "soul," was not tainted with any sin, so they denied that they had any sin, or needed any Savior and even denied that Christ suffered.
We know that when we come to Christ, ALL our sins are forgiven that we have committed up to that point (nothing in the Bible about future sins automatically forgiven).
To get at the true meaning of the verse in question, let us suppose a conversation between a Christian depending, as all must, on the blood of Christ for salvation, and a self-righteous sinner, who thinks he is good enough and has no sin, consequently no need of the cleansing blood.
Christian: My friend, did you know that "if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin?" I have proved this to be true, and if you will come to Him as I did you may prove it for yourself, and be cleansed from all sin.
Self-Righteous: But I have no sin to be cleansed away; I have no need of the blood of Jesus.
Christian: What? You say you have no sin? "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." Surely you are wrong and self-deceived. You should repent, confess your sins, and be saved, for we read in I John 1 :9. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Self-Righteous: But I have never sinned, and do not feel that I have anything to confess or repent of. I pay my honest debts, and treat my neighbors well, and support my family, and I believe I am just as good as anyone. I am not a sinner, and have never done anything wrong.
Christian: Surely, in saving that, you are making God a liar, for in I John 1:10 it says: "If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him. liar, and His word is not in us."
Thus we get at the meaning of the last four verses of I John 1. The text in question, then, does not have any reference whatever to one who has been cleansed from all sin, but to one who says he has no sin to be cleansed from, when he really has sin in his heart.
Why should we turn lawyer and plead for sin as if the atonement was a failure and sin a necessity? How some people fly to these wrested Scriptures and there pillow their heads, and slumber on in their carnal security, when God is thundering in tones of Sinai, "Sin no more !" He is swinging the awful danger signal down the ages, "Stand in awe, and sin not."
A professing Christian lady, living in the 7th chapter of Romans, doing things that she ought not, and leaving undone the things she ought to do, because she was carnal, sold under sin, and it was no more she that did it, but sin that dwelt in her - pleading her cause one day in a conversation with a sanctified lady, asked her to read a verse in the 7th chapter of Romans, as she supposed, for her vindication. The sanctified lady, knowing that she had made a mistake in the chapter and verse, nevertheless read the one cited, when lo, it read: "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein?" Whereupon the pleader for sin exclaimed, "That is not the verse I meant." An unsaved person, overhearing the conversation, spoke out and said, "Hold on! That's Bible, just the same."
So how do we properly understand what the apostle John is talking about when he refers to what he calls "a sin unto death", and "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin"?
The epistle of First John was written to confirm the sound doctrine which they had heard from the beginning, and to warn against false spirits, false prophets and antichrists. He tells us: "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son." "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for it they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us." 1 John 2:22, 19.
The apostle John is clearly telling us that there are TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF SIN that he refers to in his inspired letter. There is the "garden variety" type of sins that are our "thorns in the flesh", the "sin that dwelleth in me", and the "law of sin which is in my members"; and then there is the sin unto death, which is the final and total apostasy from the faith - the denial of the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith. It is this second type of sin that the true born again child of God CANNOT DO, "because His seed (the ingrafted word of God) remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." 1 John 3:9.
(My Comment) He's living in Romans 7 again. And then he says, "...there is the sin unto death, which is the final and total apostasy from the faith - the denial of the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith."Question: If the OSAS doctrine is that all Christians are eternally secure no matter what heinous sins they commit after salvation, why would they worry about a sin unto death since they have such a security? Logic dictates such a conclusion.1. He says the "sin unto death," the second type sin, is final and total apostasy from the faith. By his own admission, Mr. Kinney must agree that it is possible for a Christian to depart from the faith.2. Then he proceeds to say that the second type sin (apostasy) cannot be committed by a child of God! You don't make sense, Mr. Kinney. You said the second type of sin, the sin unto death, is the "final and total apostasy from the faith - the denial of the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith." But you said this sin cannot be committed by the child of God.
Question: What do you call the people who have departed from the faith (since that is what apostasy means) who have denied the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith? Is he a Christian or not?
You made the word "apostasy" to mean "the sin unto death." Apostasy simply means a departure from the faith. .
But he is correct when he says there are variety types of sins. When I read the Bible, I find that there are different degrees of sin. In other words, not all sins have the same in their effect on our souls. The Bible says some sins are greater than others (John 19:11). The Bible shows us one is eternal (Mark 3:29), and there are sins against our bodies where there are sins outside our bodies (1 Cor. 6:18). And then we have the passages where there is a sin that does not lead to death while there is a sin that leads to death.
The truth is, a true Christian can sin in such a way as to bring him back into spiritual death and endanger him to the Lake of Fire (James 1:14-16; 5:19,20; Luke 15:24,32; 1 Cor. 6:9,10; Eph. 5:5,6; Gal. 5:19-21; 6:8,9; Rom. 6:16; 8:13; Rev. 2:10,11; Rev. 21:8; Rev. 22:15; etc.). If one is involved in one or all of them, he will not inherit the Kingdom of God and it will certainly send that soul to hell if they die in an unrepentant state.
Note: The second death is another name for the Lake of Fire. (Rev. 21:8) Also note in Rev. 21:8 that the "unbelieving" are included in that list.
However, such sins as worry (Phil. 4:6), lacking thankfulness (Col. 2:7; 3:15; Luke 17:11-18), and not completely humble and gentle (Eph. 4:2) are not included in any of those lists of sins that will send a Christian to the Lake of Fire.
Ezekiel 8 shows us the detestable things and even more detestable, and more detestable than the previous. All sins are not of the same degree.
Another fact is, apostasy does occur among Christians though those who hold to the OSAS doctrine will vehemently deny this. Apostasy is taught throughout the New Testament. There is sufficient evidence to prove they are wrong. The following verses show the possibility of apostasy or actual examples of such in 25 of the 27 New Testament books. (Matt. 24:10,11; Mark 14:27; Luke 8:13; John 6:66; Acts 24:15,16; Romans 11:19-23; 1 Cor. 9:27; 2 Cor. 13:5; Gal. 1:6,7; Eph. 5:5-7; Phil. 3:10-12; Col. 1:22,23; 1 Thess. 4:3-8; 2 Thess. 2:3; 1 Tim. 1:19,20; 2 Tim.2:16-18; Titus 3:7; Heb. 6:4-6; James 5:19,20; 1 Peter 1:14; 2 Peter 2:20-22; 1 John 2:24,25; 2 John 1:9; Jude 1:5,6; Rev. 2:10,11.)
(My Comment) The usual explanation is because that is exactly what the verse says! He also references 1 John 3:10. Remember the definition of "doeth" is in the continuous tense.
"In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother." KJV
"In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother." NKJV
"In this manifest are the children of God, and the children of the devil; every one who is not doing righteousness, is not of God, and he who is not loving his brother," YLT
(My Comment) He is dead wrong. "Righteous" simply means, "acting in accord with divine or moral law: free from guilt or sin."
There are numerous examples of actual named people who were righteous: Noah (Gen. 6:9), Joseph (Matthew 1:19), Simeon (Luke 2:25), righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah (Matt. 23:35), Lot (2 Peter 2:7,8), Abraham (James 2:21).
Then there are the unnamed righteous (Matt. 5:435; Matt. 9:13; Matt. 10:41; Matt. 13:17; Matt. 13:43; Matt. 13:49; Matt. 25:37; Matt. 25:46; Mark 2:17; Luke 1:17; Luke 5:32; Luke 14:14; Luke 15:7: Acts 24:15; Rom. 1:17; Rom. 2:13; Rom. 3:20; Rom. 5:7; Rom. 5:19; Gal. 3:11; 1 Tim. 1:9; Heb. 12:23; James 5:16; 1 Peter 3:12; 1 Peter 4:18; 1 John 3:7)
(My Comment)
Question: Mr. Kinney, are you saying that Saul was a righteous man in a moral sense before he was groundly converted, but those morals were no longer practiced by him after his conversion?
Saul may have had some morals, but the fact is, before his conversion, he was doing a lot of KILLING and persecuting Christians. This STOPPED after he was converted.
The worst killer can do ramdom acts of kindness, even have some morals, but does that mean he is saved? He may do acts of righteousness and still be committing a sin that leads to death (1 Cor. 6:9,10; Rev. 21:8; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:5,6; Jude 7; Rev. 22:15, etc. etc.).
John writes to believers and tells them that a person living righteously for the Lord is righteous as he (Jesus) is righteous. Is there something wrong with that? We follow Christ's example. It doesn't mean one is earning his way into heaven. This has nothing to do with earning salvation, but how we live after salvation. Have you forgotten Eph. 2:10? Since we are partakers of the Holy Spirit, it is only natural that we practice a life of holiness, the example Christ left us.
Side note: Mr. Kinney is alluding to "imputed righteous," which does not mean a "transfer" of character.
(My Comment) The underlying message here has to do with imputed righteousness, as the OSAS advocates teach it.
Paul wrote much about imputed righteousness (Rom. 3:22; 4:5,11,13; 9:30-10:4; Gal. 3:6; Phil. 3:9; etc.). But also notice he continually warned Christians, those who received the imputed righteousness, that they could miss the kingdom through sin (Rom. 8:13; Gal. 5:19-21; 6:8,9). Thus, that righteousness isn't guaranteed to be unchangeable or permanent. Furthermore, Romans 3:22 uses a continuous tense believe for imputed righteousness. If we stop believing on Jesus we forfeit this standing. This clearly is possible (Lk. 8:13; 2 Tim. 2:18; 1 Tim. 1:18-20; etc.).
With their view of imputed righteousness, it all boils down to that once a person is saved he is holy and righteous without living holy and righteously. One doctrine leaves a contradiction in their other doctrines. They teach that a Christian takes on Jesus' righteousness at the point of salvation and now stands holy and righteous before God, and no matter how vile or heinous sins that are committed afterwards would never change his standing before God because all God sees is the blood of Christ. God is not blind. Again, Romans 3:22 uses a continuous tense believe for imputed righteousness. If we stop believing on Jesus we forfeit this standing. This clearly is possible (Lk. 8:13; 2 Tim. 2:18; 1 Tim. 1:18-20; etc.).
I believe the proper explanation of what the verses mean when they differentiate between the children of God and the children of the devil, and "whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God" is found right there in the context. Just read the following verses.
"Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's RIGHTEOUS."
What was so evil about Cain's works, and what was so righteous about those of his brother Abel? The only difference between these two brothers recorded in Scripture, is in their very different ways of approaching a holy God in order to be accepted of Him. Cain "brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect." Genesis 4:3-5
Cain brought the fruit of the labor of his own hands, and Abel brought a sacrificial lamb. Cain presented his own works, while Abel acknowledged himself to be a sinner worthy of death, who could only approach a holy God by means of an blood sacrifice which typified the Lamb of God who by His blood purchased His unworthy and sinful people.
It was in their manner of approaching the only true God that distinguished the one's works as being righteous and the other's as evil. To "do righteousness" is to approach God through the sacrifice of His Son who gave Himself for ours sins and clothed us in His own perfect righteousness. "If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ THE RIGHTEOUS: And he is the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 2:1-2
(My Comment) This is very deceptive how he chooses to explain a verse to propagate another false doctrine of "imputed righteousness" as the OSAS teach it. He is trying to take the focus off the real meaning of the verse, add a little into the mix, and then we come up with Jesus' covering.
The Bible says,"Little children, let NO ONE DECEIVE you. He who DOES righteousness is righteous, just as He (Jesus) is righteous. He who SINS is of the devil!" 1 John 3:7-8
The verse is very clear! Jesus also said we would know them by their fruits! (Matt. 7:15) See how the Bible is in harmony here? If the fruit of righteousness is being produced by the doctrine which is according to godliness (1 Tim. 6:3), then you know for certain the truth is being preached. On the other hand, if lawless behavior prevails, the spirit of error is in control.
If you haven't noticed anything in Will Kinney's writing, please note this....He is not preaching godliness, but looking for ways to explain away the verses that tell you how to distinguish who is a child of God and who is a child of the devil by their behavior, and trying to settle in your mind, if you are a child of God, that you are nothing but a sinner and can't help but sin every single day, several times a day. To do this he must pull verses out of context to drill in your mind that you are ungodly and will always be that way until the day you die. Nowhere in his article does he tell anyone the sin has to stop, that sinning on a daily basis is not necessary. Please read Romans chapter 6.
Notice how people like him constantly try to stand on 1 John 1:7-9 ( and 2:1 for that matter), to give that underlying message that we can't stop sinning and this is our safeguard. He subtlety suggests that daily sin is normal for the professed Christian and he is covered by the blood of Christ. No matter how one wants to interpret 1 John 1:7-9, 2:, it is NOT for the continuation of known sin because we have an Advocate with the Father in forgiveness. This spirit of deception can easily give an impression of an entirely different meaning from what John intended and lead many into the "error of the wicked" and final perdition (2 Pet. 3:7).
We are told that the grace of God that brings salvation teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lust, and that we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world (Titus 2:11-12 ). Does that sound like sinning on a daily basis?
"Whoever is born of God DOES NOT commit sin" as John declares in 1 John 3:9. A child of God will bring forth fruit of righteousness. "And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace." (James 3:18) Who are the peacemakers? The sons of God by faith in Christ (Matt. 5:9).
We would not expect that those who are the real danger to our souls would be preachers and teachers who are to nourish us in the faith, but sadly this is the case. We have wolves in sheeps clothing spreading error, it is the error of the wicked. Scripture says they are "like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, having eyes full of adultery and that CANNOT CEASE FROM SIN, enticing unstable souls," (2 Peter 2:13-14)
Didn't Mr. Kinney say Christians will continue to sin, and on a daily basis? He is suggesting that we can escape judgment even if we sin every day because the righteousness of Christ has been transferred to us by faith. Moral character cannot be transferred!
Jesus, as well as the apostles, were ever pressing the fact that deception was possible among the saints, and always reminded them of the necessity of living a godly life and pure in conduct. Paul warned us that many walk as enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly and whose glory is in their shame. He told the church in Corinthians and Ephesus to let no one deceive them with empty words, and that certain types of behavior will keep one out of the Kingdom of God! (Eph. 5:5-7; 1 Cor. 6:9-10).
Do not let anyone convince you that we can continually sin and get away with it because supposedly God will overlook our sins because we are "imputed" with the righteousness of Christ, which they teach means Christ's moral character was transferred to us at the time of salvation.
The problem with this is that "impute," "imputed," or "imputation," does not mean "transfer". It means to "count, reckon, put to the account of." Nowhere in Scripture does it carry the idea of imparting a moral quality, such as Christ's righteousness to us and our sins to Him. Righteousness and guiltiness are personal and can NOT be transferred (John 15:10,14). It is fictional and not Biblical truth. Scripture shows us that righteousness is a personal trait and solely belongs to the person possessing it. We are warned not to be deceived in this matter (1 John 3:7).
The Scriptures are very clear that we either walk in obedience or disobedience.
The bottom line? When we get rid of all the fluff and empty words, and random citing of Scriptures to prove something not there, it boils down to lawlessness, that a Christian can live like the devil and still be saved. His defense this whole time has been in defending sin and claiming Christians can't do anything but sin every single day. The big cover up for all this is Jesus' blood and Him transferring His righteousness (his holy life that he lived) to us. As said above, "impute" does not mean "transfer."
(My Comment) The Bible also says,
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."
Does sinning everyday mean you are doing the will of the Father?
Anyone can confess anything. The proof of their confession is by the way they live, as John has been saying, but Mr. Kinney is trying to get you to believe otherwise.
He continues: "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him...For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?...These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life..." 1 John 5:1, 4, 5, 13.
Eternal life does not mean just making a mental assent. This does not guarantee salvation. To believe is to obey. Disobedience is equated with unbelief.
"And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief." (Heb. 3:18,19) "And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;" (Heb. 5:9) "But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;" (Rom. 2: 5-9)
A person must obey God or all his old sins will be charged back to him!
See flash video for The Biblical View of Imputed Righteousness
(My Comment) Note how he ends with "love," when the topic should have been about not sinning and living righteously.But also note very carefully what comes next. He's telling you the very opposite of what Scriptures says!"I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake." 1 John 2:12.
1 John 3:9 "he CANNOT sin"
This wolf in sheeps clothing is telling you that the child of God will continue to sin in manifold ways every day of his life...!!!! Isn't that sweet to the ears? Don't worry because all your sins are already forgiven, including any future sin that you have not yet committed! Oh my. No wonder the church is in the state it's in. If you believe this, your spiritual guard has not only been let down, it has been totally removed!We are repeatedly commanded to be holy in our behavior (1 Thess. 4:3-7; 2 Tim. 1:9; 1 Peter 1:15,16; 2 Peter. 3:11), even after we have already been declared holy and sanctified in Christ at the point of Salvation (Acts 26:18; 1 Cor. 1:2,30)!Not only that, a Christian can commit a sin unto death! It is possible for a Christian to fall from the faith! The Bible is clear that there are saved saved people who will depart from the faith ( 1 Tim. 4:1 Departing from the faith doesn't happen to lost people! ). We see in Scripture where the widows turned from Christ and started following after Satan (1 Tim. 5:11-15). Also look at Demas. He was a traveling companion of Paul (Col. 4:14; Phm. 1:24). They worked together and endured various troubles and persecutions preaching the kingdom of God. But what happened to Demas? Paul said, "For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia" (2 Tim. 4:10). Demas, a saved man, fell away and went back to loving this present world. We all know what that means. He loved the world more than God. The god of this world is Satan! (2 Cor. 4:4). Demas got deceived, and it affected his behavior. In his unrepentant state, he lost his salvation, he did not endure!"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 John 2:15) "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God" (James 4:4).Please, take the time to read about the Biblical truth concerning imputed righteousness:"But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." Rom. 2:6-10__________________________________________________________________________