Posted on 01/15/2010 1:26:16 PM PST by ROTB
Brothers and Sisters in Christ -
I have listened to Michael Pearl's "Sin No More" teaching which spans 9 CDs. Here is the quickest of summaries:
The following verses are what God says about the believer:
1) Believers are “dead to sin”, see Romans 6:2
2) Believers are “free from sin”, see Romans 6:18,22
3) Believers “walk in newness of life”, see Romans 6:4
4) Believers are “baptized into Jesus Christ”, see Romans 6:3
5) Believers are “circumcised with the circumcision made without hands”, See Colossians 2:11
6) Believers are “risen with Christ”, see Colossians 3:1 . A curse DID NOT go into the tomb with Jesus Christ, and make it out still stuck to you!
7) Believers are “new creatures”, see 2 Corinthians 5:17
8) Believers are "freed from sin", see Romans 6:8
9) The expression "old man" appears just 3 times in the New Testament, and it always appears in the "Greek Arist" which is past tense.
Therefore, the believer who has the Holy Spirit, can "sin no more". This is not perfectionism which would contradict 1 John 1:8. This is not to say the believer does not ever sin.
This means that when a Holy Spirit believer sees a temptation coming, he can remember and lay hold of the above promises, and thus the Holy Spirit would supernaturally put down the flesh in that moment.
Thus, I suspect I have "been transformed by the renewing of [my] mind" (Romans 12:2) and have gotten over a serious addiction by praying over the above verses at least once a day. I see myself differently, and the flesh is not an issue.
The following link seems to be the official response by Michael Pearl's ministry to the critique of the "sin no more" teaching: http://www.nogreaterjoy.org/articles/bible-teaching/article-display/archive/2007/october/10/answering-the-critics/
Question: Is this teaching heretical? If so, why?
I thank you for your time.
- Brother ROTB
Keeping you in the loop ping!
We continue to “sin”, but those sins are covered by Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for us IF we believe that he came to Earth to be that sacrifice.
We are justified in God’s sight if we have that faith and believe that Jesus came to be our Savior. Justified = “Just as if I’d never sinned”...
God looks at the saved now and sees no sins and will not see any sins on anyone who has died and believed that Jesus is our Savior.
Be careful to take the whole bible in context; yes, Christians who walk by the Spirit can put to death the deeds of the body. The enslavement is broken but the “old nature” is still very much present and still wages war. Example - what’s the default mode of our thought life? Lust. Envy. Irritability. But we can now choose which direction we’ll walk in whereas before, per Eph 1, we were just dead in our sins and enslaved to them. That enslavement’s broken but we still have to appropriate His strength daily. If we don’t, we can easily slide back into old patterns.
Well done on breaking your addictions in the power of Christ! I did similarly and it convinced me that he really was in my life and His power is real.
and it always appears in the "Greek Arist" which is past tense.
Un-uh. I'd have to look it up, 'cause it's been quite a while, but an aorist is not a simple past. Ping to BibChr who can speak more authoritatively on the Greek.
No references to Romans 7, I note.
Sounds like your classic "over realized eschatology", thinking to have now what will not be fully until this age has passed.
This means that when a Holy Spirit believer sees a temptation coming, ...
The Holy Spirit is here to point to Christ. All believers are "Holy Spirit believers".
I can only say that I LOVe his “How To Train Up a Child” book.
There is always a way out. Praise be to God and Christ Jesus that when we do slip, He has washed us clean!
Michael Pearl is a nutcase. His teachings on parenting and marriage are downright dangerous.
the flesh is not an issue
It was to Paul (Romans 7:14-25).
>It was to Paul (Romans 7:14-25).
Romans 7 = Old life
Romans 8 = new life
Read the verses in the original posting. Otherwise, the Bible contradicts itself, which Jesus said in John 10:35 is not possible. Also, God is smart enough not to self contradict.
But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, CONTRADICTING and blaspheming.
ACTS 10:35
“Contradicting” is obviously not a fruit of the Spirit, especially in Scripture.
The object of our thinking is not preoccupation with sin, rather it is by and through faith in Christ.
1st John 1 provides considerable guidance regarding post salvation sin. Sin still occurs and we are slowly being sanctified, cleaning up our thinking processes through faith in Christ by the work of God the Holy Spirit in us. The new man provides the mechanism by which He operates to sanctify us further, but we are still scarred in our souls from the old man.
Our memories and recall mechanisms to various situations are scarred until we are further sanctified in our hearts.
Some people take the perspective that remaining in fellowship is sometimes difficult, but that really isn’t the case. It is only difficult when we step out of fellowship and try to be sanctified without remaining in faith with Him first. That’s how so many denominations become either legalistic or antinomian. Let God do the work of sanctifying us by the new man.
It might be accurate to say that while we remain in fellowship with Him, we do not sin. So when faced with temptation, remain in fellowship with Him first.
It might be accurate to say that while we remain in fellowship with Him, we do not sin. So when faced with temptation, remain in fellowship with Him first.
***
When I say the posted Bible verses, the temptation washes off me.
It. Works.
Maybe it’s “abiding” in Christ.
Maybe it’s the life of “the vine” flowing through me, a mere “branch” ...
... but it does work.
Stayed clear of porn using this method for 13 months, before I was delivered of a demonization in the GLORIOUS and POWERFUL name of our compassionate LORD JESUS.
Therefore, I’ve been clear of all temptation to do porn since October 2010, and haven’t done it since September 2009.
“Free at last,
free at last,
thank you GOD ALMIGHTY,
I’m free at last!!”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.