Can a True Believer Commit Serious Sin?
1) Direct answer
Yes—in the sense that a true believer, still in this flesh, can fall into a serious wrong. No—in the sense that he cannot continue in it, excuse it, or be at peace with it. The life of God in him will drive him to repentance and restoration.
2) Scriptural explanation
- The Bible says, “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin… and he cannot sin, because he is born of God” (1 John 3:9; 5:18). That speaks of a nature that will not practice or live in sin.
- Yet it also says, “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1). So a believer may stumble, but he is not left there.
- David fell grievously, but cried out and was restored (Psalm 51). Peter denied the Lord, wept bitterly, and was restored (Luke 22:61-62; John 21).
- “Sin… because they believe not on Me” (John 16:9). Sin at its root is unbelief. The born-again heart believes the Word and cannot settle in unbelief.
- “Shall we continue in sin? God forbid… Sin shall not have dominion over you” (Romans 6:1,14).
- A real son is chastened when he errs (Hebrews 12:6-8). God corrects His own.
- If we confess, He forgives and cleanses (1 John 1:9). The Spirit seals unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30).
3) Simple clarifying logic
Now notice, the new birth activates God’s seed in the soul. That inner life says Amen to every Word and cannot deny it. The outer man may stumble, but the inside man cannot live in rebellion. A sheep may fall in mud, but it will not wallow there; it cries to be washed. If a person can live in willful, ongoing sin without conviction or chastening, the Scripture says that is not sonship (Hebrews 12:8). But if he is God’s, conviction strikes, godly sorrow works repentance, and he is restored to walk in the light.
4) Reinforcing statement
So a true believer may fall, even seriously, but he will not remain in sin. The seed of God in him breaks the dominion of sin, brings confession, correction, and a clean walk with God.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Identification
63-0123 §39
I would like to open that just a little bit for you, if it be permissible. You see, sin is unbelief. There's only two channels that you can live by. One of them is faith, and the other is unbelief. "He that believeth not is condemned already." Smoking, drinking, committing adultery, lying, stealing, carnal impersonations---those things are attributes of unbelief. If you was a believer you wouldn't do those things. No. You do that because you're not a believer. "Oh," you say, "Oh, but I am a believer." But by their...
Expectations
53-0507 §14
Now here it is, get it. Sickness ... I mean, sin is unbelief. "He that believeth not is condemned already." Because you steal, lie, smoke, drink, commit adultery, that isn't sin. That's the attributes of sin. You do that because you don't believe. And you are true, and honest, and just, and upright, and holy, and respectable, not because that isn't Christianity. You do that... That's just the fruits of Christianity because you believe. It's the attributes of your faith in Christ Jesus, and your birth as His Son. Am...
Demonology, physical realm, part 1
53-0608A §26
You can't sin. Oh, I might be a sinner in your sight, but if I'm in Christ, God don't see it. Because his sin's atoned... His blood atoned for my sins there, see. I can't sin. "He that's born of God does not commit sin, for he cannot sin. The seed of God remains in him," see. He's willing to... If he's made some mistakes, sure, he's right then willing to confess it. If he's a real Christian, he will do it. If he holds it back, he shows he ain't got nothing in the first place. That's right. He hasn't got nothing to...
Jehovah-Jireh
57-0810 §65
Now listen, what is sin? Now, this is going to shock you. Smoking cigarettes is not a sin. Stealing is not a sin. Committing adultery is not a sin. "What is sin then, Brother Branham?" Unbelief. Well, what is smoking cigarettes, and committing adultery, and lying and stealing? It's the attributes of unbelief. "He that believeth not is condemned already." See, you do those thing because you're an unbeliever. If you were a believer, you wouldn't do that, see. "And the soul that disbelieves, it shall die." Jesus said,...
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever
58-0312 §61
...e of you ministers might not believe in divine healing. But how could you preach salvation to the soul without divine healing? What is sickness? Sickness is an attribute of sin. What is sin? Smoking, drinking? No. Committing adultery? No. Well, what's that? That's attribute of unbelief. What is sin? There's only one sin---that's unbelief. "He that believeth not is condemned already." How many knows that? Only two, faith and unbelief. You're on one side. If you are a believer, you don't smoke, drink, and commit adul...