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.
A testimony on the sea
62-0720 §83
Now, smoking, drinking, committing adultery, cursing, that's not sin. There's only one sin. That's unbelief. You do those things because you are an unbeliever. If you was a believer, you wouldn't do those things. There's only two things---one of them is faith, and the other one's unbelief. One of them possesses you. And if you're a little doubt about the Word of God, every word of it being true, then you're an unbeliever. The Holy Spirit doesn't dwell in you. If you dispute one word of God's promise, or question it...
Three kinds of believers
63-1124E §88
...just the way it is here (see), just the way it's said here. Might cause you to do some first works over again, but it's just what the Word said. This has been Satan's trick since he worked it first on Eve: just to disbelieve a little bit of the Word, and always separates these three classes of people. The Word separates these people. In every age it's been that way! Every age that ever has been, it's been that way. When God sent something on the scene and clearly identifies it (His Word), then there are those that...
The results of decision
55-1008 §73
...'s the matter? Don't you believe that's for you, too? The same Gospel's been preached to you like was preached to them. Are you ready to sanctify yourself? There's only one sin, and that sin is unbelief. Smoking cigarettes, drinking whiskey, and telling lies, and committing adultery, that's not sin. That's the attributes of sin. You do that because you are a sinner. That's what makes you do it, see. It's not sin itself, that's just the results of sin. Now, and the only sin there is is unbelief. "He that believeth n...
The unpardonable sin
54-1024 §33
...happy to have you here. We want you to be here. You don't have to join us. The only thing you have to do is come worship with us. And we expect every one of you to hold the true mystery of God in your heart, without wavering. Come to the worship and come to the altar and so forth, and love one another, and be in harmony with one another. And if you see a brother getting out of the way, go to him, and be reconciled with him if you can. That's right. That's what we got to do. And, friends, if you ever... What are you...
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages
CAB 3:E-54
...something else that started in that age and will continue right down through the ages, getting deeper and darker. That is, people were repudiating that Name. It was not the true Ephesian Church that was doing it. No sir. It was the false apostles. It was the outsider trying to get in and defile the believers. The Ephesians knew that Name and loved it. Recall the origin of that Ephesian Church. A little group of people who were looking for the Messiah heard that a prophet who called himself the forerunner of the Mes...