True Christians don't sin. Or so I've been told by some Christians. My response to that usually runs along the lines of: If true Christians don't sin, then I've never met a true Christian. However, this idea has been bugging me lately, and I have a number of questions about it. I note that it's not a universal Christian doctrine. In fact, if I'm not mistaken, the Catholic Church teaches that all humans are sinners, even the Christians. That's why they have confessionals, after all. The members of the flock go to the confessionals to admit their latest sins, repent, and seek forgiveness. I've met a lot of Protestants who similarly believe that Christians sin. So the position that Christians don't sin would seem to be a minority viewpoint.
My questions:
Are there specific denominations that teach the idea that true Christians don't sin?
Is it a popular view among Christians around here?
Which would be true, under this view? Or do both flavors exist out there? Or is it some other explanation that I've overlooked?
- True Christians have already been forgiven, so nothing they do is considered to be sinful, even if it would be considered sinful for others.
- True Christians simply don't do things that would be considered sinful for others.
Do Christians who believe that Christians sin see a Biblical contradiction in the idea that Christians don't sin? And vice versa? I'd like to get a better understanding of the arguments involved. The idea that true Christians don't sin seems to me to be nonsensical on the face of it, so any attempt to make it make sense would be appreciated.
My questions:
Are there specific denominations that teach the idea that true Christians don't sin?
Is it a popular view among Christians around here?
Which would be true, under this view? Or do both flavors exist out there? Or is it some other explanation that I've overlooked?
- True Christians have already been forgiven, so nothing they do is considered to be sinful, even if it would be considered sinful for others.
- True Christians simply don't do things that would be considered sinful for others.
Do Christians who believe that Christians sin see a Biblical contradiction in the idea that Christians don't sin? And vice versa? I'd like to get a better understanding of the arguments involved. The idea that true Christians don't sin seems to me to be nonsensical on the face of it, so any attempt to make it make sense would be appreciated.
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