Overall Questions: What is sin? How do you get rid of it?

Romans 5:8 NIV “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Sunday – Sin Is Rebellion
Genesis 3:1-7 NLT “1 ¶ Now the serpent was the shrewdest of all the creatures the LORD God had made. "Really?" he asked the woman. "Did God really say you must not eat any of the fruit in the garden?" 2 "Of course we may eat it," the woman told him. 3 "It’s only the fruit from the tree at the center of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God says we must not eat it or even touch it, or we will die." 4 "You won’t die!" the serpent hissed. 5 "God knows that your eyes will be opened when you eat it. You will become just like God, knowing everything, both good and evil." 6 ¶ The woman was convinced. The fruit looked so fresh and delicious, and it would make her so wise! So she ate some of the fruit. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her. Then he ate it, too. 7 At that moment, their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they strung fig leaves together around their hips to cover themselves.”
Isaiah 14:12-14 God’s Word to the Nations “12 How you have fallen from heaven, you morning star, son of the dawn! How you have been cut down to the ground, you conqueror of nations! 13 You thought, "I’ll go up to heaven and set up my throne above God’s stars. I’ll sit on the mountain far away in the north where the gods assemble. 14 I’ll go above the top of the clouds. I’ll be like the Most High."”
Revelation 12:7-9 MKJV “7 And there was war in Heaven. Michael and his angels warring against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels warred, 8 but did not prevail. Nor was place found for them in Heaven any more. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, the old serpent called Devil, and Satan, who deceives the whole world. He was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”
Revelation 14:12 KJ21 “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”

Monday – Missing the Mark
Romans 8:6 ESV “To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”
Matthew 23:23 ESV “"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.”
Matthew 23:23 COMMENTARY ROBERTSON’S NT WORD PICTURES These small aromatic herbs, mint (to hêduosmon, sweet-smelling), anise or dill (anêthon), cummin (kuminon, with aromatic seeds), show the Pharisaic scrupulous conscientiousness, all marketable commodities. "The Talmud tells of the ass of a certain Rabbi which had been so well trained as to refuse corn of which the tithes had not been taken" (Vincent).
Matthew 25:14-28 ESV “14 ¶ "For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.”

Tuesday – Original Sin
Romans 7:21-24“21 CEV The Law has shown me that something in me keeps me from doing what I know is right. 22 With my whole heart I agree with the Law of God. 23 But in every part of me I discover something fighting against my mind, and it makes me a prisoner of sin that controls everything I do. 24 What a miserable person I am. Who will rescue me from this body that is doomed to die?”
Romans 8:7-8 CEV “7 Our desires fight against God, because they do not and cannot obey God’s laws. 8 If we follow our desires, we cannot please God.”
Romans 8:8 COMMENTARY FAMILY BIBLE NOTES As those who seek their chief good in earthly things cannot please God, and so long as they continue this course show that they are at enmity with him, they ought without delay to renounce it, become his cordial friends, and show this by believing on his Son, and obeying his commands.

Wednesday – Corporate Versus Personal Sin
Ecclesiastes 9:10 Holman “Whatever your hands find to do, do with /all/ your strength, because there is no work, planning, knowledge, or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.”
Luke 16:10 Holman “Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is unrighteous in very little is also unrighteous in much.”
Luke 16:10 COMMENTARY BY ADAM CLARKE He who has the genuine principles of fidelity in him will make a point of conscience of carefully attending to even the smallest things; and it is by habituating himself to act uprightly in little things that he acquires the gracious habit of acting with propriety fidelity, honour, and conscience, in matters of the greatest concern.
Philippines 4:8-9 Holman “8 Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things. 9 Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.”

Thursday – Only Solution for Sin
John 10:7 NRSV “So again Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.”
John 14:6 NRSV “Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Acts 4:12 NRSV “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved."”
Philippines 2:6-8 NKJV “6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, [and] coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to [the point of] death, even the death of the cross.”
Philippines 2:8 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES He did not aspire to high honours; he did not affect pomp and parade; he did not demand the service of a train of menials; but he condescended to the lowest conditions of life…He obeyed even when obedience terminated in death. The point of this expression is this:--One may readily and cheerfully obey another where there is no particular peril. But the case is different where obedience is attended with danger. The child shows a spirit of true obedience when he yields to the commands of a father, though it should expose him to hazard; the servant who obeys his master, when obedience is attended with risk of life; the soldier when he is morally certain that to obey will be followed by death.
Hebrews 1:1-5 NKJV “1 ¶ God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by [His] Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of [His] glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 ¶ having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. 5 For to which of the angels did He ever say: "You are My Son, Today I have begotten You"? And again: "I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son"?”
Revelation 5:9-12 NKJV “9 And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth." 11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!"”

Friday – Further Study
Ellen White, Steps to Christ, p. 146 – “After Satan and those who fell with him were shut out of heaven, and he realized that he had forever lost all its purity and glory, he repented, and wished to be reinstated in heaven. He was willing to take his proper place, or any position that might be assigned him. But no; heaven must not be placed in jeopardy. All heaven might be marred should he be taken back; for sin originated with him, and the seeds of rebellion were within him. Both he and his followers wept, and implored to be taken back into the favor of God. But their sin--their hatred, their envy and jealousy--had been so great that God could not blot it out. It must remain to receive its final punishment.”
Ellen White, Steps to Christ, p. 151 – “Angels were so interested for man’s salvation that there could be found among them those who would yield their glory and give their life for perishing man, "But," said my accompanying angel, "that would avail nothing. The transgression was so great that an angel’s life would not pay the debt. Nothing but the death and intercessions of His son would pay the debt and save lost man from hopeless sorrow and misery."

Three questions.
1. Are all sins the same, i.e. willful?
2. Can believers stop sinning here and now?
3. Is the man of Rom 7 born again or not?

" When the Father gave His Son to live and die for man, He placed all the treasures of heaven at our disposal. There is no excuse for sin. God has given us all the advantages He possibly could give, that we may have strength to withstand the temptations of the enemy." TDG 318

"The strongest temptation is no excuse for sin. No matter how severe the pressure brought to bear upon you, sin is your own act."
"In view of the dangers of this time, shall not we, as God's commandment-keeping people, put away from among us all sin, all iniquity, all perverseness?" AH 331

"There is no excuse for sin or for indolence." FW 49

" It is not in the power of all the host of Satan to force the tempted to transgress. There is no excuse for sin." Mar 82

"When the Father gave His Son to live and die for man, He placed all the treasures of heaven at our disposal. There is no excuse for sin. God has given us all the advantages He possibly could give, that we may have strength to withstand the temptations of the enemy. Had man, when tested and tried, followed the example of Christ, he would have given his children and his children's children an example of steadfast purity and righteousness, and the race would not have deteriorated, but improved. . . . " TDG 318

"There is no excuse for sin. It will be the final condemnation of Lucifer and his angels that when God shall ask, "Why have ye done this?" they will be able to assign no reason. And when at the last great day sinners are confronted with their sins, and are asked, "Why did you transgress?" every mouth will be stopped. The sinful will stand speechless before God. " RH, September 24, 1901 par. 3

"Men of high or low degree have no excuse for sin. The light given of Heaven, the power from Jesus Christ, can be obtained by all who ask for it in faith. Under every provocation there is a present help that will never fail. We are to learn to take God at his word, walking by simple faith, continually feeling our own weakness, and trusting in the Mighty One of Israel. " ST, October 7, 1880 par. 12

"There is no excuse for sin, no excuse for the least degree of unfaithfulness." 20MR 385

"When we know God as it is our privilege to know Him, our life will be a life of continual obedience. Through an appreciation of the character of Christ, through communion with God, sin will become hateful to us." --DA, p 668

"So long as we are united to Him by faith, sin has no more dominion over us. God reaches for the hand of faith in us to attain to perfection of character." The Desire of Ages, 123

"We may have flattered ourselves, as did Nicodemus, that our life has been upright, that our moral character is correct, and think that we need not humble the heart before God, like the common sinner: but when the light [His agape love] from Christ shines into our souls, we shall see how impure we are; we shall discern the selfishness of motive, the enmity against God, that has defiled every act of life." SC 28

I already know your thinking on two of the questions; you've made it perfectly clear that all sins are willful. I want to know what others think.

On the basis of Romans 6 and 8, as well as 1 John 1, 2 and 3, I believe Romans 7 is describing a man who hasn't yet fully surrendered to Christ. He accepts Christ in the very last few lines of the chapter. In Romans 7, he definitely does not have the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. He's under conviction by the Spirit but not yet led by the Spirit or indwelt by Him.

So I don't believe there's evidence that he's born again.

Having said that, however, it seems to me that even born-again Christians can live as if there was no Holy Spirit. We also can try to do it alone, without the Holy Spirit. That is the situation of the man of Romans 7. He is trying to live a good life without the power of the Holy Spirit, and whenever anyone does that, they will certainly fail in the same way the man of Romans 7 fails.

Those are all good quotes but notice that none of them say that all sin is willful. In fact, as you've seen many times before, Ellen White and the Bible make a clear distinction between willful sins and sins that not willful.

The Bible and Ellen White are not excusing sin when they make this distinction.

This link will help you see how Ellen White uses "willful" and "willfully":

http://egwdatabase.whiteestate.org/nxt/gateway.dll?f=templates$fn=default.htm$vid=default


You have made mistakes, but not willfully; you were drawn away by temptation. The possession of a large amount of means intoxicated your mind and perverted your judgment. You did not understand how to use means wisely, to the glory of God. Yet you have invested means in His cause, and where it will be used to His glory. My brother, although you have not manifested all the wisdom that you could and should have exercised, God accepts all you have done with a desire to promote His glory. . . . {TDG 38.2}


God created man for His glory. He will not, cannot endure the presence of sin in His dominion. If there are in the church those who are willfully sinning against God, every possible means should be used to bring them to repentance. If this is not done, God's name is dishonored. He is too pure to look upon iniquity with favor. . . . {UL 16.4}


Yet with the sin of Saul and its result before us, how many are pursuing a similar course. While they refuse to believe and obey some requirement of the Lord, they persevere in offering up to God their formal services of religion. There is no response of the Spirit of God to such service. No matter how zealous men may be in their observance of religious ceremonies, the Lord cannot accept them if they persist in willful violation of one of His commands. {CC 158.5}

"For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins." Here is a most solemn statement, and one which should often be presented to souls, to show them the danger of entering into sin after they have received a knowledge of the truth of God. We would warn men and women off this ground. All would do well to remember, when tempted to leave the straight path of right, that those who, having received a knowledge of the truth, apostatize, "sin willfully," transgress the law of God ("for sin is the transgression of the law"),--for such there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sin. "Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry." {RH, July 31, 1888 par. 6}

'Willful or Not Willful' they are ALL 'willful' as Ellen White clearly demonstrates. There is simply NO excuse for sin. Far to many search and search for excuses to not know and follow God. I reject these kinds of excuses. (And I think God does also)

My grandson will be coming to visit next month. When he spills something or runs the tractor into the fence and wipes out an entire section as he did last summer ... I offer grace. But there was still no excuse for what he did. He was just not careful enough.

There is no excuse for our sins because Christ has given us all the opportunities and resources to know HIm and NOT to sin. Our prophet is very clear on this matter. It is those of us who want to remain in our sins .... that try to excuse ourselves.

And where is that reference where she "is very clear about this matter?"

" When the Father gave His Son to live and die for man, He placed all the treasures of heaven at our disposal. There is no excuse for sin. God has given us all the advantages He possibly could give, that we may have strength to withstand the temptations of the enemy." TDG 318

"The strongest temptation is no excuse for sin. No matter how severe the pressure brought to bear upon you, sin is your own act."
"In view of the dangers of this time, shall not we, as God's commandment-keeping people, put away from among us all sin, all iniquity, all perverseness?" AH 331

"There is no excuse for sin or for indolence." FW 49

" It is not in the power of all the host of Satan to force the tempted to transgress. There is no excuse for sin." Mar 82

"When the Father gave His Son to live and die for man, He placed all the treasures of heaven at our disposal. There is no excuse for sin. God has given us all the advantages He possibly could give, that we may have strength to withstand the temptations of the enemy. Had man, when tested and tried, followed the example of Christ, he would have given his children and his children's children an example of steadfast purity and righteousness, and the race would not have deteriorated, but improved. . . . " TDG 318

"There is no excuse for sin. It will be the final condemnation of Lucifer and his angels that when God shall ask, "Why have ye done this?" they will be able to assign no reason. And when at the last great day sinners are confronted with their sins, and are asked, "Why did you transgress?" every mouth will be stopped. The sinful will stand speechless before God. " RH, September 24, 1901 par. 3

"Men of high or low degree have no excuse for sin. The light given of Heaven, the power from Jesus Christ, can be obtained by all who ask for it in faith. Under every provocation there is a present help that will never fail. We are to learn to take God at his word, walking by simple faith, continually feeling our own weakness, and trusting in the Mighty One of Israel. " ST, October 7, 1880 par. 12

"There is no excuse for sin, no excuse for the least degree of unfaithfulness." 20MR 385

"When we know God as it is our privilege to know Him, our life will be a life of continual obedience. Through an appreciation of the character of Christ, through communion with God, sin will become hateful to us." --DA, p 668

"So long as we are united to Him by faith, sin has no more dominion over us. God reaches for the hand of faith in us to attain to perfection of character." The Desire of Ages, 123

"We may have flattered ourselves, as did Nicodemus, that our life has been upright, that our moral character is correct, and think that we need not humble the heart before God, like the common sinner: but when the light [His agape love] from Christ shines into our souls, we shall see how impure we are; we shall discern the selfishness of motive, the enmity against God, that has defiled every act of life." SC 28

RW,
My grandfather used to say, "there is no such thing as an accident. All that term means is that someone wasn't paying attention."

I don't like the saying, no matter how correct he was in saying it!

Soooooooooooo, are you saying all sins are premeditated/deliberate/willful?

Just because she says, "there is no excuse for sin", is that tantamount to her saying all sins are willful?
There is nothing in your citations that would lead me to conclude that she is saying that ALL sins are willful.

Notice some of her statements.

During the day's battle Jonathan, who had not heard of the king's command, unwittingly offended by eating a little honey as he passed through a wood. Saul learned of this at evening. He had declared that the violation of his edict should be punished with death; and though Jonathan had not been guilty of a willful sin, though God had miraculously preserved his life and had wrought deliverance through him, the king declared that the sentence must be executed. CC 147.

. Since the laws of nature are the laws of God, it is plainly our duty to give these laws careful study. We should study their requirements in regard to our own bodies, and conform to them. Ignorance in these things is sin.
[WILLFUL IGNORANCE INCREASES SIN--53] {CD 18.2}


Let none deceive themselves with the belief that God will pardon and bless them while they are trampling upon one of His requirements. The willful commission of a known sin silences the witnessing voice of the Spirit, and separates the soul from God. FLB 332

If willful sin separates the soul from God, and if ALL sins are willful, then there is no hope for anyone because as long as we are in this mortal flesh, we will continue to sin, albeit inadvertently which you call deliberate and willful.

During the sojourn in the wilderness the kindling of fires upon the seventh day had been strictly prohibited. The prohibition was not to extend to the land of Canaan, where the severity of the climate would often render fires a necessity; but in the wilderness, fire was not needed for warmth. The act of this man was a willful and deliberate violation of the fourth commandment--a sin, not of thoughtlessness or ignorance, but of presumption. {PP 408.4}

Please pay special attention to the last reference.

Here are additional statements to consider:

Had Moses and Aaron been cherishing self-esteem or indulging a passionate spirit in the face of divine warning and reproof, their guilt would have been far greater. But they were not chargeable with willful or deliberate sin; they had been overcome by a sudden temptation, and their contrition was immediate and heartfelt. The Lord accepted their repentance, though because of the harm their sin might do among the people, He could not remit its punishment. {PP 419.1}

When one errs, others too often feel at liberty to make the case appear as bad as possible. Those who perhaps are guilty of fully as great sins in some other direction, will treat their brother with cruel severity. Errors committed through ignorance, thoughtlessness, or weakness are exaggerated into willful, premeditated sin. RH Nov 30, 1866.

Some excellent posts Gerry.

pk