Church in Toronto's Salvation Theology

[bearbear]

For additional context concerning the sermon at the top of the thread, here's a quote from Del Martin's sermon "Can Christians Keep on Sinning?" on August 11th, 2024 around the 38 minute mark
https://www.youtube.com/live/FsM7s0w7J6o?t=2200s

Originally Posted by Del Martin

To depict the spirit's work in Believers unlike the children of the devil the children of God do not go on sinning because the spirit dwells within them. What is this saying, this is saying the spirit of God that dwells in us does not tolerate sin and that's why when we do sin we feel the way we do. And again I say that is a blessing that is a gift God's nature the god-born nature in us the God born nature in the Believers does not practice sin does not make a practice of sinning. So when you feel bad about what you've done that's a good sign that's actually a sign you're child of God how about that you say you sin I'm no longer a child of God no the reason you feel bad about the sin that proves you're a child of God if you had no feeling about it then you'd have to question so the children of God do not make a practice of sinning so in a sense the Greek tense has this present intense thing concerning sinning which is an ongoing action which makes it impossible.

So here's the struggle that often Believers especially new Believers have and that is we have the desire and we may even make the statement from now on I'm not going to sin and we something happens and we feel discouraged or we may you know this morning we have a number people getting baptized at the end of the meeting and you say well after my baptism I will sin no more I don't need to say anything more right we know that we do sin what do we do about it well this is what makes the difference and that is what when we have the conviction concerning sin what do we do we confess we confess that sin we confess the sin we desire to live a life of righteousness.

Andreas Kostenberger says regeneration will inexorably produce a heart that confesses sin and continues in righteousness continuing in sin is an impossibility for those who truly are God's children.

Another quote from Karen Jobes: John also acknowledges that even though those who have been born of God do sin he calls his readers to acknowledge and confess their sin because God is faithful and just and will forgive confess sin based on the cleansing power of Jesus blood.

This view is a popular evangelical interpretation of 1 John 3 and is inconsistent with millennial exclusion. For example the "workers of lawlessness" who called Jesus "Lord, Lord" in Matthew 7:21-23 would be easily categorized as "children of the devil" in Del Martin's exposition per 1 John 3 since they practiced sinning. Millennial exclusionists however would categorize these as saved unfaithful Christians who can enter the eternal kingdom after 1000 years of discipline.