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Tolerating Sin in the Body of Christ

Scripture consistently affirms that all believers remain sinners even after conversion. Paul declares, "So then with the mind, I myself serve God's law, but with the flesh, the sin's law" [1], acknowledging the ongoing struggle between regenerate will and indwelling corruption. The question is not whether sin exists within the church—it does—but how the body of Christ should respond to it.

The Reality of Sin Among Believers

The New Testament writers assume that Christians continue to commit actual sins after regeneration. John addresses this directly: "If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar" [10], distinguishing between the guilt remaining from actual sins and the corrupt nature still adhering to believers. This is not merely theoretical. One commentary notes that "the perfect 'have sinned' brings down the commission of sins to the present time, not merely sins committed before, but since, conversion" [10]. The godly, unlike the wicked who indulge their sinful nature, "fight against it" [6], but the fight presupposes the presence of what must be resisted.

The Distinction Between Tolerating and Addressing

Tolerance of sin must be distinguished from patience with sinners. The church is commanded to maintain conscience pure [4] and to pursue holiness, yet this pursuit occurs within a community where members acknowledge ongoing need for forgiveness. The blood of Christ "alone can purify" the conscience [4], and this purification is not a one-time event but an ongoing reality. John instructs believers: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" [12]. The present tense implies repeated confession, not a single act.

What the church cannot tolerate is the deliberate, unrepentant embrace of sin as a way of life. One who "committeth sin is of the devil" [7]—not because a single act of sin severs relationship with God, but because persistent, unconfessed sin demonstrates imitation of the devil rather than of Christ. Augustine's distinction, preserved in commentary, clarifies: "From the devil there is not generation, but corruption" [7]. The issue is not occasional failure but settled disposition.

Forgiveness Within the Community

The church's posture toward sin among its members must mirror God's own economy of grace. Forgiveness is "promised" and granted "by God alone" and "through Christ" [3], yet believers are commanded to extend this same forgiveness to one another. The motivation is explicit: "God's forgiveness of us" and "Christ's forgiveness of us" [5] become the pattern for interpersonal mercy. This forgiveness must be "unlimited" [5], accompanied by forbearance and kindness, not because sin is minimized but because the cross has already addressed it.

The church disciplines not to destroy but to restore. Christ's reconciling work occurred "in the body of his flesh" through death [13], making atonement for fallen humanity. The purpose of this reconciliation is "to present you holy" and "unblamable" [11], filled with the Spirit so that love becomes the principle of every action. Discipline serves this sanctifying purpose, not vengeance.

The Pastoral Balance

Ministers must "commend themselves to the conscience of their people" [4], maintaining both personal integrity and communal accountability. The church cannot claim to be without sin [10], yet neither can it be indifferent to sin's presence. The balance lies in distinguishing between the sin that all believers confess and combat, and the deliberate, arrogant rebellion that marks those who commit "the great sin" of insolence toward God [8].

Paul's teaching on universal sinfulness [9] establishes that both Gentiles and Jews "are equally under sin's power and cannot find favor with God by any action of their own." This levels all pretense of moral superiority within the church. Yet God's anger remains "the holy God's necessary response to sin" [9], not suspended but satisfied through Christ's atoning work. The church lives in the tension between these realities: justified freely [2], yet still fighting the flesh [1]; forgiven completely, yet confessing repeatedly [12].

Sources

  1. Romans “I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! So then with the mind, I myself serve God’s law, but with the flesh, the sin’s law. -- Romans 7:25”
  2. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Forgiveness of sin — One of the constituent parts of justification. In pardoning sin, God absolves the sinner from the condemnation of the law, and that on account of the work of Christ, i.e., he removes the guilt of sin, or the sinner's actual liability to eternal wrath on account of it. All sins are forgiven freely (Acts 5:31; 13:38; 1 John 1:6-9). The sinner is by this act of grace for ever freed from the guilt and penalty of his sins. This is the peculiar prerogative of God (Ps. 130:4; Mark 2:5). It is offered to all in the gospel. (See [219]JUSTIFICATION.)”
  3. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Pardon — Promised -- Isa 1:18; Jer 31:34; Heb 8:12; Jer 50:20. None without shedding of blood -- Le 17:11; Heb 9:22. Legal sacrifices, ineffectual for -- Heb 10:4. Outward purifications, ineffectual for -- Job 9:30,31; Jer 2:22. The blood of Christ, alone, is efficacious for -- Zec 13:1; 1Jo 1:7. Is granted By God alone. -- Da 9:9; Mr 2:7. By Christ. -- Mr 2:5; Lu 7:48. Through Christ. -- Lu 1:69,77; Ac 5:31; 13:38. Through the blood of Christ. -- Mt 26:28; Ro 3:25; Col 1:14. For the name's sake of Christ. -- 1Jo 2:12. According to the riches of grace. -- Eph 1:7. On”
  4. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Conscience — Witnesses in man -- Pr 20:27; Ro 2:15. Accuses of sin -- Ge 42:21; 2Sa 24:10; Mt 27:3; Ac 2:37. We should have the approval of -- Job 27:6; Ac 24:16; Ro 9:1; 14:22. The blood of Christ alone can purify -- Heb 9:14; 10:2-10,22. Keep the faith in purity of -- 1Ti 1:19; 3:9. Of saints, pure and good -- Heb 13:18; 1Pe 3:16,21. Submit to authority for -- Ro 13:5. Suffer patiently for -- 1Pe 2:19. Testimony of, a source of joy -- 2Co 1:12; 1Jo 3:21. Of others, not to be offended -- Ro 14:21; 1Co 10:28-32. Ministers should commend themselves to that of their pe”
  5. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Forgiveness of Injuries — Christ set an example of -- Lu 23:34. Commanded -- Mr 11:25; Ro 12:19. To be unlimited -- Mt 18:22; Lu 17:4. A characteristic of saints -- Ps 7:4. Motives to The mercy of God. -- Lu 6:36. Our need of forgiveness. -- Mr 11:25. God's forgiveness of us. -- Eph 4:32. Christ's forgiveness of us. -- Col 3:13. A glory to saints -- Pr 19:11. Should be accompanied by Forbearance. -- Col 3:13. Kindness. -- Ge 45:5-11; Ro 12:20. Blessing and prayer. -- Mt 5:44. Promises to -- Mt 6:14; Lu 6:37. No forgiveness without -- Mt 6:15; Jas 2:13. Illustrated --”
  6. Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 58:3: 58:3 All human beings are born sinners (see 51:5); however, whereas the wicked indulge their sinful nature, the godly fight against it (Rom 7:19-23; Jas 4:1-10).”
  7. 1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 3:8: He that committeth sin is of the devil--in contrast to "He that doeth righteousness," Jo1 3:7. He is a son of the devil (Jo1 3:10; Joh 8:44). John does not, however, say, "born of the devil." as he does "born of God," for "the devil begets none, nor does he create any; but whoever imitates the devil becomes a child of the devil by imitating him, not by proper birth" [AUGUSTINE, Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John, Homily 4.10]. From the devil there is not generation, but corruption [BENGEL]. sinneth from the beginning--from the time that any beg”
  8. Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 19:13: 19:13 An individual who commits deliberate sins does so with an insolent (86:14) or arrogant (119:21, 69) attitude. • The great sin is rebellion (see 32:1).”
  9. Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 1:18: 1:18–3:20 Paul delays exploring the theme of righteousness through faith (see 3:21) until after he first teaches about universal sinfulness. Gentiles (1:18-32) and Jews (2:1–3:8) are equally under sin’s power and cannot find favor with God by any action of their own (3:9-20). 1:18 God’s anger is not a spontaneous emotional outburst, but the holy God’s necessary response to sin. The Old Testament often depicts God’s anger (Exod 32:10-12; Num 11:1; Jer 21:3-7) and predicts a decisive outpouring of God’s wrath on human sin at the end of history. While Paul usually de”
  10. 1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 1:10: Parallel to Jo1 1:8. we have not sinned--referring to the commission of actual sins, even after regeneration and conversion; whereas in Jo1 1:8, "we have no sin," refers to the present GUILT remaining (until cleansed) from the actual sins committed, and to the SIN of our corrupt old nature still adhering to us. The perfect "have . . . sinned" brings down the commission of sins to the present time, not merely sins committed before, but since, conversion. we make him a liar--a gradation; Jo1 1:6, "we lie"; Jo1 1:8, "we deceive ourselves"; worst of al”
  11. Colossians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Colossians 1:22: In the body of his flesh - By Christ's assumption of a human body, and dying for man, he has made an atonement for sin, through which men become reconciled to God and to each other. To present you holy - Having saved you from your sins. Unblamable - Having filled you with his Spirit, and written his law in your hearts, so that his love, shed abroad in your hearts, becomes the principle and motive to every action. The tree therefore being good, the fruit is also good. And unreprovable - For, being filled with love, joy, peace, meekness, gentleness, and goodness, ”
  12. 1 John (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins - If, from a deep sense of our guilt, impurity, and helplessness, we humble ourselves before God, acknowledging our iniquity, his holiness, and our own utter helplessness, and implore mercy for his sake who has died for us; he is faithful, because to such he has promised mercy, Psa 32:5; Pro 28:13; and just, for Christ has died for us, and thus made an atonement to the Divine justice; so that God can now be just, and yet the justifier of him who believeth in Jesus. And to cleanse us from all unrighteousness - Not only to forgive the sin, but to”
  13. Colossians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Colossians 1:22: In the body of his flesh--the element in which His reconciling sufferings had place. Compare Col 1:24, "afflictions of Christ in my flesh" (Pe1 2:24). Angels who have not a "body of flesh" are not in any way our reconciling mediators, as your false teachers assert, but He, the Lord of angels, who has taken our flesh, that in it He might atone for our fallen manhood. through death--rather as Greek, "through His death" (which could only take place in a body like ours, of flesh, Heb 2:14). This implies He took on Him our true and entire manhood. Fle”
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