That is, is denying God better or worse than claiming to know God but embracing sin?
For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
I made an answer related to the behavior of citizens of the Kingdom of God.
If anyone wants to clear up this answer I would welcome it. I am still trying to figure out how citizenship in the Kingdom works.
I heard a sermon (from a podcast) on this issue and it spoke only of the rights of being a citizen. I did not hear it address the responsibilities of citizenship
1 Corinthians 1:15 is The GOSPEL. Jesus died. He shed His Blood. He was buried and was resurrected.
Matthew 7:12 tells us the golden rule, how we should interact with each other.
1 Samuel 16:7 tells us that God looks at the heart of a person, we look at the outside, at what we see.
To me this question speaks of judgement. We are not in a position to do that. That is God's business.
I think the scripture says it plainly.
Hi Mark
Having been adopted into the family of God as a result of placing our faith in Jesus, we do have rights of being part of the family. The rights were established when we believed: we are reconciled to our Father, we are at peace with our Father, we will live forever. One of the rights is access to the Father today, tomorrow and everyday we live here on earth, and the Holy Spirit in us testifies we are part of the family.
The Holy Spirit also testifies that along with these rights are responsibilities and it is him in us that reveals & helps us fulfill these responsibilities.
Jesus said whoever has seen me has seen the Father. Jesus came to show us exactly what's on the Fathers heart for how we should live, Jesus not only talked the talk he walked the walk. That's our responsibility, to become more CHRIST like, to talk his talk and walk his walk.
Jesus said that he did not come to do away with the law but to fulfill it. He also said
"The greatest command is to love the Lord your God with all you heart, soul and strength, now a new command I give love each other as I have loved you along with love your neighbor as you love yourself no other commandments are greater than these"
That's our responsibilities when we seek to follow these then we seek to fulfill our responsibilities from wishing not to live contrary to the way our Father wants us live both for ourselves and how we treat others.
We won't always get it right, but its our responsibility to want to.