Willful Sin

I was asked the question, if a person goes out and gets drunk do they have to receive the Holy Ghost again? The following is my response and I thought it might be a help to others as well. It is my attempt to reply with simplicity and to be able to be understood at whatever level of Bible knowledge a person might have.

The first question that has to be asked is this. If a person has the Holy Ghost why would they do something that is so obviously wrong? Using the example of drinking lets ask this question. Do you not have to choose to pour and drink that beverage? Yes, so it was a choice to do so. You don't accidentally get drunk. Now is it possible to accidentally sin? Yes! There are times we lie without knowing we did. Sometimes we say words by accident without thought. I believe God understands this and forgives when we ask. Sin on purpose is not accidental. Adultery, fornication, drug use, alcohol abuse, ect is no accident because it requires planning and a desire to put oneself into the position to do that sin.

I don't think the question should be "do you have to receive the Holy Ghost again" I think it should be "what happened to my Holy Ghost that caused me to want to sin" Somewhere before the sin was fulfilled there was a weakening of the spirit. Wilful sin happens when the person is not strong in the spirit. It doesn't happen in a flash. For instance a person doesn't go from being in the spirit to walking into a bar and drinking. It happens after someone stops praying through to the spirit and stops having a relationship with God.

Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

Our previous repentance doesn't cover future sin, therefore our first works (repentance) must be repeated. Not just words but in sincere sorrow and a desire to not repeat that sin.

Revelation 2:5 lends credibility to this statement as God sent word to a church that had sinned.

Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

Repentance and forgiveness is in place for the sorrowful sinner, far too often though it's misused to ease the conscience of a person who desires to be known as Godly but is in love with sin.

There is great danger here because while God's mercy renews daily and his love knows no end, we do know that he is a jealous and awesome God.

The very real and dangerous truth is that we as carnal humans grow used to sin and the need for repentance grows less and less as our conscience begins to justify and normalize sin.

That's the long answer. :) Short answer is this, YES we have to go back and repent and get a refilling of the Holy Ghost. Even without the presence of sin we should desire to be refilled daily. The largest question remains, why did we sin to begin with? Find that answer and you can gain control over that weakness.

God bless you for asking such an important question.