Sinning Saints and Dr. Tony Evans

“Committed Christians may fall into sin, but a carnal Christian bathes in,” insists the learned and celebrated Dr. Anthony T. Tony Evans. “He has the mindset, motivation and methodology of sin.”

Saints who bathe in sin? There are, insists Evans, “saints who act more sinful than sinners even though they are on their way to heaven.” Dr. Evans plainly promises paradise to the unrepentant, even to those who adopt Satan’s lifestyle! To Dr. Evans Paul might say: “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”

From Dr. Evans’ own pen we learn that a professing Christian who “bathes in sin” is destined for paradise. Friend, what criminal or demon does not do the same? If Evans’ doctrine is true along with all the sinning saints perhaps heaven will be full of demons too? If Romans 6:16 and the following were all that the bible had to say, which they are not, they would be sufficient to reject Tony Evans’ sinning saint theory. Consider:

Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. 1 John 3:9-10

Sinning saints, namely, those who “bathe in sin,” will not inherit the kingdom of God although Anthony T. Evans insists on the converse. You see, Tony Evans does not understand that the salvation offered in the gospel is salvation from sin not in it. According to the scriptures to believe Evans is to let him deceive you: “Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous” (1 John 3:7).

Freedom from sin’s debasing chains, namely, the only freedom offered in the gospel, is good news for all who are tired of their bondage. For professing Christians who want to have their cake and eat it to, however, the gospel is not good news. With a heavy heart Paul wrote to the Philippians:

For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. Phil 3:18-19

“Carnal Christians” taking refuge in the promises of Tony Evans are not bound for heaven, in Paul’s words they’re “enemies of the cross of Christ.” Evans’ sinning saint fancies mirror a romance rathar than sound theology. They are theological clouds without water silently stupefying God’s people into spiritual sloth and destruction.