Can Sin Separate A Christian From God?

I found this meme on Facebook this week, with which I humbly disagree. That is, I think the meme is true. I didn't put an 'X' over the meme, the original poster did. To me, a better way of writing this meme would have been: “Either the Bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Bible.” We don't repent of our sins to get to Heaven, but every child of God should repent concerning their sinful ways to please God (as His redeemed child). ...

I disagreed with his disagreement of this meme, if that makes sense. He put the red 'X' over it, I didn't. I think the meme is correct, for a saved person; it would be damnable heresy for a lost person. You get saved by turning in faith to Jesus, not turning from sin. You only need to turn from your unbelief and trust the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ crucified, buried and risen the third day to be saved. That is the Gospel (1st Corinthians 15:1-6).

Here is my first reply...

Actually this meme is true, unless you're talking about salvation. Every saint of God is commanded to depart from iniquity. 2nd Timothy 2:19, “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” Every child of God should repent (change our mind) about our sins, but you don't do this to be saved. Christ died for our sins on the cross, and we simply cease from our own works and REST in Jesus' work of redemption for salvation.

Isaiah 59:2, “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” Our POSITION in Christ was forever settle by grace the moment we trusted Jesus, which is God's responsibility; but our CONDITION in Christ as His child is our responsibility (Romans 12:1). 

Pastor M.R. DeHaan (1891-1965) said it well... 

"There is a vast difference between coming to Jesus for salvation and coming after Jesus for service. Coming to Christ makes one a believer, while coming after Christ makes one a disciple. All believers are not disciples. To become a believer one accepts the invitation of the Gospel, to be a disciple one obeys the challenge to a life of dedicated service and separation. Salvation comes through the sacrifice of Christ; discipleship comes only by sacrifice of self and surrender to His call for devoted service. Salvation is free, but discipleship involves paying the price of a separated walk. Salvation can't be lost because it depends upon God's faithfulness, but discipleship can be lost because it depends upon our faithfulness." —Pastor M.R. DeHaan, “Hebrews”; Zondervan Publishing House, 1959 (p. 117)

Here is the original poster's reply to my response...

The Old Testament is still very relevant and should never be dismissed, however TRYING to apply the idea that God is "still separated, because of sin" from a HOLY SPIRIT INDWELLED BELIEVER today is INCORRECT.
Jesus solved the sin problem on the cross. So either you do not understand that the old Testament saints were not indwelled with The Holy Spirit (like we are today) or you miss the entire point of what Jesus actually did. So I stand behind what was said in zero disagreement with the scripture you used, when understood correctly. 

I actually AGREE with most of what you said, but you may not be understanding the POINT that was being made in the post, is that some believers today THIINK they "are separated from God" when they sin...... and that is not true.

And he is my final biblical response to him...

Kindly said, your meme is confusing. By failing to put a distinction between salvation versus service, you are confusing people. 1st John 6-7, “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” This passage applies to saints, not the unsaved. The issue is FELLOWSHIP, not salvation. Sin causes broken fellowship with God, but not the relationship as Father and adopted son. 

The problem with your meme, and many memes for that matter, is that without defining what the terms mean, in this case "separated," it can mean different things. I think it is misleading to teach that sin in no sense separates a believer from our heavenly Father.

Even as Christians, our sin can separate us from God’s fellowship. Sin is like a dark curtain pulled over a sunny window. The sun is still there, but the curtain creates a separation from its warmth and light. Repentance lifts the curtain and restores the relationship we once enjoyed (1 John 1:9). 

Any unconfessed and unforsaken sin in the life of a born again Christian can create a sense of separation from God, which we see in 1st Corinthians 5:1-11. Thankfully the Christian man repented. We never learn what happened to the woman. God does not leave us, but the light and warmth of fellowship was cut off when we chose sin. We do not lose our salvation, because Jesus paid our debt in full. But we can lose the love, joy, and sweet peace of the indwelling Holy Spirit when we persist in living in rebellion against the inspired Word of God God. I hope that is helpful.

NOTHING can ever separate a born again child of God from the heavenly Father's love. Romans 8:39, “Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

NOTHING can separate a born again child of God from the Lord's solemn promise to “save them that believe” (1st Corinthians 1:21b; Titus 1:2).

But if we live apart from God in sin (and we all do at times), then yes, we have separated our self from the sweet peace, joy and fellowship that can only exist if we humbly walk with our Creator and Savior. Anyone who has been saved for decades of time has at some pointed strayed away from the right path. We all have! And you remember the pain that it caused you, so that you can now say with broken King David in Psalm 119:67, “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.” Just like David, the shepherd boy turned king over Israel, I don't ever want to stray away from God again.