SINLESS PERFECTION
The question, "is
sinless perfection possible " cannot be answered with a direct
Biblical quote stating that every human being can live life without ever
committing a sin. Nor, can we find a statement claiming sin is absolutely
inevitable for the child of God. However, it is evident through myriad
examples, provisions, exhortations and commands that we do indeed continue to
sin after we are saved, or born again.
It is clearly stated in Scripture that we are expected to live above sin, 1Peter 1:16 “because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." It is only the foolishness of the modern preacher and an apparent desire to keep the pews full that lends excuse and provision for living in the flesh, and the acceptance of mediocre Christianity. The phrase “Don’t worry, we are all only human” has become far too common in today’s churches. It seems in our generation there is little concern for the separated life, a life characterized by daily godly living, a life that abhors sin. However, we cannot allow our frustrations to mold our doctrine.
One of my personal favorites, if one passage can be more endearing than another, is Ephesians 1:4-14. Paul opens this passage with, “According as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love….” God’s choice from the very foundation of the world was that each one of us, His children, would one day stand before Him without sin, holy and completely without blame. Certainly, it would stand to reason then, that God wants those same children today to live above sin in their daily lives. And Paul follows this statement in Ephesians 5:27 with, “that He might present it to Himself as the glorious church, without spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that it should be holy and without blemish.” And one may think that this seals the argument. Nothing more needs to be stated. We are expected to live holy lives. And to this point I must agree until one examines this a bit more carefully.
The book of Ephesians is replete with examples of our ineptitude and God’s provision. Above we cited chapter one and verse four. Now, continue reading from verse five. God’s choice to have us stand before Him without sin was accomplished in his work of adoption (v.5) placing us into His family by (v.6) the sacrificial work (v.7) of Jesus Christ. Which brings glory to God (and not to ourselves, 2:9) for His great wisdom and power. All of which was accomplished long ago, though He is only now revealing it (v.8-10) to us in its entirety, for His own pleasure and in accordance with His own will, that all things should be done, and completed, and headed up, in and by, Jesus Christ. So complete is the work of redemption that God already (v.11-14) made us heirs with Christ, made us to be the cause of His glory and sealed us with His Holy Spirit. All of this was done so that (5:27) He could present us to Himself as a spotless Church, one without sin or blemish of any type. God already made us spotless, sinless, and without blemish.
Yet, the same Apostle that penned the words above also wrote Ephesians 2:10 making the point that we can only work in a manner which is pleasing to God today because we have been created in Christ. Because of our new birth we now have the ability, with the Holy Spirit living in us, to serve God, to do good works. However, by the time we get to chapter 4 Paul is “beseeching” the church, true believers, to stop sinning, live in love and unity, and stop the divisions. In fact, he states that we, as a church (v.14-15) have been given the tools to bring the saints to maturity until the return of Christ. Why? Because the church will always need these gifts in a fallen creation. To the church (v.17-18) he says to stop walking in vanity, don’t allow your understanding to be darkened, don’t allow yourself to be alienated from a proper relationship with God, like those in the world still do. These are daily efforts and struggles. Every day that we walk with Christ we can become closer and closer to God. But as long as sin is in this world and we live in a sin cursed fleshly body we can expect occasional failures which is why we have 1 John 2:1 “My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”
In Romans 7:14-25 it would be a serious error to believe Paul is speaking of his unregenerate past. He is addressing born again believers, not the unsaved. His comparison is current. He begins by looking back at the Law and how it was used to direct us toward Christ. And then, he personalizes his statements beginning in verse 15. In verse one he begins to present the issue of living under the law as the Jews had done all of their lives. He relates it to the marriage relationship in verses 2-6. Verse seven then asks, what is the conclusion? Is the Law sinful? “No.” Paul states that it simply points out our sin, and in concert with life and our own actions, confirms the sinners guilt.
In verse 14 he makes a transitional statement. He says the Law does not cause us to sin. It is simply a spiritual instrument of God. The fallen flesh that each of us is currently inhabiting is the problem. His following analogy (7:21-23) is an account of his personal experience, “I find then a law: when I will to do the right, evil is present with me. (v.22) For I delight in the Law of God according to the inward man; (v.23) but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin being in my members.” Paul, and all Christians since, had a battle with sin. His cry (v.24) was so much like our own, “Who can help me? Who can free me from this sin cursed body?” Thankfully, the cry of frustration is immediately followed (v.25) by a grateful heart as Paul thanks God. The Law could only bring guilt and shame at our constant failures. It could not break the bond of sin and death. But, in Christ the gospel brings forgiveness, grace and mercy, placing us in right standing before the Father so that even though sin is still there, it has been paid for, it cannot separate us from God. We are secure in Christ.
His conclusion? As long as he is bound to this flesh, in his heart and mind he wills to fulfill every command of God. But, the flesh is prone to sin even though the spirit has been redeemed. The flesh will one day be redeemed as well. But the body has not yet been redeemed. Paul states in I Corinthians 15:50-54 “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. (v.51) Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, (v.52) In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (v.53) For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. (v.54) So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.” Today we live in the flesh but it too will be redeemed soon.
Every effort should be made to live above sin. Departing from sin should be the heart cry of every believer. However, it is dangerous for believers to think they can become sinless in a sinful body, living in a sinful world. The constant failure will tend toward depression and a deep sense of defeat. God knows we sill sin (Hebrews 12:5-12) and tells us that, although our sin can affect our family relationship with Him, He is always there to direct us back to Himself.
It is clearly stated in Scripture that we are expected to live above sin, 1Peter 1:16 “because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." It is only the foolishness of the modern preacher and an apparent desire to keep the pews full that lends excuse and provision for living in the flesh, and the acceptance of mediocre Christianity. The phrase “Don’t worry, we are all only human” has become far too common in today’s churches. It seems in our generation there is little concern for the separated life, a life characterized by daily godly living, a life that abhors sin. However, we cannot allow our frustrations to mold our doctrine.
One of my personal favorites, if one passage can be more endearing than another, is Ephesians 1:4-14. Paul opens this passage with, “According as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love….” God’s choice from the very foundation of the world was that each one of us, His children, would one day stand before Him without sin, holy and completely without blame. Certainly, it would stand to reason then, that God wants those same children today to live above sin in their daily lives. And Paul follows this statement in Ephesians 5:27 with, “that He might present it to Himself as the glorious church, without spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that it should be holy and without blemish.” And one may think that this seals the argument. Nothing more needs to be stated. We are expected to live holy lives. And to this point I must agree until one examines this a bit more carefully.
The book of Ephesians is replete with examples of our ineptitude and God’s provision. Above we cited chapter one and verse four. Now, continue reading from verse five. God’s choice to have us stand before Him without sin was accomplished in his work of adoption (v.5) placing us into His family by (v.6) the sacrificial work (v.7) of Jesus Christ. Which brings glory to God (and not to ourselves, 2:9) for His great wisdom and power. All of which was accomplished long ago, though He is only now revealing it (v.8-10) to us in its entirety, for His own pleasure and in accordance with His own will, that all things should be done, and completed, and headed up, in and by, Jesus Christ. So complete is the work of redemption that God already (v.11-14) made us heirs with Christ, made us to be the cause of His glory and sealed us with His Holy Spirit. All of this was done so that (5:27) He could present us to Himself as a spotless Church, one without sin or blemish of any type. God already made us spotless, sinless, and without blemish.
Yet, the same Apostle that penned the words above also wrote Ephesians 2:10 making the point that we can only work in a manner which is pleasing to God today because we have been created in Christ. Because of our new birth we now have the ability, with the Holy Spirit living in us, to serve God, to do good works. However, by the time we get to chapter 4 Paul is “beseeching” the church, true believers, to stop sinning, live in love and unity, and stop the divisions. In fact, he states that we, as a church (v.14-15) have been given the tools to bring the saints to maturity until the return of Christ. Why? Because the church will always need these gifts in a fallen creation. To the church (v.17-18) he says to stop walking in vanity, don’t allow your understanding to be darkened, don’t allow yourself to be alienated from a proper relationship with God, like those in the world still do. These are daily efforts and struggles. Every day that we walk with Christ we can become closer and closer to God. But as long as sin is in this world and we live in a sin cursed fleshly body we can expect occasional failures which is why we have 1 John 2:1 “My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”
In Romans 7:14-25 it would be a serious error to believe Paul is speaking of his unregenerate past. He is addressing born again believers, not the unsaved. His comparison is current. He begins by looking back at the Law and how it was used to direct us toward Christ. And then, he personalizes his statements beginning in verse 15. In verse one he begins to present the issue of living under the law as the Jews had done all of their lives. He relates it to the marriage relationship in verses 2-6. Verse seven then asks, what is the conclusion? Is the Law sinful? “No.” Paul states that it simply points out our sin, and in concert with life and our own actions, confirms the sinners guilt.
In verse 14 he makes a transitional statement. He says the Law does not cause us to sin. It is simply a spiritual instrument of God. The fallen flesh that each of us is currently inhabiting is the problem. His following analogy (7:21-23) is an account of his personal experience, “I find then a law: when I will to do the right, evil is present with me. (v.22) For I delight in the Law of God according to the inward man; (v.23) but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin being in my members.” Paul, and all Christians since, had a battle with sin. His cry (v.24) was so much like our own, “Who can help me? Who can free me from this sin cursed body?” Thankfully, the cry of frustration is immediately followed (v.25) by a grateful heart as Paul thanks God. The Law could only bring guilt and shame at our constant failures. It could not break the bond of sin and death. But, in Christ the gospel brings forgiveness, grace and mercy, placing us in right standing before the Father so that even though sin is still there, it has been paid for, it cannot separate us from God. We are secure in Christ.
His conclusion? As long as he is bound to this flesh, in his heart and mind he wills to fulfill every command of God. But, the flesh is prone to sin even though the spirit has been redeemed. The flesh will one day be redeemed as well. But the body has not yet been redeemed. Paul states in I Corinthians 15:50-54 “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. (v.51) Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, (v.52) In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (v.53) For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. (v.54) So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.” Today we live in the flesh but it too will be redeemed soon.
Every effort should be made to live above sin. Departing from sin should be the heart cry of every believer. However, it is dangerous for believers to think they can become sinless in a sinful body, living in a sinful world. The constant failure will tend toward depression and a deep sense of defeat. God knows we sill sin (Hebrews 12:5-12) and tells us that, although our sin can affect our family relationship with Him, He is always there to direct us back to Himself.
