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Is sinless perfection possible in this life?

Loyal
I went through many decades of perfect driving, with no tickets. Then I drove through Dallas, TX on what apparently was a special fee highway. I didn't see an alternative route. I remember coming to an intersection with about 5 lights, six lanes, for right turn, forward, and left. I saw a sign that said "Do not block traffic". I stopped, observed that, saw cars crossing though I had a left turn signal. I edged forward, stopped to avoid a car rushing though. Horns behind me blared, so I completed my left turn, which was actually the wrong choice.

In the mail came a letter saying I ran a stop signal. Well, I could tell I had stopped under the light, then moved on to let traffic proceed. The camera caught me past the red light moving. $75 fine! I sinned and didn't know it! To me it was a matter of confusion, ignorance of their ways. I was trying to be courteous, but became a criminal and didn't know it!

I am now more cautions about crossing on a yellow light. I learn. I also realize after counsel that had I remained under the red light I would have been more legal until the light changed to green, regardless of the upset drivers behind me. That would hold true if not impeding cross traffic, but all that traffic was one way. I let the driver behind me violate a technicality.

I called them. They assured me it was a common error, that it would not be part of my driving record. They just want the revenue.

Beware the turnpike exits of NE Texas!

My point is not that incedent. It is that a part of life is unavoidable offense, whether to man or God in some technical manner if not deliberate, chalking it up as "bad decision"?. How many yellow/red lights have you slipped through, even when stopping under the light? Have you ever left off a little income you forgot when filing taxes? How long did it take to click the remote when a sin scene came on TV? Good grief, how much TV do you watch anyway? How many chances have we had to lay hands on someone, praying for them? How many years did I pledge to pray but forgot to pray for them, not taking time to find out what to pray about?

Anyone claiming they don't sin is a liar.


this so reminds me of just recently I had a strong conviction about not wearing a seat belt, it is against the law not to wear one here. I have never ever worn a seat belt I cant stand them. Yet the last two weeks or so I have felt compelled to whear one, not because I wanted to, but because I think it is pleasing to my heavenly father to obey the laws no matter how stupid I think they are. I am still in training to make it a habit, but its coming along nicely. The bible is clear we are supposed to obey the laws of the land as long as they dont go against Gods word. Never before have I been for not wearing a seatbelt. but it is sin to brake the law of the land, so I wish not to sin especially if it has been made aware to me.
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Moderator
Staff Member
How can you believe "Romans 8:2" which teaches that Jesus took away the "penalty" of sin (which you believe), "AND" the "sins" of the world - which you don't believe? Either you believe both or you don't believe either. How can you believe Christ took away one but not the other?

Hello Brother,
Yes the consequences of sin have been removed. Have I been made Holy?
Have I come to a state in Christ Jesus that what I now see would proclaim me as Holy?
Is it Sin or something less blameworthy that prevents me?
For this is what we seek to be seen, and prayerfully in Christ Jesus after being refined by our God, will be.
Who knows the completion of this process? Till the day we are called home and then some.
For now I do know that the Father is not done molding me.

With the Love of Christ Jesus.
YBIC
Nick
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Member
No. It's not possible to be without sin. It was before, but it was one of the effects for Adam and Eve disobeying God. This isn't the garden of Eden. The devil will taunt you every day, whether you see it or not. You WILL think things that aren't pure more often than you would like to admit. Even if it's only once a week. Or once a month etc. That is why God sent, virtually himself, his only Son, Jesus Christ, to be sacrificed; to offer us forgiveness through his abundant grace. If you say that you don't sin, then you are a lukewarm Christian.
 
Member
Yes, it's possible.

Come now, and let us reason together, saith YHWH: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Isaiah 1:18
 
Member
One thing i believe is that we are all prone to sin as long as we are still in the world that's why Christ is always interceding for us before our God.
if we think of ourselves not to be sinners then why did Jesus teach his disciples the Lord's Prayer in which we ask God to forgive our sins routinely, that simply means we are sinners and we just need God's forgiveness because we sin even in ways we don't know.

But thanks be to Christ who sent us the Holy Spirit to us the believers so that we are convicted of sin which helps us to repent and live right with our God.
 
Member
if we think of ourselves not to be sinners then why did Jesus teach his disciples the Lord's Prayer in which we ask God to forgive our sins routinely, that simply means we are sinners and we just need God's forgiveness because we sin even in ways we don't know.
There's a parable from Matthew 18:23-35 which relates to this.
 
Loyal
Yes, it's possible.

Come now, and let us reason together, saith YHWH: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Isaiah 1:18


how about the times you sin by accident??
 
Member
One thing i believe is that we are all prone to sin as long as we are still in the world that's why Christ is always interceding for us before our God.
if we think of ourselves not to be sinners then why did Jesus teach his disciples the Lord's Prayer in which we ask God to forgive our sins routinely, that simply means we are sinners and we just need God's forgiveness because we sin even in ways we don't know.

But thanks be to Christ who sent us the Holy Spirit to us the believers so that we are convicted of sin which helps us to repent and live right with our God.
You said it exactly, brother. Amen.
 
Loyal
And That goes back to eternal security -- once we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior -- the Holy Spirit comes to indwell and Never leaves us until we are safely with Jesus Christ.

And That means that we don't have to worry about accidental sins keeping us out of heaven at the last minute.

And, yes, a believer makes decisions all the time -- even the little ones are decisions -- to brush our teeth or Not. When to brush them.

The Holy Spirit Does convict us when we're going astray.

You Almost make God sound like a tyrant who's just waiting for us to mess up and then lower the boom on us.

Thankfully He's not.
 
Loyal
There are some denominations that are strong on various types of sins and the need for a priest to give last rights to make sure All a person's sins have been taken care of at the time of death.

One of the problems with That is that a person doesn't Know when they will die -- a priest isn't always available.

We - born-again believers - don't have That to worry about. Jesus Christ is our 'high priest' -- even if we Do die with unforgiven sin -- it won't send us to hell. We are secure in Him.

That does Not give a believer license To sin, but even when we Do have temptations To sin and we follow through with those -- God Does know our heart and His Holy Spirit won't leave us because we mess up once in a while. He has promised to Never leave us or forsake us. We are prone to wander -- He Isn't.
 
Member
And That goes back to eternal security -- once we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior -- the Holy Spirit comes to indwell and Never leaves us until we are safely with Jesus Christ.

And That means that we don't have to worry about accidental sins keeping us out of heaven at the last minute.

And, yes, a believer makes decisions all the time -- even the little ones are decisions -- to brush our teeth or Not. When to brush them.

The Holy Spirit Does convict us when we're going astray.

You Almost make God sound like a tyrant who's just waiting for us to mess up and then lower the boom on us.

Thankfully He's not.
Exactly
 
Loyal
Ephesians 4:13 says that the spiritual gifts are given to build up the body of Christ “until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” Some translations say that we will become “perfect” (instead of “mature”), and from this some people have mistakenly thought that we can reach sinless perfection in this life. The Bible teaches that, while we are in the flesh, we will always struggle with a sin nature (see Romans 7:14–24). No one will be “perfect” (sinless) until we reach heaven.

The word translated “mature” in Ephesians 4:13 is the Greek word teleios. It is used throughout the New Testament to mean “perfect,” “complete,” “full-grown,” and “mature.” What Ephesians 4:13 teaches is that, the more we grow in Christ, the stronger and more unified we will be as a church. The verse does not teach that we will stop sinning.

Another passage that people sometimes get confused about is Colossians 1:28, which says, in some translations, that Paul wants to “present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” Also, in Colossians 4:12 Paul prays that we would “stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.” In both verses, the Greek word for perfectshould be understood to mean “mature” or “full-grown,” not “having no sin.”

As human beings we are bound under Adam’s nature in this world. No matter how hard we try not to, we will still sin against God. This holds true for everyone. The apostle Paul rebuked Peter for showing favoritism (Galatians 2:11–13). Late in his ministry, Paul calls himself the chief of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). Peter, James, John, and Paul all admitted that they were imperfect. How could you or I claim anything different?

True perfection will not come until the rapture of the church, when we rise to meet Jesus in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17). At that time the dead in Christ will be resurrected, and the bodies of the living will be changed (Philippians 3:20, 21; 1 Corinthians 15:54). We will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10) where our works will be judged and rewards will be given (1 Corinthians 3:9–15). Our redemption will be complete, and our sin will be gone forever. We will live and reign with Christ in sinless perfection forever.

source: Is sinless perfection possible in this life?
1 John 1:9
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness
There is no question, as long as we live in these flesh bodies, we will slip on occasion and sin...But that's when the above verse kicks in. We confess our sin, God forgives us, The blood of Jesus washes us from all unrighteousness...(Unrighteousness = injustice, of a judge
unrighteousness of heart and life or a deed violating law and justice, act of unrighteousness
 
Member
And, ignorance can, more often than not, not be a choice.
It's about priorities.

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Matthew 7:7

But sometimes people won't ask the right question because they think that they already know the answer.

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Revelation 12:9
 
Loyal
And there Are people who know they don't already know the answers and don't know what questions To ask.

We're human so no we Don't always have the right priorities.
 
Member
We're human so no we Don't always have the right priorities.
People typically don't understand the nature of the human condition, especially the security relationship with the state.

Cicero described humans as those who were part of Rome's socio-political system, and he called the others barbarians and said that they were not fully human.
Of course some of the practices of Rome were just as barabaric as anything from outside of the empire.
 
Member
It's about priorities.

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Matthew 7:7

But sometimes people won't ask the right question because they think that they already know the answer.

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Revelation 12:9
Just read 1 John 1:8. I'm not referring to nonbelievers.
It's about priorities.

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Matthew 7:7

But sometimes people won't ask the right question because they think that they already know the answer.

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Revelation 12:9

1 John 1:8-10 (KJV) "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."

Agreed. But, I'm more referring to believers who say they have no sin. Not, nonbelievers. But, you're correct.
 
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