Can Christians Achieve Sinlessness in This Life?

[Scrawly]

I believe that seeking sinless perfection encourages intentionally seeking after holiness over and above the assumption of its impossibility. Jesus instructed people to go and sin no more, and Paul spoke of no longer being a slave to sin, but instead a slave to righteousness, assuming (as I prefer to) that Scripture is accurately recording their teachings, and that these men are trustworthy, then I see little reason to doubt the attainability of real holiness empowered by the Holy Spirit. Something that I hold in tension to this is that even as our minds are renewed, we have a heart of flesh and not of stone, and a new Spirit has been put into us, our bodies are still corrupt, and will not be restored until we receive our Heavenly bodies per 1 Corinthians 15, so some form of sin should be expected. I am not settled, but where I sit right now I believe that we are free of intentional sin (probably at salvation, although I am not excluding the possibility that it is related to Wesley's second work; but I definitely do not identify it with the Pentecostal baptism of the Spirit), but may sin unintentionally, such as fits of passion producing violence, or perhaps (forgive lewdness) nocturnal emissions and accompanying dreams for the celibate, another example may be uncharitable thoughts that come unbidden. My idea for intentional sin as opposed to unintentional sin is based out of Leviticus where rules are provided for offerings for unintentional sins.

I think we all have a tendency to overlook the sin of omission: "Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins" (James 4:17). We are all, I would say continuously guilty, of such sins - and behave more like the Priest/Levite than the good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37).

[Pentecost]

I think we all have a tendency to overlook the sin of omission: "Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins" (James 4:17). We are all, I would say continuously guilty, of such sins - and behave more like the Priest/Levite than the good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37).

Is that a connection to what I was saying about unintentional sin?

[KingsGambit]

I believe that seeking sinless perfection encourages intentionally seeking after holiness over and above the assumption of its impossibility. Jesus instructed people to go and sin no more, and Paul spoke of no longer being a slave to sin, but instead a slave to righteousness, assuming (as I prefer to) that Scripture is accurately recording their teachings, and that these men are trustworthy, then I see little reason to doubt the attainability of real holiness empowered by the Holy Spirit. Something that I hold in tension to this is that even as our minds are renewed, we have a heart of flesh and not of stone, and a new Spirit has been put into us, our bodies are still corrupt, and will not be restored until we receive our Heavenly bodies per 1 Corinthians 15, so some form of sin should be expected.

I think this tension accurately reflects the tension in 1 John. John said that Christians do not go on sinning, yet that they do sin but are forgiven. I think this sort of balance between striving for perfection and reality is what John was trying to portray. Eventually, as you say, in the eschaton, it will no longer be a struggle.

[Adam]

Don't expect any reply, KG. He posted YESTERDAY, BEFORE the RAPTURE.

[heartablaze]

I think this tension accurately reflects the tension in 1 John. John said that Christians do not go on sinning, yet that they do sin but are forgiven. I think this sort of balance between striving for perfection and reality is what John was trying to portray. Eventually, as you say, in the eschaton, it will no longer be a struggle.

I agree. 1 John 1:6-10 is my go to passage when talking about attaining perfection.

6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[b] sin.

8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

Basically if we don't do good works, are we really disciples? But if we say we don't have sin, we're also lying. Everyone has sin in their lives. But mature Christians strive for righteousness. So my answer is no- we can't be perfect in this life. I mean, if we could, what would the point of Jesus be?