The clearest definition of sin is found in 1 John 3:4, “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”
Literally translated from the Greek it is “the sin is the lawlessness;” in other words, a disregard for the Law of God.
There is clearly no salvation in sin. We have heard many times that our character is not changed when Christ comes; it must be changed today. The thought of being without sin, sinless, is overwhelming to many Christians. It is a goal that seems unattainable. It is a fearful thought to know that this is what is expected of us and we fall so far short.
There are different theories and discussions in the religious world about “sin” and “sinlessness”. Many evangelical preachers do preach against sin; however, what is their definition of sin? Do not kill, steal, commit adultery and so on. All the last six commandments define sin, but the keeping of the Sabbath is not necessary. They set up their own standard of moral living and disregard the complete law of God.
Amongst those who believe correctly regarding the Ten commandments, there are different beliefs regarding when a person becomes sinless. There are those who state we must live a sinless life right now and today if we are to be saved; they claim it is possible to never sin anymore. Simply stop sinning. Is this possible without Christ? There are others who believe it is a progression. Today you sin less than yesterday. Then there are others who believe that you cannot possibly overcome every sin until Jesus comes, so do not bother trying and do not worry about it at all. Just leave it to Jesus. Who is correct?
We read in 1 John 1:8. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” And two chapters later we read, “Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him. 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.” 1 John 3:6, 9
Does the Bible contradict itself? Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Ye must be born again.” John 3:7. In order to be saved, we must be born again and if we are born of God we will not sin; however, if we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
This can become quite confusing. Jesus said, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:48 (emphasis mine). This is talking in the present tense. Yet, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. And, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.” Romans 3:10
Simply put, “Depart from evil and do good.” Psalm 37:27. “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” James 4:17. Do not sin, in other words.
The thought of leading a sinless life does cause some stress to some Christians who see themselves constantly sinning and falling short of the glory of God. Is there any hope?
“The transgression of God’s law in a single instance, in the smallest particular, is sin. And the nonexecution of the penalty of that sin would be a crime in the divine administration. God is a judge, the avenger of justice, which is the habitation and foundation of His throne. He cannot dispense with His law, He cannot do away with its smallest item in order to meet and pardon sin. The rectitude and justice and moral excellence of the law must be maintained and vindicated before the heavenly universe and the worlds unfallen.” –The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 951
The question is, “Can we live a sinless life? Are we expected to?” Jesus gave us His example which we are to follow, but He was God, was He not? Divinity clothed in humanity, yet still divinity was there.
“The Saviour took upon Himself the infirmities of humanity, and lived a sinless life, that men might have no fear that because of the weakness of human nature they could not overcome.” –The Faith I Live By, p. 23. “Christ passed over the ground where Adam stumbled and fell, and by a sinless life placed the human race on vantage ground, that every one might stand before the Father, accepted in the Beloved.” –In Heavenly Places, p. 13. “The Redeemer has chosen them out of the world, and has left them His sinless life as a standard.” –The Signs of the Times, July 17, 1901. “By living a sinless life He testified that every son and daughter of Adam can resist the temptations of the one who first brought sin into the world.” –Selected Messages, vol. 1, p. 226. Jesus did not use His divine power in a manner that is not available to mankind for the overcoming of sin. We can overcome every single sin today.
The question is, “Can we be sinless now?”
“Christ has made every provision for the sanctification of His church. He has made abundant provision for every soul to have such grace and strength that he will be more than a conqueror in the warfare against sin. The Saviour is wounded afresh and put to open shame when His people pay no heed to His word. He came to this world and lived a sinless life, that in His power His people might also lead lives of sinlessness. He desires them by practicing the principles of truth to show to the world that God’s grace has power to sanctify the heart.” –Atlantic Union Gleaner, January 17, 1906. It seems to indicate that we can lead a sinless life now.
In order to understand the two verses in 1 John 1:8 and 3:9 we need to understand that in the Greek there are two different words that are translated into English as “sin”. Reading in Matthew 12:31 these two words are explained clearer. “Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.” The two different words used describe sin as: sin that can be forgiven and sin that cannot.
All sins can be forgiven except for the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. “The most common manifestation of the sin against the Holy Spirit is in persistently slighting Heaven’s invitation to repent. Every step in the rejection of Christ is a step toward the rejection of salvation, and toward the sin against the Holy Spirit.” –God’s Amazing Grace, p. 215
Later in 1 John 5:16–17 we read, “If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.” Two types of sin are mentioned here. A sin unto death (Sin against the Holy Spirit) and a sin not unto death, which can be forgiven, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” 1 John 2:1. It is preferable that we do not sin, but should we fall into sin we can still find forgiveness today. Praise the Lord. The “sin not unto death” is described as follows: “If through manifold temptations we are surprised or deceived into sin unpremeditated, He does not turn from us and leave us to perish. No, no, that is not our Saviour. Christ prayed for us. He was tempted in all points like as we are; and having been tempted, He knows how to succor those who are tempted.” –The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 948
In this verse (1 John 5:16), John does not state a specific sin as resulting in death. If there was one particular such sin, he would have identified it so man would be aware of what it was. The sin that is not forgiven (which we will not commit if we permit Christ to live in us) is the open lifestyle of sin that refuses to change when reproved and corrected. All sin if persisted in, will eventually lead to death (sin against the Holy Spirit) unless repented of before the voice of the Holy Spirit is completely quiet. Thankfully, God’s mercy is very longsuffering. “The blood of Jesus is pleading with power and efficacy for those who are back-slidden, for those who are rebellious, for those who sin against great light and love. Satan stands at our right hand to accuse us, and our Advocate stands at God’s right hand to plead for us. He has never lost a case that has been committed to Him. We may trust in our Advocate; for He pleads His own merits in our behalf. Hear His prayer before His betrayal and trial. Listen to His prayer for us; for He had us in remembrance.” –Ibid, p. 948
There is a difference between those who are genuinely wanting to serve God, but suffer from a weak will and strong habits; and those who deliberately commit sin in willful defiance of God.
In 1 John 3:6 when John uses the words “sinneth not”, the Greek word used implies “does not continue to sin” or “habitually sin” (which would eventually lead to the sin against the Holy Spirit). The apostle speaks of the person who habitually sins as opposed to the occasional mistake which every Christian is prone to make. The ideal state is sinlessness and it is attainable by one who habitually abides in the protecting presence of the sinless Saviour. The form of the verb in Greek implies continuity. The Greek, “Hamartia” is used for the occasional sin, while “Hamartano” is used for the open lifestyle of sin. When Jesus said, “sin no more” (John 5:14), He used “hamartano”. The minor sin that is quickly repented of is the “sin not unto death.”
And in verse 9 where John uses the phrase “cannot sin” it is implied that having been born of God with His live-giving power dwelling within he cannot continue in his old paths. He follows the sinless ideals that have been implanted in his soul by the new birth. They hate the sin they used to love and love the virtue they used to despise. Their characters have changed. Paul said, “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.” Philippians 3:7–8. They do not continue as slaves to their old habitual sins; Divine power has given them victory over those weaknesses, and is ready to aid them in overcoming faults they were previously unaware of.
We cannot sit back and relax now, thinking that we are ok if we do an occasional sin as long, as we repent. No, not at all. We must strive to overcome all sin. We must tax all our energy to resist every sin. “The strongest temptation is no excuse for sin. No matter how severe the pressure brought to bear upon you, sin is your own act. The seat of the difficulty is the unrenewed heart.” –The Adventist Home, p. 331. “Besetting sins must be battled with and overcome. Objectionable traits of character, whether hereditary or cultivated, must be compared with the great rule of righteousness, and then conquered in the strength of Christ. Day by day, hour by hour, a vigorous work of self-denial and of sanctification must go on within; then the works will bear witness that Jesus is abiding in the heart by faith.” –Counsels to Parents, Teachers and Students, p. 449
“Christ came to make us ‘partakers of the divine nature,’ and His life declares that humanity, combined with divinity, does not commit sin.” –Temperance, p. 107
“Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them. It is left with us to remedy the defects in our characters, to cleanse the soul temple of every defilement. Then the latter rain will fall upon us as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the Day of Pentecost.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 214
While we are striving to overcome will we ever come to a place where we can finally say we are sinless?
“We may always be startled and indignant when we hear a poor, fallen mortal exclaiming, ‘I am holy; I am sinless!’ Not one soul to whom God has granted the wonderful view of His greatness and majesty, has ever uttered one word like this. On the contrary, they have felt like sinking down in the deepest humiliation of soul, as they have viewed the purity of God, and contrasted with it their own imperfections of life and character. One ray of the glory of God, one gleam of the purity of Christ, penetrating the soul, makes every spot of defilement painfully distinct, and lays bare the deformity and defects of the human character. How can any one who is brought before the holy standard of God’s law, which makes apparent the evil motives, the unhallowed desires, the infidelity of the heart, the impurity of the lips, and that lays bare the life,—make any boast of holiness? His acts of disloyalty in making void the law of God, are exposed to his sight, and his spirit is stricken and afflicted under the searching influences of the Spirit of God. He loathes himself, as he views the greatness, the majesty, the pure and spotless character of Jesus Christ.” –The Review and Herald, October 16, 1888
“Those who see the far-reaching claims of the law of God, those who realize that it is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, will not presume to make the boast of sinlessness, and venture to declare, ‘I am perfect, I am holy.’” –The Signs of the Times, May 23, 1895
“Those who take pains to call attention to their good works, constantly talking of their sinless state, and endeavoring to make their religious attainments prominent, are only deceiving their own souls by so doing.” –The Sanctified Life, p. 12
“If we are doers of the word of God, we shall be followers of Christ, and our lives will be characterized by holiness in aim, holiness in aspiration, holiness in action, which is progressive sanctification. We shall have Christlike sympathy for all souls, both saints and sinners; but with this experience there will be no vain boasting of our sinlessness.” –The Signs of the Times, May 23, 1895
“True sanctification will not lead any human being to pronounce himself holy, sinless, and perfect. Let the Lord proclaim the truth of your character.” –The Signs of the Times, May 16, 1895
There are many men in the Bible who were very close to God. Can we say that they led a sinless life?
For example: firstly there was Abraham. He was called, “Abraham Thy friend.” 2 Chronicles 20:7. “Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.” James 2:23. How sinless was the “friend of God”? He proved very faithful when he was called upon to sacrifice his son. The Lord had a very high opinion of him. “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment.” Genesis 13:19. However, we can read that he lied twice stating that his wife was his sister (Genesis 12:10–20; 20:1–3). And in listening to his wife, he took a second wife (Hagar) and bore a son (Ishmael) (Genesis 16). Are not these grievous sins? Yet Abraham found forgiveness when he repented.
“(Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)” Numbers 12:3 “And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.” Exodus 33:11. Moses was very close to God. He had the privilege of speaking to Him face to face. Early on in his life, he murdered a man. In the end of his life, you would have thought he would certainly be sinless, after so many conversations with God. Yet even he made the mistake and sinned when he struck the rock in his old age (Numbers 20:8–12). And Moses also found forgiveness and is today in heaven with his Friend.
And what about David? “I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after Mine own heart, which shall fulfil all My will.” Acts 13:22. Surely a man who is described as a man after God’s own heart would lead a sinless life, would he not? Yet we see how he fell with Bathsheba, committing adultery and then murder (2 Samuel 11). Towards the end of his life when he should have been almost sinless, he was found to be numbering Israel after being counseled by Joab not to do so (2 Samuel 24). The Lord’s anger was actually kindled against David in this instance. Yet David also found forgiveness after a sincere, heartfelt repentance.
And the Apostle Paul, after living so close to the Lord, preaching and teaching, and being saved from death in many miraculous ways, was found in Jerusalem performing a purification ceremony in accordance with the ceremonial law which he had been preaching for many years was unnecessary. He was completely contradicting his preaching, listening rather to the unwise counsel from the leading brethren (Acts 21:26–27). Yet God still overruled and used Paul in his prison situation. At the end of his life he was confident that the Lord had a crown prepared for him in heaven when He would return to take His redeemed home (2 Timothy 4:7).
When some Christians think of salvation they stress about whether they are saved or lost. They see their sin, they know the standard and they are discouraged when they see they fall so far short of it. “We should not make self the center and indulge anxiety and fear as to whether we shall be saved. All this turns the soul away from the Source of our strength. Commit the keeping of your soul to God, and trust in Him. Talk and think of Jesus. Let self be lost in Him. Put away all doubt; dismiss your fears. Say with the apostle Paul, ‘I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me’ (Galatians 2:20). Rest in God. He is able to keep that which you have committed to Him. If you will leave yourself in His hands, He will bring you off more than conqueror through Him that has loved you.” –Steps to Christ, p. 70–72
“Christ imputes to us His sinless character, and presents us to the Father in His own purity. There are many who think that it is impossible to escape from the power of sin, but the promise is that we may be filled with all the fullness of God. We aim too low. The mark is much higher. Our minds need expansion, that we may comprehend the significance of the provision of God. We are to reflect the highest attributes of the character of God. We should be thankful of that we are not to be left to ourselves. The law of God is the exalted standard to which we are to attain through the imputed righteousness of Christ. We are not to walk according to our own ideas, and present before others in our example a human standard which they will follow; but we are to follow in the footsteps of Christ, and make straight paths for our feet, lest the lame be turned out of the way. We are to keep the commandments and live.” –The Review and Herald, July 12, 1892
“Think of the possibilities and probabilities before us. We can have all the strength of heaven.” –Sermons and Talks, vol. 1, p. 321–322
“What is the justice of God? It is the holiness of God in relation to sin. Christ bore the sins of the world in man’s behalf that the sinner might have another trial, with all the divine opportunities and advantages which God has provided in man’s behalf.” –The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 951
When can we finally claim that we are sinless?
“Everyone who by faith obeys God’s commandments will reach the condition of sinlessness in which Adam lived before his transgression.” –In Heavenly Places, p. 146
“We cannot understand the mystery of redemption. It is enough for us to know that God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son to die for us. The penalty of our transgression fell upon a pure, holy, innocent Substitute, even the Son of God. He bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we might at last stand before God clothed in the robe of sinlessness.” –The Signs of the Times, June 17, 1903
“When the conflict of life is ended, when the armor is laid off at the feet of Jesus, when the saints of God are glorified, then and then only will it be safe to claim that we are saved, and sinless.”—Signs of the Times, May 16, 1895
May God help us to daily strive to reach a higher and holier standard. Amen.
Wendy Eaton