Sinlessness

Sin is our enemy. Sin has caused untold amount of suffering and still continues to destroy the joy and happiness from the human life and causes death in the end.

[f we would only understand the evil nature of sin, we would put out a superhuman effort to put it out of our lives. We would hate it and would seek God’s help to overcome it. We would rather die than commit the smallest sin. We would pluck out our eyes rather than see evil and vanity. We would cut off our right hand rather than fall into temptation. But Satan has blinded the eyes of many not to see the nature of sin. The pleasing fables that people love to hear is that the sinless life is not possible or at least not for many years; that the Roman’s Chapter 7 still applies after conversion.

The majority of Seventh-Day Adventists rejected the message of 1888 and the result was apostasy and fall in the time of war in 1914. Today their trumpet has no clear sound about sin and victory over it. Because they rejected this message they sinned against the Holy Spirit and yet remained leaders in the Church of God. (Test. Mm. pg. 80)

Both brothers, Jones and Waggoner preached that a sinless life is possible, and that it can start today. If anyone rejects this message as the Adventist leaders did at the 1888 conference, may the Lord be merciful to us.

Often excuses have been presented that Moses sinned and is in heaven. Sister White committed sins and God still used her as a prophet. Other men of God did sin and God forgave them.

This is not our message. Our message is “Go, and sin no more.” John 8:11.
We are saved by faith from sin. By faith we receive the power of God that enables us to live a life free from sin.
But faith is not enough. We, ourselves, must work this out in our own lives with God’s help. “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Phil. 2:12.

We must resist sin. “Ye have not resisted unto blood, striving against sin.” Heb. 12:4.

“The strongest evidence of man’s fall from a higher state is the fact that it cost so much to return. The way of return can be pained only by hard fighting, inch by inch, every hour.” T. Vol. 8pg. 313.

We do not have a holy flesh, therefore to continue in a sinless life we must put our persevering effort daily to resist the temptations of Satan and the tendencies of our own flesh. Sister White calls us to tax every fibre to the utmost in our being to resist sin and temptations. Not until Jesus comes can
we rest from this struggle, but the result is a perfect character of Christ.

HOW TO REACH SINLESSNESS?

“Those only who through faith in Christ obey all of God’s commandments will reach the condition of sinlessness in which Adam lived before his transgression. They testify to their love of Christ by obeying all His precepts.” Bible Comm. 6 p. 1118.

Apostle Paul writes to us, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me.” Phil. 4:13.

By faith we can move mountains and nothing is impossible to us. If any professed Christian still continues in sin, he is casting shame upon Christ, claiming that His power is not strong enough to overcome sin.

IS SLNLESSNESS REQUIRED’?

“Now, while our great High Priest is making the atonement for us, we should seek to become perfect in Christ. Not even by a thought could our Saviour be brought to yield to the power of temptation…. He had kept His Father’s commandments, and there was no sin in Him that Satan could use to his advantage. This is the condition in which those must be found who shall stand in the time of trouble.” G.C. p. 623.

“Those who receive the seal of the living God and are protected in the time of trouble must reflect the image of Jesus fully . . . . I saw that none could share the “refreshing” unless they obtain the victory over every besetment, over pride, selfishness, love of the world, and over every wrong word and action.” E.W. p. 71.

“Christ came to make us partakers of the divine nature, and His life declares that humanity, combined with divinity, does not commit sin.” M.H. p. 180.

“Sin, however small it may be esteemed, can be indulged in only at the peril of infinite loss. What we do not overcome, will overcome us and work out our destruction.” S.C. p. 33.

“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.” Atlantic Union Gleaner Jan. 17, 1906.

“God says to His people today, ‘It is my desire that you shall exemplify before a world sunken in sin and selfishness the sinlessness of the Redeemer’s character1”. R.H. Dec. 3, 1901.

Our message is clear. Present to the people the sinless character of Christ and invite them to copy it in their own lives. Yet a provision ha- been made that “if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” 1 John 2:1.

The Lord is a sin-pardoning God, yet His message to us is clear, “Go, and sin no more.”
AMEN

Timo Martin