I subscribe to a daily
devotional that has been an encouragement to me.
Recently, I had one daily devotional come to me
entitled, "Godliness." The premise of this
devotion was: "There is a misconception by some that
believers should be perfect." The devotional went
on to substantiate the claim why there is nothing we can
do but rely on the working power of the cross of Christ,
that faith in His blood, does He "cover" our sins past,
present, and future, along with the realization,
that we as believers will continue to sin, even
once in awhile, therefore it is only through faith in
His blood are we made godly. After reading this
devotional, I was moved in my spirit to contend for the
faith, so I emailed back this response:
I have been receiving your daily devotions for a few
months now, as they have always been encouraging to me,
but after receiving today's devotion "Godliness", put much
pause into my spirit, as I can only assume, based upon the
written text, that it's believed by you that it's not
possible for the born again believer to cease from sin, as
the premise of this devotional begins: "There is a
misconception by some that believers should be
perfect."
What is the misconception? I believe the
misconception is not understanding the difference between
"sinless perfection" and "ceasing from sin", that there is
a difference. The problem within Christendom today is
making these two issues one and the same, that since we
know it's not possible to attain sinless perfection till
we receive our immortal bodies, then it's presumptuously
made that it's not possible to cease from sin, therefore
this leads the believer to live presumptuously, believing
they are something when they are nothing.
The word of God clearly substantiates this difference by
telling us that there is sin that leads to death, and sin
that leads not to death (1 Jn. 5; 16-17). The sin
that leads to death are told us in 1 Cor. 6: 9-10, and
Gal. 5: 19-21, that whosoever (believer or not) does these
things will not inherit the kingdom of God. This last days
church (Laodicean) has removed the seriousness of the word
"do" by using words such as: practice, continue, etc.,
implying that it is only them that are habitually or
constantly doing these things that are not inheriting His
kingdom, therefore saying that they were never saved in
the first place. But whether we practice or continue
these things, they are still doing them, therefore to do
these things means just that, and not a measure of how
much we are doing them, because the word of God says, "Your
glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven
leavens the whole lump?" (1 Cor. 5: 6).
It is because the believer is taught by this last days
church, that it's not possible to cease from sin, and that
His blood "covers" their sin, that He now sees them as
holy and righteous as if they never sinned, even as they
still do sin, that this assumption, which is based upon a
false doctrine, keeps the believer in a state of sin
without the expectancy to overcome sin, therefore to cease
from sin.
Obviously your question to me will be: Do you sin?
My response is I have ceased from doing the sins of the
flesh that lead to death, absolutely! But there are
sins that lead not to death that I ask for His forgiveness
daily, as I am conforming to His image.
Therefore perfection in God's eyes is when we have ceased
from doing the sin that leads to death, as it is
impossible to attain sinless perfection in this
life. Therefore, anyone who preaches or claims that
it is not possible to cease from sin (deeds of the flesh)
is committing blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, as it is
Him that empowers the true believer to cease from
sin. Therefore, it is only when the heart has been
converted that we can cease from sin, proving we are truly
born again of the Holy Spirit, thus fit to enter into the
kingdom of God with boldness, because of the working power
of the cross of Jesus Christ! "If the Son makes you
free, you shall be free indeed! (John 8: 36).
"And said, Verily I say unto you, Except you be
converted, and become as little children, you
shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matt.
18: 3).
"Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without
which no man shall see the Lord" (Heb. 12:
14).
"Whosoever abides in Him sins not: whosoever sins
has not seen Him, neither known Him" (1 Jn. 3: 6).
"Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin;
for His seed remains in Him: and he cannot sin, because
he is born of God" (1 Jn. 3: 9).
"We know that whosoever is born of God sins not;
but he that is begotten of God keeps himself,
and that wicked one touches him not" (1 Jn. 5: 18).
In Christ,
Greg