Do You Have to be Sinless to be Saved?

October 19, 2020

Imagine if I walked up to you with a Bible and said read Mark 2:10 (NIV), “But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then I asked you, “Do you believe Jesus is God?” And you answer, “Yes,” Then I respond, “You’re wrong- the Bible says He is just a man!” And then walked away in self-proclaimed victory.

Would a debate trick like this prove to you that Jesus is not God? Why, not?

Because it fails to acknowledge the other passages that speak of Jesus as God in John 1:1,18 and the unique Son of God in John 3:16. Likewise it even fails to understand that the term “Son of Man” actually has divine imagery attached to it from Daniel 7:13-14.

In like manner this is how ridiculous it is for someone to claim that if a person sins they are not a genuine Christian. Showing that God commands His saints not to sin does not exclude the grace of God to forgive them if they do sin because it’s not “either/or” but “both/and.”

Are you seated in heavenly places- yes; but you are also seated on earth in a chair. Is God one- yes; but He is also three divine persons.

Many of the foundational doctrines of Christianity require you to balance two positions together to hold the truth without error. Deny Jesus’ humanity and you have become a Gnostic, deny His divinity and you have become an Arian- hold to both and you are Biblical (Philippians 2:6-7).

Likewise, if we deny God’s forgiveness for sinners or deny His forgiveness for saints we’re in error, when we affirm both forgiveness of sins for sinners and saints- we’re biblical.

THIS IS A GOSPEL ISSUE

Paul said in Romans 1:16-17 (NIV), “16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed —a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

Believing in sinless perfection is not what makes a person “saved/righteous,” rather it is believing the simple gospel as Paul outlined in 1 Corinthians 15:1-5; i.e., “Jesus’ death death, burial, and resurrection” and confessing, “Jesus is Lord”- the Yahweh of Israel (Romans 10:9-13).

To exclude people from salvation who have believed the gospel and have confessed “Jesus is Lord” because they are not sinless is itself sinful via multiple acts of the flesh, mainly, “strife, seditions, heresies…” (Galatians 5:20, KJV).

Therefore, anyone who brings strife to the Body of Christ with seditions and heresies is in the flesh and in danger of being cut off from the Body of Christ. Paul said in Titus 3:10-11, “10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. 11 You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.”

NEW TESTAMENT EXAMPLES OF CHRISTIANS THAT SINNED

Revelation 2:4-5 (NIV) 4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
Revelation 3:3 (NIV) 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.
Revelation 3:16-20 (NIV) 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
Matthew 18:15-17 (NIV) 15 “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
Matthew 18:21-22 (NIV) 21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
Matthew 6:12 (NIV) 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
1 John 2:1-2 (NIV) 1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
1 John 5:16 (NIV) 16 If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that.
James 5:16 (NIV) 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 (NIV) 14 Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them, in order that they may feel ashamed. 15 Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer.

Further examples could include Peter being rebuked by Paul in Galatians 2:11-14, divisions at Corinth in 1 Corinthians 3:1-4, and basically all the corrections found in the epistles directed towards God’s people, like in Philippians 4:2 with Euodia and Syntyche.

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