Sinless Perfection (Colossians 1:27-29)
I believe in sinless perfection. I’m not ashamed to say so, not even on the World Wide Web. In fact, I’m delighted for the opportunity to openly declare my belief in sinless perfection.
I believe that every Christian is now and will one day be perfectly sinless. But before you fire up the chain e-mails and rally all my friends against me, I hope that you will read the rest of what I have to say.
Paul declared that the riches of the glory of ‘this’ mystery among the Gentiles is this: Christ in you, the hope of glory. This is the Christ that Paul and Epaphras preached (1:28), warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom. And they had a distinct purpose in preaching this: so that they might present every man perfect in Christ. Paul himself labored to this end, according to his working, which he worked in Paul mightily.
This is Christ’s purpose in reconciling us — “to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight” (1:22). This was the reason Epaphras labored so fervently for them, “that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.” In fact, this is the reason God gives us pastors and spiritual leaders:
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Perfection was an obsession of the Gnostics. Paul uses the Greek word teleion (an adjective for perfect or mature) in verse 28. “The Gnostics used τελειος of the one fully initiated into their mysteries and it is quite possible that Paul here has also a sidewise reference to their use of the term.” (1) They believed that perfection came independently of Christ. I find that those in our day who believe in some sort of sinless perfection achieved in this life also believe that this comes independently of Christ. But faithful believers in Christ also believe in, and in fact are obsessed with perfection. Allow me to explain.
Christ is Perfect
He is the perfection of all holiness, of all goodness, of all wisdom and knowledge and truth. Christ is perfect. He did no sin, neither was any guile found in his mouth. Christ perfectly fulfilled all of God’s law, perfectly satisfied all of God’s demands for justice, perfectly finished the work of the cross. Christ is perfect, one man who is perfectly sinless. Believers acknowledge His sinless perfection.
We are Perfect
In Colossians 2:10, Paul says, “And ye are complete in him…” In Christ dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, and ye are complete (made full) in him. Our life is hid with Christ in God (3:3), and Christ is our life (3:4). Having no righteousness of our own, His righteousness is imputed on us, and we are made righteous in Christ. And, God calls those things that be not as though they were (Romans 4:17). In Christ, we are perfect. Not that we have achieved a level of sinlessness in this life. For we are always told to put away those things. But that we are made perfect in Christ. This is the point. When we discuss the possibility of sinlessness or of perfection, we tend to look inward. I cannot be sinless, or sinlessly perfect in this life. We must look outwardly — outside of ourselves, if we would find ‘sinless perfection.’ We must look to Christ. For Christ is sinlessly perfect, and my identity is all wrapped up in Him.
We are Not Perfect
This is the point of Paul’s preaching, of his warning, of his teaching in all wisdom. Paul wanted to present the Colossians perfect in Christ. Paul labored to this end, according to God’s working (the Greek word here is energeian – God’s energizing), which worketh (same Greek word in a verb/participle form) in me mightily. We are made perfect and complete in Christ, and yet we are not perfect or complete. And therefore, we are changed into Christ’s image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Cor 3:18).
From time-to-time, men lose sight of their position in Christ, and strive to gain a position for themselves. The Colossians were doing this. False teachers taught them to deny themselves, to deny the lawful pleasures of this life and to deny their own body, all in the name of achieving this higher holiness. The modern day holiness movement, especially the segment that springs out of the teaching of Charles Finney, pursues this same kind of thing. Men are trying to reach some degree of sinless perfection on their own, in their own strength, and for themselves. They attempt to achieve this in their own flesh.
Believers must be satisfied to look to Christ. His righteousness, His holiness, His perfection must satisfy them. Our striving for personal holiness then comes out of our satisfaction with His holiness, and our desire to walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.
(1) Robertson, A.T.: Word Pictures in the New Testament. Oak Harbor : Logos Research Systems, 1997, S. Col 1:28
“The Doctrine of Sinless Perfection”
Do the words “sinless perfection” occur anywhere in Gods word as stated? No, it does not and so therefore does this disprove the doctrine as being the scriptural truth of the matter” Again no, it does not disprove the truth of the matter. We need first of all to examine the word “perfect” and try to see exactly what it means and the condition of what something is that is perfect. Let us look at what Jesus said as stated in Matthew 5:48 that says, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” From this scripture we know that as far as God is concerned he is perfect. And we know also that God certainly does not have any sin. Since we are told to be perfect even as the Father in heaven is perfect, does this mean that we are to be sinless as he is, or can we be perfect as he is and still possess sin in our life? How can we be perfect as God is if we still possess sin in our life? God is perfect without sin, but who in their right mind would believe that we would be perfect as the Father is even though we have sin in our life? Does not this belief reveal that there would be different degrees of perfection if one can be perfect with sin in their life? How can man be perfect with sin in his life when we know that there is certainly no sin in God who is perfect? We are told to be perfect even as God is perfect, so how can we be perfect if we have sin in our life? If we have sin in our life and we believe we are perfect, then this reveals that we are not perfect as God is. God has no sin and he is perfect, so how can we be perfect as he is if we have sin in our life?
People just don’t understand the truth about being perfect and how that it can be achieved in one’s life. Let me say first of all that it is totally one hundred percent impossible for a man to be perfect and live a sinless life simply because he without Christ can do absolutely nothing, as Jesus said in John 15:5 saying, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” Note carefully that Jesus said that without him we can do nothing. Now does not Matthew 5:48 tell us to be perfect as the Father in heaven is? Who in their right mind can say they can be perfect and sinless as God is without possessing the power of Christ in their life? Now I asked this question to say and ask this question. What can we do through Christ that strengthens us as Paul said in Philippians 4:13 that says, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Now since Jesus told us to be perfect even as the Father is, (Matt 5:48) then can we be perfect through Christ that strengthens us, or is this one thing that we cannot do through Christ? Does not “ALL THINGS” that we can do through Christ include or exclude being perfect as the Father is? What did Paul have to say about being perfect? Listen to what he says in Philippians 3:12-14 that says, “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
Do you have any idea as to what state or spiritual condition a person is in if they are truly in Christ Jesus? If not then listen to Paul again in what he said in Colossians 1:28 that says, “Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man “PERFECT IN CHRIST JESUS.” This “IN CHRIST” position is where perfection is, and do you know why? Listen to what John says about this as stated in I John 3:5 that says, “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.” There is absolutely no sin in Christ and if any man be in Christ will there be any sin in his life? Not according to Paul that said in II Corinthians 5:17 saying, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Is the new creature still the old sinning creature? Now let me show you the simple truth concerning what sinless perfection is and how it definitely can and must be achieved in this present life. Listen to Paul tells us these words in Galatians 2:20 that says, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless 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.” Do you hear Paul saying that the life that was now being manifested in and through his mortal flesh was the very sinless, and eternal life of Jesus Christ and not him that was living the life? If this is not sufficient to convince you, then listen to Paul again in what he tells us in Colossians 3:3-4 that says, “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” Do you hear Paul saying “when Christ, who is our life?” Calvinist teaches that they have the imputed righteousness of Christ, which would simply mean that they are only counted as being righteous and that God cannot see their sin. This is nothing but a devilish doctrine that Paul warns us about in I Timothy 4:1 and millions of people are believing it. The truth of the matter is that it will be the very “life of Christ” (not just counted as being righteous and still living in sin) manifested in and thorough our mortal body. Listen how Paul verifies this truth in what he said in II Coritnhians 4:10-11 that says, “Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.” So in closing let Christ live his life through you and quit struggling in vain trying to live for him.
wondering if you believe the Bible
Dear Jack, I believe in Sinless perfection I’m also not ashamed to say so and yes even on the World Wide Web and I thank you Jack for the opportunity to openly declare my belief in Sinless perfection and I do so without fear or concern for those who may strongly oppose me because I answer to the Lord not to them or anyone else, although it is my heart desire that all will come to a knowledge of God’s Truth and so be set free from the bondage of sin that entangles them and of which Jesus Christ died to set us free from John 8:34-36 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
What does it mean when Jesus is telling us we have been set free from it is the old sinful nature and what has come is the new Spiritual Nature? it means we are indeed a new Creature in Christ Jesus we do not carry around with us the baggage of our sinful flesh nature, but until our flesh has been put to death by the Spirit Romans 8:13 & Colossians 3 :5-6 and this happens as we choose to walk in Love by His empowering we may still sin and need to confess from our heart and because we are covered by the blood of Christ we are forgiven. 1 John 2:1-2 but this is not so when we are Born again of Gods seed, it is not needed because we no longer continue to sin we are Perfected.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
But what about calling God a liar if we say we are without sin, 1 John 1:9-10 well if we believe we don’t need Salvation and have never sinned we are very much deceived and there is no place for Jesus Christ the Living Word in our lives because we do not believe we need to be forgiven and so we do not believe in Him as our Lord and Saviour who not only came to forgive us of our sins but to set us free from their bondage. We also remember when we come to heart repentance God tells us we will be cleansed of all unrighteousness which means that our sin nature will not just be covered by the blood of Christ but will be washed away.
1 Corinthians 6:10-12
Romans 6:5 -7 If we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
But didn’t Paul say in Romans 7 that he couldn’t be set free from the control of the flesh, that he did the thing he didn’t want to do, yes he did as long as he strived to do so himself but as we see in Romans 8 by the Spirit he was set free from sins control which is the flesh nature, his focus was on God and what He wants and not on those things that lead to sin which is why Paul could say there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, how can you condemn someone when they no longer sin.
1 John 3:4-11 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that He appeared so that He might take away our sins. And in Him is no sin. No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him. Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. This is how we know who the Children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not Love his brother.This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should Love one another.
I do not believe that every person who calls themselves a Christian is now perfectly sinless, yes they are sanctified or made acceptable to God by His foreknowledge of their hearts repentance but they are not Perfected which means they continue to sin, but I pray that one day they will be and before they die so they don’t live a wasted life, I have no doubt that when our Heavenly Father said be Perfect as I am He was not talking about when we die as the Scriptures clearly show us but that we are to seek to be Perfect now as we faithfully live in obedience by the empowering of the Holy Spirit not out of worldly fear but because we Love God and by doing so are as Strangers on earth because we are like Jesus Christ.
1 John 4:17 In this way, Love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like Him.
For now I will finish by asking you Jack….If our flesh which causes us to sin has been put to death by the Spirit and we are Born of God’s seed or have God’s Spiritual D.N.A as some say and not Adams which means we are no longer in bondage to sin and we have the mind of Christ which means we will no longer choose to sin because we know the will of God and because Jesus lives His life through us Galatians 2:20 , than how can we continue to sin ? Jesus doesn’t sin by accident, or by omission, or through ignorance so how can we sin in any way if we are in Christ Jesus.
Thanking you for your time – Christian Love Annie Hope
It sounds like, you believe in a semantically acclaimed sinless perfection, but not in sinless perfection.
In your notes, you use several verses that would apply to mature believers, and not the still growing believers. When people assume every favorable verse in the Bible applies to them, it gets chaotic. For example, “If you walk by the Spirit you will not sin.” Gal 5:16 paraphrase. What if you don’t meet the IF? If you use the logical examanation of that verse, you could keep the meaning and reword it, if you still give into temptation, you are not walking by the Spirit.
Or this one, “If you are indwelled by the Spirit, you are no longer in the flesh. This is the same flesh that people say you possess until you die. So, every believer I know claims they are indwelled by the Spirit. Except me. I still have a sinful nature/flesh/SARX, therefore I admit I’m not yet indwelled by the Spirit.
Or this one, If you are born of God, you won’t continue to sin, and can not sin, because His seed is in you. So, since I CAN sin, I have to admit I’m not yet born of God. TO claim I am born of GOD, and still can sin, is saying that verse is a lie. It’s putting someone’s optimistic wishes against God’s Word. It’s the very epitome of Eisigesis. or is it eisegesis? whichever.
The biggest problem people have on this topic is they want to claim things from the Bible they aren’t yet to claim. Then they have to break the Bible to make it support what they want to proclaim they have.
The next biggest problem is people will ask, Have you ever seen anyone who was perfect? I ask them, what would that person look like. They wouldn’t be proclaiming it on forums like this. THey wouldn’t really care, and probably wouldn’t notice. THEY WOULD, however be busy doing the works they were saved to do. They WOULD be engaged in loving ways with the people in their lives. They would be at peace, joyful, etc… They found the work they were born to do. It feels so natural to them, and they are so occupied in it, the worry of sinning isn’t a concern. There is no fear in perfect love. Their fear of punishment is gone. They have complete Faith God has it taken care of.
The next question is, I’ll show you a perfect person by my understanding, when you show me a person who’s been raised from the dead after 3 days and living again.
The question is, is it described in the Bible? Does Paul say that? Does your perception of what he says over ride what he says? Sometimes it will, because of context and other verses.
Here is a brief biblical prooftext of sinless perfection and what it would look like. I could put out 80 -100 pages on this, but this isn’t the forum.
Rather than man is perceived by God to be perfect/sinless etc… the scripture claims can not sin. That isn’t a perceived, granted, title by God after atonement. In fact atonement is merely the first step (rom 6:22). Scripture states, there is a point a man can’t sin. How could that be, “I still sin and I’m a Christian, so it can’t happen!”
Gal 2:20A, it’s no longer me who lives but he who lives in me.
You live through out this process. You also die and are removed from IN you, and HE takes the place in you. So, who lives through the process? The Greek word SOMA, your body, brains, and mind.
Who dies? Sarx, your flesh, but not applied and linked literally to your body’s flesh, but used metaphorically for this entity living in you described in romans 7.
What lives in you? The Spirit of God.
The result is? You aren’t allowed to sin by said Spirit.
Verses, referenced gal 2:20
who dies? col 2:11 (the sinful nature/ flesh is removed from the body by Christ)
Who lives on? rom 8:9 (if you are indwelled by the Spirit the flesh is gone. )
What is the result? Gal 5:16.
Would you like another theologian of the times to comment?
In 1 john 1, JOHN proclaims he’s in fellowship with God and those he writes to are not. <<<<< a Chrstian can NOT be in fellowship with God. Don't they ALL claim to be in fellowship?
How can you be in fellowship with God? You must walk in the light as He does (where is the sin in that image?) and have no darkness in Him. (How could you be in Him with darkness? The common answer is atonement erases the darkness. 2 points, If you confess your sins repeatedly HE will forgive them and be perceived holy and sinless. However until you confess them, they are still yours. Thus you are still in darkness. Point two, 1 j 2:8 or 6, says that the darkness is washing off of them as they grow up. The fact it's good the darkness is being washed off, shows the logical conclusion having it washed off is part of the fellowship.)
So, John said he walked in life as Jesus did. NOT from birth, but from some point in his life forward. He said he had no darkness in Him.
Does Paul think this could happen? Read the description of how mature a believer is to become, eph 4:13.
h 4:13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the [fn]knowledge of the Son of God, *to a mature man*, *to the measure* *of the stature* [fn]which *belongs to the -fullness- of Christ.* NASB
Until a man becomes PERFECT or MATURE, or FINISHED. What does that mean?
If Christ's maturity is measured as a liter of water in a glass.
Then this man will have the same size glass as Christ.
It will be as full as Christ.
It will be the same liquid as Christ.
It will be just like Christ.
It may be so difficult because Paul describes that comes from application or works. NOT salvation by works, maturation by works.
I've shown you there are Mature believers and immature believers. I've shown you some are in fellowship and some aren't.
I'd hope you'd test every verse, and pay heed to the IFs before you claim something true or false.
Thank you,
bd