01.APR.10

Editor: The conclusion of the various lessons that Jesus Christ taught His disciples in the 5th chapter of Matthew is “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Mat.5:48).{{more}}

The patriarchs and prophets of old were also called to live a sinless/perfect life. We are told that “when Abram (later Abraham) was ninety years and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me and be thou perfect” Gen. 17:1. It is therefore not a misconception nor is it misleading to teach the biblical fact that Christians can live perfect/without sinning. In his piece captioned “Misconception about biblical teachings” printed Friday, March 19, 2010, in this newspaper, Kennard King denies that Christians can live a perfect life. Kennard, it is clear that you do not understand the scripture. You need to pray to God for enlightenment and then go back and study the same scripture that you quoted. You see, Kennard, it is unscriptural doctrines like yours that cause many evils to be done under a religious covering. Many, including professed Christians, commit all kinds of wrong, and they still feel secure and approved of God because they believe the false teaching that “no one can be perfect”. A lot of ungodly practices go unnoticed and the world is given a wrong presentation of Christianity. Some persons even feel justified in sinful practices and boldly state “Well, the Christians are doing wrong too, so why can’t we?”. I ask you Kennard, what is the difference between the Christian and the non-Christian? Does the Christian have a license to sin while the non-Christian doesn’t? When you call a person to give up the world and accept Jesus Christ, do you expect them to stop sinning or to continue in sin? In speaking to the Christians at Corinth, the Apostle Paul admonished: “Awake to righteousness and sin not…” (1Cor.15:34). Kennard, I hope you are seeing so far that your doctrines are totally opposite to the teachings of Christ and His apostles clearly explained in the scriptures. What is the purpose of Christ and Christianity if our sin problem cannot be effectively dealt with? Is Christ so weak that He cannot deliver us from sin? Would Jesus command us to do something that is impossible? Come on Kennard…the Gospel of Christ, which contains Righteousness, is the power of God to save us from all our sins.

Jesus is our Saviour from sin. When you save a drowning man, is the man still drowning? NO! Jesus came into this world to redeem us from all iniquity by His grace. When we repent of our sins and receive the Holy Spirit of truth into our hearts, we become followers of Jesus Christ- Christians. Shall we continue in sin? “God forbid!” Says Paul (Rom. 6:1, 2).

Kennard, teaching that Christians can live sinless does not deny the biblical truth that we were all born in sin and shapen in iniquity. It is for this reason that we all need the Saviour. We need the Saviour to make us sin-free. When Jesus Christ makes us free from sin, we are free indeed! “Whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin” (John 8:34)

The scripture you quoted from the first Epistle of John does not support your misconception, Kennard. John encourages us to acknowledge our sinfulness, confess it and receive the forgiveness of God. John shows that God is the One who cleanses us from all unrighteousness. And it is God who must receive the glory and praise because it is only He who makes the heart free- free from sin. I urge you again to re-read the text and read the entire Epistle. There is no contradiction in the writings of John. Imagine, in a few verses below the verses which you quoted and misrepresented, the same John says “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… He that commits sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God do not commit sin; for His seed (word) remains in him: and he cannot sin because he is born of God.” 1Jn 2:1; 1Jn 3:8, 9.

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Jesus Christ who is not ashamed to call us’ brethren’

(Hebrews. 2:11) invites us to partake of His love and be made free from sin. Perfection is not the enemy. Sin is! As we are nearing the end of earth’s history, let us repent and be holy as Christ is holy… for without holiness/sinlessness no man shall see the Lord. (See 1Peter1:16 & Hebrews 12:14)

Ann-Marie John
svgpatriot@hotmail.com