Dear DCCON nice to meet you thanks for your reply. Please forgive me if what I wrote earlier led you to the conclusion that I was promoting sinless perfectionism. This was far from my intent. I believe God's Word (Jesus) is God's power and salvation from sin is an ongoing everyday process that changes the believer into the image of Jesus. In times of ignorance God winks at (when we dont know any better) but each day as he reveals new sins to us by God's Grace we need to repent of these sins and put these sins away. You are correct and your scripture above matches the ones I posted earlier perfectly but salvation is from our sins not in them.
There are many wonderful stories in Matt, Mark, Luke and John portraying Jesus as the great healer. Healing the sick, the blind, the lame, the deaf, the cripples, the lepers and raised the dead. After he healed these people he left them saying your faith has made thee whole, sin no more. The lesson for us here is that we too have the sickness of sin. There is nothing we can do to save ourselves and the wages of sin is death. All of us have sinned and fall short of God's glory but God so loved the world that he sent His only begotten son that whosoever believes on Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Friend, my point is Jesus wants to deliver us and save us from all of our sins. This is an ongoing process because the wages of sin is death. If we a holding on to any sins that God has revealed to us then we become under the Law and no more under Grace until we seek Jesus for forgiveness.
This is a daily process and the work of a lifetime. There are two kinds of sin that is, known sins (the ones we know about and God has revealed to us) and unknown sins (ones that we do not know about that God has not revealed to us) As mentioned earlier in times of ignorance (when we do not know any better) God winks at but when He reveals His truth to us we need to by God's grace repent and confess our sins to Jesus asking for His forgiveness and healing. As we have Faith in the promises of His Word, the great healer will heal us from our sins so we are no longer slaves to it.
The Bible is very clear however in our own strength we can do nothing at all we are sinners in need of a Savior and all we can do in our own strength is sin. However, God has given us the gift of His Word. This is the same Word that was in the beginning. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shined in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. God's Word is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes."
Adding to your verse
"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." (1Tim 1:15) We are the sick (sin) we are the lepers, the lame, the blind that Jesus came to save
"According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." (2Pet 1:3-4)
"I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me." (Phi 4:13)
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. (Rom 1:6)
"Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy." (Jude 1:24)
"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common4 to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." (1Cor 10:13)
"Blessed is the man that endures temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him." (James 1:12)
"If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15)
"If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love." (John 15:10)
"Whosoever abides in him sins not: whosoever sins hath not seen him, neither known him."
"Little children, let no man deceive you: he that does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous."
"He that commits sin is of the devil; for the devil sins from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil."
Hope this helps and clears up any misunderstanding. God bless you!
