Sinless perfectionism is the belief that a believer cannot commit sin once they are saved.
If a professing believer was to sin, it is actually evidence that they are not actually saved.
The first time i came across this false doctrine was years ago when i was reading an article at carm about the heretic Joyce Meyer.
She holds to this belief. She even goes as far as to say that believing otherwise is a lie from hell.
This is the first time i'd heard something so ludicrous.
The second time i heard this false doctrine was when i reconnected with an acquaintance that i used to go to church with.
Both of us left that church and hadn't seen each other in years.
He started his own church and after a number of anti-calvinist tirades, i found out that he also held to this false doctrine.
That was not too long ago.
More recently, i came across this false doctrine a third time.
Brother Jeff was on a radio program twice, being interviewed because of the work he is doing with the End Abortion Now project. (Interview 1, 2).
The host of the program is also a professing christian, a reverend apparently, and one who holds to the false doctrine of sinless perfectionism.
The hosts name is Jesse Lee Peterson.
Joyce as well as Jesse have the ears of an incredibly large amount of people.
Sinless perfectionism isn't simply a false doctrine, but is actually heresy (maybe a damning heresy, depending how far one goes with it).
The majority of the time, the discussion will revolve around one point in scripture.
1 John 3:6-10 (KJV) Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
He that committeth 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 doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
These verses are usually what the sinless perfectionist clings to.
They will point and say that someone who is saved will not and can not sin.
How can they be wrong when the scriptures clearly affirm what they are saying?
Well, thats what we're going to be looking at.
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1. Context, Context, Context
The first issue we should deal with is the context of these verses.
If you notice, I used the KJV.
Translations that are more up to date will have the word practice inserted.
1 John 3:9 (ESV) No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.
Sinless perfectionists usually don't accept this.
The reason practice, and keep on sinning, has been included is because the greek word used here emphasises a continuous, habitual, lifestyle.
This is why modern translations translate it differently than the older translations do.
For more details on the greek, I recommend reading about it on carm.
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The second issue relating to the context is that these verses appear 3 chapters into the letter.
In the first chapter, we are told the following:
1 John 1:8 (ESV) If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
And...
1 John 1:10 (ESV) If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
This letter is being written to believers from a believer.
The author includes himself as one who would be deceived and not have God's word in him if he doesn't confess that he has sin.
Even if one wants to say that that wasn't addressed to believers, the author still includes himself by saying "we".
But that makes no sense if he is now sinless.
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The second chapter shows the same thing.
1 John 2:1-2 (ESV) My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
If sinless perfectionism was true, his reason for writing would be a waste of time because they CAN NOT sin.
But not only does he say they can, if they do, Christ is their advocate. Christ is also their propitiation.
So not only does the author make it crystal clear that he is speaking to believers, but he also includes himself as having sin.
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