Sinless Perfectionism
The teaching that believers can achieve complete sinlessness in this life
What Is It?
Sinless perfectionism teaches that believers can reach a state of complete sinlessness in this life — having no sin nature and committing no sins. This teaching confuses our positional righteousness in Christ (how God sees us legally) with our actual condition on earth (still battling the flesh). It contradicts the apostle John's clear teaching that anyone claiming to be without sin is self-deceived, and Paul's testimony of ongoing struggle with sin even as an apostle. This teaching produces either pride (claiming sinlessness) or despair (failing to achieve it).
Key Errors
- Claims believers can achieve sinlessness in this life
- Confuses positional righteousness with actual condition
- Denies the ongoing presence of the flesh/sin nature
- Contradicts Paul's testimony in Romans 7
- Produces either pride or despair
Scripture Refutation
1 John 1:8, 10
“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us... If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.”
Written to believers — claiming sinlessness is self-deception.
Romans 7:18-19
“For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.”
Paul (an apostle!) describes ongoing struggle with sin.
Philippians 3:12-14
“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”
Paul had not 'arrived' at perfection — he was still pressing on.
Galatians 5:17
“For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.”
Believers have an ongoing conflict between flesh and Spirit.
Ecclesiastes 7:20
“Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins.”
Universal statement — no one achieves sinlessness.
Historical Context
Sinless perfectionism has appeared in various forms throughout church history, including certain Wesleyan 'entire sanctification' interpretations and modern teachers like Todd White. While John Wesley himself was nuanced, some followers took his teachings to extremes. The modern 'identity movement' in charismatic circles has revived these errors.
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