I agree with what you wrote, but on a quibble, I feel I need to share my testimony about these things. Bear in mind that it has taken me over 52 years in the Lord to get here. But…
It is possible to live without sin. I base that on one major truth. When I ask the Lord to forgive me, He does and forgets it. In other words, after repentance and forgiveness I am not in sin—until I sin again. My Dad taught me when I first met the Lord to regularly (like daily or more) ask the Spirit to show me all my sin. He will do that. I remember back in the mid-70s when I was still stumbling out of my drug-crazed hippy life that hearing the list of my sins was often a bit tough to deal with. But somehow, through my life, I have persisted with that process of asking the Spirit to show me ALL my sin.
The result is that I am much more aware of when I sin. So, I repent more quickly and am cleaned up sooner. I've come to hate sin in my life so much, that I am eager to repent and get cleaned up again. Again, it is all the Lord doing it. But it works.
Now, I can say that I normally live sin free. With all my sin forgiven and forgotten. It's no big deal because all it does is bring me up to zero on the righteousness scale. However, and this is important. While I am living 'fessed up, the Holy Spirit can work much more freely in my life. It really helps me grow in the Lord. It's nothing I do except walk with Him, talking with Him throughout the day, every day. It's all Him, but the level of freedom and power in my life is much better. It's really helpful.
Once I have repented of all my sin, I am clean, at least for a little while. During those times, my communication with the Lord is greatly enhanced. So, I take advantage of that. But AGAIN, it is all something He does in my New Covenant life, walking in the Spirit.
David, thank you so much for sharing your experience and testimony. As I understand it, the sanctification process that we go through as we “walk The Walk” IS the path to becoming sin free? Would love to hear your perspective on that.
What prompted this article was a message from a reader that was phrased in a way that (indirectly) suggested that I no longer sin. While I may not have sinned (yet) today, I have sinned while on this walk. I don’t want to be one of these believers and walkers of the way that comes across as if I am better than the next sinner for whatever reason.
It’s my hope and desire that at some point I am sin-free and I expect that’s the path and the work the Holy Spirit is doing in and through me.
The difference between me today vs my pre-kairos experience, is that I am much more aware of (my) sins now than I was when I was living “IN the world/flesh…as some Christians say”. I am no longer desensitized to sin, my heart aches when I’ve committed them. I confess and repent more quickly. And when apologies are required, I don’t sleep on it, I reach out sooner and try to make things right in whatever way the Holy Spirit instructs me to.
All I can say is that I have gotten to the place where repenting of a n actual sin only happens a couple times a week, on a good week. That means I spend a lot of time living sin free.
I agree with what you wrote, but on a quibble, I feel I need to share my testimony about these things. Bear in mind that it has taken me over 52 years in the Lord to get here. But…
It is possible to live without sin. I base that on one major truth. When I ask the Lord to forgive me, He does and forgets it. In other words, after repentance and forgiveness I am not in sin—until I sin again. My Dad taught me when I first met the Lord to regularly (like daily or more) ask the Spirit to show me all my sin. He will do that. I remember back in the mid-70s when I was still stumbling out of my drug-crazed hippy life that hearing the list of my sins was often a bit tough to deal with. But somehow, through my life, I have persisted with that process of asking the Spirit to show me ALL my sin.
The result is that I am much more aware of when I sin. So, I repent more quickly and am cleaned up sooner. I've come to hate sin in my life so much, that I am eager to repent and get cleaned up again. Again, it is all the Lord doing it. But it works.
Now, I can say that I normally live sin free. With all my sin forgiven and forgotten. It's no big deal because all it does is bring me up to zero on the righteousness scale. However, and this is important. While I am living 'fessed up, the Holy Spirit can work much more freely in my life. It really helps me grow in the Lord. It's nothing I do except walk with Him, talking with Him throughout the day, every day. It's all Him, but the level of freedom and power in my life is much better. It's really helpful.
Once I have repented of all my sin, I am clean, at least for a little while. During those times, my communication with the Lord is greatly enhanced. So, I take advantage of that. But AGAIN, it is all something He does in my New Covenant life, walking in the Spirit.
David, thank you so much for sharing your experience and testimony. As I understand it, the sanctification process that we go through as we “walk The Walk” IS the path to becoming sin free? Would love to hear your perspective on that.
What prompted this article was a message from a reader that was phrased in a way that (indirectly) suggested that I no longer sin. While I may not have sinned (yet) today, I have sinned while on this walk. I don’t want to be one of these believers and walkers of the way that comes across as if I am better than the next sinner for whatever reason.
It’s my hope and desire that at some point I am sin-free and I expect that’s the path and the work the Holy Spirit is doing in and through me.
The difference between me today vs my pre-kairos experience, is that I am much more aware of (my) sins now than I was when I was living “IN the world/flesh…as some Christians say”. I am no longer desensitized to sin, my heart aches when I’ve committed them. I confess and repent more quickly. And when apologies are required, I don’t sleep on it, I reach out sooner and try to make things right in whatever way the Holy Spirit instructs me to.
Thanks again brother for sharing. 🙏🏿✝🕊
All I can say is that I have gotten to the place where repenting of a n actual sin only happens a couple times a week, on a good week. That means I spend a lot of time living sin free.