I don’t believe in absolutism, not in this life at least.
I just made up the term "absolutism". But I see it in many contexts in Scripture. I would at least hope that you can embrace it in 1 Jn 5:17a -- "
All unrighteousness is sin", in Ac 2:24 -- "having loosed the pains of death, because
it was not possible that He should be held by it", in Heb 10:4 --"
For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins", in Heb 11:6 -- "
But without faith it is impossible to please Him", in Ro 14:23c -- "
for whatever is not from faith is sin", and in Ac 4:12 -- "
Nor is there salvation in any other, for
there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved".
Musn't we accept as universally true everything Scripture tells us is universally true?
And why reject these seven universally true statements?
10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” 11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.” 12 Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.” (Ga 3:10–12)
God will have us perfect in the end, however; He created no one to sin, after all.
Yes, we will be free of the sinful flesh upon our physical deaths. Our perfected spirits (Heb 12:23) will be further clothed so that we won't be naked (2 Cor 5:4).
But think about what you’re asserting here. You apparently hold to an “imputed absolutism”,
I don't believe in fake righteousness through faith if that's what your saying.
which at least acknowledges God’s continued requirement for some kind of righteousness attributed to man.
Yes, the requirement is and always has been for holiness and righteousness. People lost that when Adam and Eve sinned. To keep them from living forever separated from God by their sins, He removed them from the garden of Eden and placed an angel at the tree of life to prevent them from eating from it. Not until Christ died for our sins, rose from the dead, ascended to heaven, and sent the Spirit to live in people's hearts was mankind made truly righteous and holy (Eph 4:24) by way of God giving birth to them. The true righteousness and holiness of the new man fulfills the requirement for righteousness and holiness in every way. That's the part of us that will survive death and be further clothed.
But what’s the other side of the coin, then, that no gain towards actual perfection, no improvement in personal or individual righteousness can or must take place in a reborn person? Which is it? Does God now no longer demand that the sinner leave his life of sin?
The call to godly living isn't to obtain eternal life. It is a call to live out our human lives on earth consistently with the truly holy and righteous life that we already have in the new man.
The ancient church spoke of salvation as a journey-towards perfection, and a journey that necessarily takes place with God and a journey which man must be on. The journey actually started in Eden, albeit with a detour so to speak, away from its destiny which is God. But for those who will ultimately reside with Him, that detour ends up as simply part of the journey.
The false doctrine of progressive sanctification apparently has a long history.
Christianity does not demand absolute perfect sinlessness in this life. But perfection is nevertheless the goal. And with God this perfection is possible and will ultimately happen. How close to perfection must we be in this life with the gifts of righteousness: faith, hope, and love, along with any individual gifts of the Spirit, given at justification with the new life in the Spirit, the life of grace, now open to man?
I don't measure my relationship with God by the size of the gap between the sins that come out of the flesh and sinless perfection, I count all my sins as forgiven -- past, present, and future. Certainly, I would not presume to be able to judge anyone elses' relationship with God differently.
Read the Parable of the Talents. God expects a return, with more expected from those given more. He’ll be the judge of how well we did with all that at the end of the day. But we don’t rest on our laurels like the wicked and lazy servant.
Yes, we will receive different eternal rewards based on what we did with what He gave us. But as the following Scripture tells us, loss of salvation is not at stake:
9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. (1 Co 3:9–15)
When understood this way all the admonishments and exhortations about needing to be holy, to be perfect, to feed the poor and clothe the naked and overcome sin and refrain from deeds of the flesh and do good and be slaves to righteousness and be humble and meek and pure of heart in order to gain eternal life make sense, perfect sense, I might add.
I might add James 3:1 -- "My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment." I, for one, take this verse seriously. It does not scare me away from fulfilling my calling, but it does give me extra incentive to make sure the things I write or say are OK with God. But I never fear that He will take away my salvation if I get some things wrong.
Either way, as stated before, this perfection. this becoming "perfected in love" to put it most accurately, begins in the here and now but will not be fully completed until the next life.
Here are all the verses that refer to being perfected in love:
Can you point to the one that contains the concept of future completion? All of them use the perfect tense, meaning simple action in past time with emphasis on the results that continue to the present time.