There are only two things which can keep a person from experiencing complete holiness here and now--running out of the allotted years for his life on this sphere before total holiness has, with the Holy Spirit's Power and guidance, been achieved, or, one the other hand, giving up the struggle against sin as being too arduous.
A holy thing is simply that which has been "set apart" or consecrated for a specific purpose. Not only human beings, but places, objects, and times can be holy. For instance, Aaron's priestly garments were holy (
Ex. 29:29), and the tabernacle was a holy place (
Ex. 40:9), and the Sabbath was to be considered holy (
Ex. 20:8). Being holy, then, is not a function of behavior; for a garment cannot behave in a holy way, nor can a building, nor a day of the week. A thing is holy by decree of God. Paul wrote,
Hebrews 10:12-14
12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God,
13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.
14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.
According to this passage, it isn't a believer's good deeds that render him perfect, but the sacrificial atoning work of Christ on the cross, which, when applied to the believer because of his sincere faith in Christ as Saviour, at the moment of his conversion perfects him forever.
Romans 3:21-22
21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe...
Romans 5:1
1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
When a person accepts Christ as their Saviour his
perfect righteousness is imputed to them (what is called "justification"). It is only this which makes any believer acceptable to God. Thus, at the moment of salvation, a new convert is as perfect (positionally) as he will ever be. The perfect righteousness of Christ imputed to every believer cannot be improved or enlarged by whatever good the believer may do.
Notice that the quote you shared from I John is in the past tense.
It doesn't begin in the past tense, though, does it?
1 John 1:8
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
It is indeed true that "All HAVE (past tense) sinned and fallen short of the glory of God," but with our Salvation comes the tools we need to stop sinning in the present and future, otherwise how could St. Paul enjoin us, "Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God." (II Corinthians 7:1)
I agree with you here. I would point out, though, that the apostle Paul is speaking of holiness, not
righteousness. These are two directly related, but still different, things. Being seperated unto God, which is what the Bible means when it speaks of holiness,
results in righteousness, but it isn't itself righteousness. I have known Christians who were very seperated from the world and from anything that would provoke them to sin, but who were not righteous people. These folk never went to see movies at the theatre, never set foot in a bar, or gambling establishments, or sporting events; they avoided the beach and the public swimming pool like the plague; they refused to listen to popular secular music, or watch t.v.; they dressed modestly and avoided ostentation in all they possessed. These folk were about as holy (that is, seperated unto God) as you could get (at least externally). Nonetheless, they were sour, and cold, and joyless and resented those who weren't. You see, then, that being seperated unto God, or holy, does not necessarily mean one is actually righteous in one's conduct.
Note that following the passages you referenced, St. John states, "I write this to you so that you will not sin." (I John 2:1)
"So that you will not sin" is not the same as "So that you will never sin," which is what being experientially perfect in righteousness would mean. In fact, John's very next words are:
1 John 2:1b-2
...And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous...
Clearly, John was not anticipating that those Christians to whom he was writing would be sinlessly perfect.
This new freedom from sin enables us to guard our minds and bodies so that sin no longer reigns in us. As St. Paul puts it, "For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin because anyone who has died has been freed from sin." (Romans 6:6-7)
Amen! But none of what you have written here means a child of God can attain sinless perfection in their daily experience. It means we have freedom from Sin's controlling power when once we were in bondage to it but, as Paul explains in chapter 7 of Romans, this doesn't mean the struggle with sin has ended. As Paul indicates:
Galatians 5:17
17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that you cannot do the things that you would.
Although those who have been indwelt by God's Spirit are positionally "dead unto sin but alive unto God," there is still a continuing tension between the carnal inclinations of the flesh and the urgings of the Holy Spirit toward righteousness. This tension results in the Christian sometimes failing to "do the things that he would."
Through His Son He has delivered us from sin's reign so that we now can successfully resist sin.
Right on! We can succeed in resisting sin where once we could only fail. But this no more guarantees sinless perfection than having the wherewithal to successfully climb a mountain guarantees that you will. Even with ropes, pitons, clamps, and a good pair of climbing boots, a mountaineer may still fail to reach the summit.
Selah.
ABBA'S SLAVE,
