"Communion" is a time when you and God get together.
Becasue we are not in a constant state of communion
in this life, we live in Sin.
Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.
Proverbs 10:9
Yes. Exactly. If the Bible teaches you can overcome sin (and it does - 2 Corinthians 7:1, 1 Peter 4:1, Galatians 5:24, Romans 6:18) and one is against this, then their path is crooked and it will be found out because they are going against the Bible’s definition of righteousness.
You said:
But over time we begin to
see how God would have us act well toward each other.
Luke 6:31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.
Galatians 5:14 The entire Law is fulfilled in a single decree:
"Love your neighbor as yourself."
Yes, this would also include loving the poor. See the parable of the Good Samaritan. Then read the Sheep and the Goats parable in Matthew 25.
You have to understand that God's Eternal Moral Laws (like, "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not commit adultery,") have always existed for man after the Fall. The Law of Moses only repeated these moral laws and it added ceremonial laws and judicial laws into the package or covenant for Israel. But Paul was trying to get believers from not following the false Pharise religion that still seeked to follow the Old Covenant Law that was no more. God's Eternal Moral Laws still exist. They always have. The Old Covenant Law (i.e. the Law of Moses) is a covenant package that is no longer binding, though. This does not mean God's Eternal Moral Laws are not in existence today under the New Covenant. For we see them repeated in the New Testament as commands for us today. When Paul was saying to the Galatians to fulfill the Law, he was talking about the Old Law because they were still seeking to be circumcised. Remember, in Romans 3:1, Paul says, what profit is there in circumcision? In Galatians 5:2, Paul says, if you seek to be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
Also, in the false Pharisee religion it left out God's grace, and they did not even obey all of the Law of Moses when it was in effect before Christ's death. Jesus says they ignored the weightier matters of the Law like faith, love, justice, and mercy (Matthew 23:23, Luke 11:42). They also did not seek repentance with God properly, either. This is evident in the Parable of the Tax Collector and the Pharisee. The Pharisee did not humble himself to repent of his sins like the Tax Collector. Thus, Paul placed a strong emphasis on Initial Salvation or Ultimate Salvation through Jesus Christ in his various writings to believers at that time. The problem is that the Pharisees thought they were saved because they were descendants of Abraham. This is very similar to OSAS. A person is saved based on the fact that they are God's child and not on what they do. Yet, Jesus condemned the Pharisees for their evil actions. Paul even says that if any man speaks contrary to the words of Jesus Christ and the doctrine of Godliness, he is proud and he knows nothing (1 Timothy 6:3-4). James says God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. For is doing "sin" the proud position or the righteous one? Or do you think doing good is the righteous position? 1 John 3:7 says he that does righteousness is righteous.
Anyways, Jesus said, if you love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15). This is plural. Paul even says that what he had written should be regarded as the Lord's commandments (1 Corinthians 14:37). Believing on Jesus is a commandment (1 John 3:23). There is the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:2). The Law of Christ (Galatians 6:2). The Royal Law (James 2:8). Not sure why you think these things are not applicable to us salvation wise. For the Royal Law is to love your neighbor. it is a law. Paul essentially says that the moral law (like "Do not murder," "Do not covet," "Do not steal,") is fulfilled by loving your neighbor. So loving your neighbor has to be in harmony with God's Eternal Moral Laws that have always existed. Jesus says if you look upon a woman in lust, you are in danger of hell fire. So I really do not see how you think you are not under any of God's laws salvation wise. For if you are not under any command salvation wise, then you can murder, commit adultery, get drunk and then drive, and still be saved while doing such evil things. But Jesus says, you will know a tree by it's fruit. What will Jesus say to you about the fruit in your life? Ever read Romans 2:5-11 recently?
You said:
Still, our condition is separation, and we must live with that.
Direct my footsteps according to your word;
let no sin rule over me.
Psalm 119:133
But this verse is non-sensical in relation to what you say you believe. Let sin rule over believers is exactly what you believe and yet, Psalms 119:133 preaches against that.
You said:
Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight
by the works of the law; rather, through the law we
become
conscious of our sin.
Romans 3:20
Again, this is the works of the Law of Moses and it was also in relation to the false Pharisee religion that left out God's grace and salvation through Jesus Christ. That is why it mentions Jesus as a way of salvation in the following verses. The Pharisees did not believe in Jesus and they tried to get other believers to follow the Old Law as a way of salvation when it no longer applied. Yes, it is true that we should not be declared righteous by the works of the Law alone because everyone has sinned. That is why Paul is saying we need Jesus to forgive us of our past sins so that we can then walk uprightly. For the very purpose Jesus died on the cross was to make us holy and to be zealous of good works (See Ephesians 5:25-27, Titus 2:14). For the grace of God teaches us to deny ungodliness and that we should live soberly and righteously in this present world (Titus 2:11-12). One is not living righteously if they believe they will always be a slave to sin in some way. Think, my friend.
You said:
Romans 13:8 Be indebted to no one, except to one another
in love, for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the Law.
Loving your neighbor is a commandment. Even all of the Old Law (that is no more) was based upon love (i.e. the two greatest commandments - which is to love God and to love your neighbor). So no. The Bible does not teach that believers will "sin less." The Bible teaches that one will stop sinning.
