By demand from another thread: Name a democrat hate-monger.

Scribe and Zag,

I'm not saying sin is OK or we should ignore it.
Here's what I believe...
When Christ died, once for all, it covered all of our sins, past, present and future. The only sin it can't cover is not accepting him (which is to deny the Holy Spirit, i.e. to blaspheme the Holy Spirit, the unforgivable sin).
Zag earlier referenced people being rejected from The Kingdom because of their sin. I believe in eternal security (you have crossed over from death to life; nothing can separate you from the love of God; no one can snatch them out of my hand; etc.).
The Bible uses the illustration of a person "being saved, but only as one drawn through a fire."
We should strive for perfection. Every attempt we make to do so pleases God.
However, if perfection were possible, Jesus would not have had to die. There could have been some smaller sacrifice (such as the transferring of sins to sheep, birds, etc. as in the OT) to cover our past and then we could just switch into perfect mode and never have another care.
If perfection is necessary, then NO ONE is getting into Heaven, "for all has sinned and fall short of the glory of God" and a very important verse from I John, 8-9, "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
You can try to stop all your sins. You will find it's impossible (pick just one commandment and never break it, remembering that Christ said having the wish in your heart is the same as doing it).
Or you can trust in Jesus and let Him do the work of making you a better person. Through that, you will sin less, because the more you focus on Him, the more you become like Him.
The more you focus on eliminating sin, the less you are focusing on Him.

I've made this argument with Zag before. He doesn't agree, and that's fine, but that doesn't mean I'm a hypocrite or I rationalize my actions or anything else; this is a belief I constantly test through prayer and study of the Word. It gets stronger each time I do.

 

Demo, I don't think your point is out of line. Mine varies to a small extent. One who goes through fire is made pure, but we have to stay in the hands of the potter, or connected to the vine. If he is in control, that which needs to be changed will change because it will be refined. Somewhere there, rebellion fits in the picture. When we rebel, we become disconnected from those hands, apart from that vine. I just need to make sure I'm in a right spot because no one else can save me. Someone else's rebellion is more of a business between God and them, although I think God puts people into our paths to help in need and help keep on the path.