Is it possible...

[ItalianScallion (Premo)]

Originally Posted by hotcoffee

Mary was just like you and me.... born to sin.... she wasn't perfect but somehow she found favor in God's sight...

Libby doesn't want this thread to go off onto Mary so let's keep it short.

The concept that God used for Mary was the same one He used for Job. Not sinlessness but righteousness is why they both were selected. Mary was simply a righteous virgin and God honored her for it. There is NO more information given about her in the Bible so we should NOT assume anything else about her...or Job for that matter.

[libby]

Yes; we all have free will

If we all have free will, then we can, at least in theory, choose NOT to sin.

How can you, on the one hand, say we have free will, but on the other hand say we absolutely can NOT not sin?

Can a person go through life choosing nothing but sin?

[ItalianScallion (Premo)]

Originally Posted by libby

If we all have free will, then we can, at least in theory, choose NOT to sin.
How can you, on the one hand, say we have free will, but on the other hand say we absolutely can NOT not sin?
Can a person go through life choosing nothing but sin?

Yes, we can choose not to sin but no one will ever go through life w/o sinning if they've lived long enough to become accountable. You're implying that one can earn their way to Heaven by good works but that's impossible.

Babies (born & unborn) do not sin but God holds everyone accountable once they reach an age where they know right from wrong (in Gods' eyes, not ours).

So, while we can TRY not to sin, it's impossible for anyone not to sin once they're old enough to. Look at the Dalai Lama as Migtig said: the Dalai Lama doesn't believe in the true God so guess what? He has sinned.

[hotcoffee]

If someone asks you if they look fat in a particular pair of jeans and you tell them anything but the truth.... is that a lie [i.e. a sin]?

That's what the whole question of can we choose to always not sin.... It's really tuff... and in my opinion.... only one could possibly do it....

[libby]

Originally Posted by ItalianScallion

Yes, we can choose not to sin but no one will ever go through life w/o sinning if they've lived long enough to become accountable. You're implying that one can earn their way to Heaven by good works but that's impossible.

Babies (born & unborn) do not sin but God holds everyone accountable once they reach an age where they know right from wrong (in Gods' eyes, not ours).

So, while we can TRY not to sin, it's impossible for anyone not to sin once they're old enough to. Look at the Dalai Lama as Migtig said: the Dalai Lama doesn't believe in the true God so guess what? He has sinned.

WTH does this have to do with works? You are making this into something it is not.
Why do you say it is impossible? Because it is extraordinarily hard? Because you don't know of anyone who has managed it?
It can not simultaneously say a person has free will, but also say it is impossible to always choose the good.
One choice at a time, one moment at a time, a person, of his own free will, can choose a sinless life.
If you say it is impossible, then IMO, you are saying God did not give us the freedom to choose Him.

[b23hqb]

Originally Posted by hotcoffee

If someone asks you if they look fat in a particular pair of jeans and you tell them anything but the truth.... is that a lie [i.e. a sin]?

That's what the whole question of can we choose to always not sin.... It's really tuff... and in my opinion.... only one could possibly do it....

Nice question on the jeans issue. I would have to say that if one does not tell the truth of what they really think upon being asked, even if just being polite, nice, or diplomatic, then the response would be a lie, and technically a sin.

Although Jesus was born of a woman that had a sin nature, He had no sin in him, He knew no sin, and He could/can never sin, simply because he is God.

Whatever God does or says, it is perfect. He can do nothing wrong, because the only thing that can possibly come out of perfection is perfection. That is why we can only measure up to him through the work on that cross by Jesus - the perfect one dying for us..

[ItalianScallion (Premo)]

Originally Posted by libby

WTH does this have to do with works? You are making this into something it is not.
Why do you say it is impossible? Because it is extraordinarily hard? Because you don't know of anyone who has managed it?
It can not simultaneously say a person has free will, but also say it is impossible to always choose the good.
One choice at a time, one moment at a time, a person, of his own free will, can choose a sinless life.
If you say it is impossible, then IMO, you are saying God did not give us the freedom to choose Him.

If you were trying to make this a "catch 22" you shouldn't have posted it but what you're saying is not possible. No one can choose not to sin and be successful throughout their life. I'm absolutely sure that God would have made mention of such a person if he or she existed. Because there are 2 types of sin (omission & commission) it would get us all one way or another.

The reason I mentioned works is because (it seems like) you're saying that someone might get to Heaven by being soo good that he doesn't ever sin. That's a works based salvation and Jesus spoke against it (Matthew 5v20)

[libby]

Originally Posted by ItalianScallion

If you were trying to make this a "catch 22" you shouldn't have posted it but what you're saying is not possible. No one can choose not to sin and be successful throughout their life. I'm absolutely sure that God would have made mention of such a person if he or she existed. Because there are 2 types of sin (omission & commission) it would get us all one way or another.

The reason I mentioned works is because (it seems like) you're saying that someone might get to Heaven by being soo good that he doesn't ever sin. That's a works based salvation and Jesus spoke against it (Matthew 5v20)

I'm not trying to make this anything other than what it is. Do we have free will? Yes, or no?
If yes, then a person can choose the good in any and every situation. How? I can only assume deep prayer and a deep relationship with the Lord; or, perhaps, as hotcoffee said, someone who lives a more solitary life. (in addition to the former)
I made no reference to salvation at all.
You're absolutely sure God would have mentioned it? Why would He? A mere mortal's sinless life has no bearing on salvation, so I don't see why it would be necessary to tell us about it.

[ItalianScallion (Premo)]

Originally Posted by libby

If yes, then a person can choose the good in any and every situation. How? I can only assume deep prayer and a deep relationship with the Lord; or, perhaps, as hotcoffee said, someone who lives a more solitary life.

YES they could choose not to sin but, even with Christ in our lives, we ALL still sin. You're saying that, even as accountable kids, they were sinless but I highly doubt that ANY accountable kid would not sin on the way to adulthood. One little lie, one disobeying their parents, one bad thought, etc., is sin. So the answer to your questions are:

Yes we have free will
Yes we can choose not to sin (For a time)
But no, we can't be sinless for our entire life

The verse: "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" makes it clear that every "accountable" person will sin. No accountable person misses that privilege and nowhere does the Bible speak of an "accountable" sinless person except Jesus. Even Paul says perfection won't come until eternity.

Originally Posted by libby

You're absolutely sure God would have mentioned it? Why would He? A mere mortal's sinless life has no bearing on salvation, so I don't see why it would be necessary to tell us about it.

Why wouldn't He? Sure He doesn't have to tell us but it would give us something to "shoot for" IF it were possible.

[Hank]

Originally Posted by aps45819

Anything is possible if you believe

I believe I can fly.