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Can People be Sinless? | The truth about sinless perfection (Psalm 15-22)

Can People be Sinless? | The truth about sinless perfection (Psalm 15-22)

Can people be sinless? This is a really important question in the life of a believer, it represents our viewpoint of God, ourselves, and the truths of the Bible. In fact, the Bible says a lot about sin, repentance, and perfection. David provides gracious truths based on his own life that we can follow.

These 8 Psalms were all penned by David. With this in mind, it may be timely to reevaluate his life surrounding some of these Psalms.

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First, a request for a clean heart…

The Psalms are not in chronological order. We cannot read through them as though traveling with David through his life. Haul out your Bible and read about David’s repentant heart in Psalm 51 after Nathan confronts him about committing adultery, among his other sins related to that one.

He requested a new heart.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Psalm 51:10

Psalm 51 portrays for us today the response we are to have toward sin. David fully repented, he:

  • requested God’s mercy be greater than his offense,
  • asked for his sins not be held against him,
  • acknowledged the grievous sins he committed against God,
  • knew his rightful place and sinful nature,
  • accepted responsibility,
  • asked for a new and pure heart,
  • a renewal of the right spirit (and a pleading to not take the Holy Spirit away),
  • a recompense to bring truth to others, and
  • for a righted relationship with God.

David claims he is blameless…

After David received a new heart, he makes a claim in chapter 18 that matches his stance in prior chapters.

He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart… [h]e who does these things shall never be moved.

Psalm 15:2,5b

Hear a just cause, O Lord; attend to my cry! Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit! From your presence let my vindication come! Let your eyes behold the right! You have tried my heart, you have visited me by night, you have tested me, and you will find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress. With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent. My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped.

Psalm 17:1-5

The Lord dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all his rules were before me, and his statutes I did not put away from me. I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from my guilt. So the Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight. With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless.

Psalm 18:20-25

Keep in mind, David committed adultery before this Psalm was written. 2 Samuel 11 covers the story of David and Bathsheba. Whereas, Psalm 18 was written at the time of 2 Samuel 22.

Different types of sin…

Given that, was he now sinless? After all, he did receive a new heart and a right Spirit. Although that may be true, the question remains: can people be sinless? Was David?

David portrayed himself through verbiage indicating he was now on a straight path: he was upright, blameless, heading in the right direction. He was taking a path that was Godly.

Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.

Psalm 19:12-13

Do you remember? The Israelites were disobedient for their unintentional sin. David confirms this here when he asks for cleansing from hidden faults.

Not only that, but he is requesting help to refrain from arrogant sins ruling over him. In other words, he knows he needs the Holy Spirit to help his weak self be strong. Then, and then, he shall be innocent and acquitted from a rebellious life. He was not living in active rebellion, but was choosing a repentant lifestyle.

Can People be Sinless? | The truth about sinless perfection (Psalm 15-22)

A different relationship with sin…

David understood this on a deep level. He was on a path that had a different relationship with sin. Living in continual sin will not be the behavior pattern of one with a contrite and broken spirit.

David’s assertion of his righteousness (like that of Samuel… Hezekiah… Job…) is not a pretentious boast of sinless perfection…. Rather, it is a claim that, in contrast to his enemies, he has devoted himself heart and life to the service of the Lord, that his has been a godliness with integrity–itself the fruit of God’s gracious working in his heart.

The law marks the way that leads to life. But man’s moral consciousness remains flawed and imperfect; hence he errs without realizing it and has reason to seek pardon for hidden faults. Willful sins, however, are open rebellion; they are the great transgression that leads to being cut off from God’s people.

NIV Study Bible

Can people be sinless?

The New Testament confirms this Old Testament viewpoint. The apostle John confirms this in his letter to believers.

If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.

1 John 1:6-2:2; 3:4-6

Can people be sinless? No. However, they still need to work toward being sinless.

The best example…

God's response toward repentance from a believer is a gracious gift of forgiveness that restores and reconciles the relationship. Click To Tweet

This is not an assertion of sinless perfection, rather, an explanation that the believer’s life is characterized by doing what is right, not by sin. A true believer will repent of continual sin because it is right to repent and listen to the Holy Spirit. God’s response toward repentance from a believer is a gracious gift of forgiveness that restores and reconciles the relationship.

David was definitely a hero of the faith. Frequently, the Bible uses David to point us to Christ. This time is no exception. While we see David lay claims to an upright lifestyle that he strives to attain, we see Jesus is the only One who has ever attainted it.

Made perfect…

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4:15-16, emphasis added

And being made perfect, [Jesus] became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him.

Hebrews 5:9, emphasis added

For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.

Hebrews 7:26-28, emphasis added

Carry on the path…

Let’s copy David’s example in Psalms 51 and 18. Live a repentant life, strive toward a perfect example, seek to obey and live a righteous life, and turn away from temptation and sin.

In actuality, let’s instead, copy Jesus’ example!


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Can People be Sinless? | The truth about sinless perfection (Psalm 15-22)

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