Misunderstanding the truth may be the result of living in a sinful world, but it is not a moral defect of character. Yes, it is a mental defect, but not a moral one.

Saying that you are sinless is a sin in itself. Its called a lie, so by lying you have sinned, by saying you are sinless you have deceived yourself and are calling God a liar, and we all know fully well that nothing that defileth shall enter the kingdom of heaven. Instead of looking at ourselves at how "spotless" "our" lives are we need to look to Jesus and see the true wretched poor excuse of a human we really are, and the only righteousness we will ever have is Christ's righteousness and not ours.
Jesus said that if your righteousness exceeded that of the Pharisees and the Scribes then you would not enter the kingdom of heaven.. I praise God for giving me the gift of eternal life by believing in Christ, and that I can do all things through Him, and if I mess up... Well I can go and ask for forgiveness AND be forgiven. I dont count how many times I have have sinned or have not. God doesn't so why should I.
God Bless,
Will

What I wrote was this:

"Any sin is coming short of the glory of God and makes a person not sinless. Sin, whether known or unknown, misrepresents God's character. Since by beholding we become changed, it is imperative that we behold God as He really is in Christ Jesus. This is why it would be good to spend a thoughtful hour contemplating the life of Christ each day, especially the latter scenes."

You asked how a sin of ignorance could misrepresent God's character. I explained that.

Your latest post is not responsive to what I'm saying, which is that the most important thing we have to do is to represent God's character as well as possible. Sin, any sin, misrepresents God.

If we focus our efforts to understand God and correctly represent Him, which we do by learning of His revelation of Himself in Jesus Christ, there is no question that God will perfect our characters, which includes victory over all sin, whether known or unknown. However, if we focus on sin, instead of on Christ, that won't happen.

Matthew
5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Revelation
19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

1 John
3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

People who insist that the righteousness of born again believers is filthy rags are deceivers, according to the Word of God.

Tom, I agree with you that making Jesus first, last and best in our life is the only way we can reproduce His lovely character. That's not what I'm disputing. Please understand me.

It seems to me that you are excusing sin by saying born again believers gradually outgrow their defective traits of character by sinning less and less. But the Bible doesn't describe it the same way. Neither does Sister White.

Yes, false doctrines misrepresent God. But sins of ignorance, like breaking the Sabbath, does not. Born again believers are not guilty of committing a known sin when they unwittingly violate the Sabbath.

Therefore, if they are abiding in Christ, they are morally sinless. Yes, they may be doctrinally defective, but sins of ignorance do not and cannot contaminate the moral character. We must first choose to violate our conscience and convictions before we are morally guilty. No choice, no moral sin.

GC 510
No man without his own consent can be overcome by Satan. The tempter has no power to control the will or to force the soul to sin. He may distress, but he cannot contaminate. He can cause agony, but not defilement. The fact that Christ has conquered should inspire His followers with courage to fight manfully the battle against sin and Satan. {GC 510.3}

4T 294, 295
Man, who has defaced the image of God in his soul by a corrupt life, cannot, by mere human effort, effect a radical change in himself. He must accept the provisions of the gospel; he must be reconciled to God through obedience to His law and faith in Jesus Christ. His life from thenceforth must be governed by a new principle. Through repentance, faith, and good works he may perfect a righteous character, and claim, through the merits of Christ, the privileges of the sons of God. The principles of divine truth, received and cherished in the heart, will carry us to a height of moral excellence that we had not deemed it possible for us to reach. "And it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure." {4T 294.2}

Here is a work for man to do. He must face the mirror, God's law, discern the defects in his moral character, and put away his sins, washing his robe of character in the blood of the Lamb. Envy, pride, malice, deceit, strife, and crime will be cleansed from the heart that is a recipient of the love of Christ and that cherishes the hope of being made like Him when we shall see Him as He is. The religion of Christ refines and dignifies its possessor, whatever his associations or station in life may be. Men who become enlightened Christians rise above the level of their former character into greater mental and moral strength. Those fallen and degraded by sin and crime may, through the merits of the Saviour, be exalted to a position but little lower than that of the angels. {4T 294.3}

Will wrote:

quote:

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I dont count how many times I have have sinned or have not. God doesn't so why should I.

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Sister White wrote:

quote:

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GC 481, 482
There is a record also of the sins of men. "For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment." Says the Saviour: "By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." Ecclesiastes 12:14; Matthew 12:36, 37. The secret purposes and motives appear in the unerring register; for God "will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts." I Corinthians 4:5. "Behold, it is written before Me, . . . your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the Lord." Isaiah 65:6, 7. {GC 481.2}

Every man's work passes in review before God and is registered for faithfulness or unfaithfulness. Opposite each name in the books of heaven is entered with terrible exactness every wrong word, every selfish act, every unfulfilled duty, and every secret sin, with every artful dissembling. Heaven-sent warnings or reproofs neglected, wasted moments, unimproved opportunities, the influence exerted for good or for evil, with its far-reaching results, all are chronicled by the recording angel. {GC 482.1}

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Mike Lowe said that born again believers are not guilty of committing a known sin when they unwittingly violate the Sabbath.

How about when they unwittingly violate the 4th Commandment? Isn't that part of the moral law?

Can they unwittingly violate the 3rd, the 6th, the 8th?

God reveals to us in His word:

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Psalms 103:8-12
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

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Just in case:

quote:

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Isaiah 43:25
25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.

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Looks like God will not only blot out your sins, but also NOT remember them. The Bible is very clear about this.
God Bless,
Will