There seems to be a lot of people who believe it is not possible to completely overcome sin before Jesus returns. So, what about it? Are they right? Is it possible to overcome all of our defects before the close of probation, or before we are changed in the twinkling of an eye? If not, why not? But if so, when can we expect to experience freedom from sin?

When the third angel's message closes, mercy no longer pleads for the guilty inhabitants of the earth. The people of God have accomplished their work. They have received "the latter rain," "the refreshing from the presence of the Lord," and they are prepared for the trying hour before them. Angels are hastening to and fro in heaven. An angel returning from the earth announces that his work is done; the final test has been brought upon the world, and all who have proved themselves loyal to the divine precepts have received "the seal of the living God." Then Jesus ceases His intercession in the sanctuary above. He lifts His hands and with a loud voice says, "It is done;" and all the angelic host lay off their crowns as He makes the solemn announcement: "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still." Revelation 22:11. Every case has been decided for life or death. Christ has made the atonement for His people and blotted out their sins. The number of His subjects is made up; "the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven," is about to be given to the heirs of salvation, and Jesus is to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. {GC 613.2}
No sins are blotted out after the judgment and the people of God have also received the latter rain before the judgment closes.
Had not Jacob previously repented of his sin in obtaining the birthright by fraud, God would not have heard his prayer and mercifully preserved his life. So, in the time of trouble, if the people of God had unconfessed sins to appear before them while tortured with fear and anguish, they would be overwhelmed; despair would cut off their faith, and they could not have confidence to plead with God for deliverance. But while they have a deep sense of their unworthiness, they have no concealed wrongs to reveal. Their sins have gone beforehand to judgment and have been blotted out, and they cannot bring them to remembrance. {GC 620.1}

Again this proves sins were blotted out before the judgment, and at this point the people of God are still upon the earth. This must be the condition of every living soul. There sins must be blotted out before the judgment closes. This truth is taught in scripture by Acts 3:19,20. One who has received the blotting out of sin has surely overcome his defects and sin; and this must take place before the judgment close.

To answer the question;they are in error.

Would the person know him/herself?

/Thomas

Observe that the post said "when all sins are blotted out" then the remnant are prepared for the final events and Christ's coming. If there were no faults or short-comings in the remnant, what is the use of a "blotting out of sins"?..there would be none to blot out and no point at all in saying it like that.

Do you know anybody that's perfect yet? Are you perfect? Truth is, according to SDA doctrine, we're only perfect because God sees Christ's perfection in our stead, all the way to the end of our strivings to be good, to the end of our life.

This thing about perfection in the final movements is very much a stumblingstone for many. Just look around you, and at yourself. If the church has to be perfect in the literal sense, before Jesus can come, then forget about His ever coming back here at all. Forget about trying. Forget about waiting and watching for the end time. It isn't going to happen if ANY of God's people have to attain perfection first. Personally, I think this about perfection is a cunning ploy of Satan to infiltrate this remnant people and plant seeds of despair.

Anybody remember the SDA doctrine of righteousness-by-faith? Huh? Huh? Just because the president doesn't happen to be standing in his office doesn't mean his policies vaporize the instant he walks out the door! Even so those who are saved by faith and covered by Christ's righteousness lean on that new covenant promise, whether Jesus is standing in His most holy place, or not. I wish certain people, of dubious allegiance, would quit rolling this stone around for others to trip over.

6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
6:9 These [are] the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man [and] perfect in his generations, [and] Noah walked with God. Gen.

1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name [was] Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.Job

17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I [am] the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. Gen.

18:13 Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.Due.

8:61 Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day. 1 Kings

5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Matt.

19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go [and] sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come [and] follow me. Matt.

1:5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife [was] of the daughters of Aaron, and her name [was] Elisabeth.
1:6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. Luke

And before you ask me the ? - here is my answer-

3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but [this] one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Phil.

I believe, well know that these individuals were on earth when God said, notice God said, they were perfect and He will do likewise before the close of human probation.

22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. Rev.

At this point someone is perfect and it is impossible to be found in this condition if one does not beleive. What the blood of bulls and goats could not do; the blood of Christ could --Heb.10.

What is the mark - perfection as pertaining to the conscience [mind] comes before the close of human probation. Perfection of the flesh [body] for the living comes when Christ returns. That is the change then taking place by the twinkling of an eye.

The "great controversy" is over the lies of satan against the truth of God. Satan says it is impossible to keep all the commandments of God....God is too strict"....God says "If you love me you will keep my commandments." and with the faith in His power of Grace He enables you to overcome as He overcame. It is only possible to overcome sin because Jesus showed us how, His example was Total dependance on His Father. When we live our life completely dedicated to our Creator His mind will become our mind. "Christ in you the hope of Glory. Anything short of this means, satan wins. If Christ is coming for an imperfect people why has he waited so long? He could have come hundreds of years ago. What is he waiting for? Those that will reflect his Character. It matters not that we can or cannot point our fingers at this perfect person or that....Only God knows His people, our part is to become what He has sacrificed His very own life for.

Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

This doesnot happen because we have leagally kept the letter of the law but because we Love God so much that the works of the law are written on lur hearts and obedience is the product of this love. One quote comes to mind.

S.D.A. Bible Commentary Vol. 6---- Ephesians-----PG- 1118
(John 14:15). Reaching the Condition of Sinlessness. – Those only who through faith in Christ obey all of God's commandments will reach the condition of sinlessness in which Adam lived before his transgression. They testify to their love of Christ by obeying all His precepts (MS 122, 1901).

COL Pg 330
We need to understand that "imperfection is sin".


Messages to Young People---- Perfecting Character------PG- 99

"Let no one say, I cannot remedy my defects of character. If you come to this decision, you will certainly fail of obtaining everlasting life. The impossibility lies in your own will. If you will not, then you cannot overcome. The real difficulty arises from the corruption of an unsanctified heart, and an unwillingness to submit to the control of God."

Believing contrary to this would be fatal. If it couldn't happen.....Christ wasted His time here on earth...there would be no plan of salvation.

Mike,

Didn't we discuss this in an earlier thread?

I agree, Bob, we did. So, here's my parting shot. The Bible doesn't say specifically that the time of Jacob's trouble means that we must live without a mediator in the time of trouble. That is an SDA interpretation of the Jacob story.

From the momentous day of Christ's death on the cross "Righteousness-by- Faith" has been the awesome, magnificent covenant by which we are reconciled with God and regarded as "perfect". It is the only way any human can be saved, who is saved, and retroactive from the very beginning of sin in the Garden of Eden. But, somehow, by an SDA switcheroo, that main Christian doctrine is dropped just at the final weeks/months of last days of Earth. It is stripped away and instantly replaced with a different doctrine...actually the old testament doctrine of righteousness by works. The remnant then must stand on their own attainment, their own virtues, their own perfection. We get into such an uproar of indignation at how the Catholics and the pope have had the arrogance to change God's doctrine about the Sabbath. But maybe we ought to look at our own church for the egoism it has assumed to tear off the cloak of Jesus and replace it with the former rags of self exaltation, with this interpretation of Jacobs Trouble.

And all the texts presented in the above posts about perfect people in the Bible is about how they had a perfect attitude, a perfect relationship with God, and a perfect reliance on the saving Grace of Jesus. It's not that they were literally perfect in deed and thought, or ever could be. What they attained was a perfect relatiohship between themselves as sinner to savior, and even that via a lot of help from the Holy Spirit. And "Be ye perfect' is God's wish in our regard, not His threat, even as we say to our children, "Make all A's in school". It expresses your will, not your threat. The people who have the easist time in the time of trouble will be those who STILL trust most, and lean most of the perfection of Jesus, not their own, regardless of the SDA attempt to yank that away at the last traumatic moments.

Methinks most of this doctrine that we can and must be absolutely perfect is from needing to control others and try scare tactics to make them shape up. Never worked, and never will.