What's the difference between being tempted and being guilty?

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Temptations will pour in upon us; for by them we are to be tried during our probation. This is the proving of God, the revelation of our own hearts. There is no sin in having temptation; but sin comes in when temptation is yielded to. {ST, May 27, 1897 par. 3}

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I don't want to fall into a snare thinking I'm safe, thinking I'm not guilty because it was an unknown sin, or whatever.

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it sounds like you're saying we'll never really be completely free of unknown sins and imperfections, that we'll always be sinful and defective in one way or another.

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1 John 2:1 (NLT) My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if you do sin, there is someone to plead for you before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who pleases God.

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"Moses upon the mount of transfiguration was a witness to Christ's victory over sin and death. He represented those who shall come forth from the grave at the resurrection of the just. Elijah, who had been translated to heaven without seeing death, represented those who will be living upon the earth at Christ's second coming, and who will be "changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump;" when "this mortal must put on immortality," and "this corruptible must put on incorruption." 1 Cor. 15:51-53. Jesus was clothed with the light of heaven, as He will appear when He shall come "the second time without sin unto salvation." For He will come "in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." Heb. 9:28; Mark 8:38. The Saviour's promise to the disciples was now fulfilled. Upon the mount the future kingdom of glory was represented in miniature,--Christ the King, Moses a representative of the risen saints, and Elijah of the translated ones." {DA 421.4}

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1My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

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Originally posted by Mike Lowe:
[QB] Shelley, are you suggesting that the part where John says "but if you do sin" means we will never really be completely free of unknown sins and imperfections, that we'll always be sinful and defective in one way or another? If so, then I must admit it sounds rather discouraging.

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But Shelley, at what point would you be willing to sweat blood, if need be, to resist sinning? Believing that you cannot completely crucify your imperfections has, I would think, the potential of weakening your resolve to resist giving in to temptation. "Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin." Heb 12:4. I am asking these questions because I am interested in learning more about your view.

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Will, this promise [1 John 2:1] applies when we commit a known sin, and thank God for this promise, because most of us backslide pretty regularly. But I believe we need to study this text in its immediate context. John isn’t saying you will sin, but rather, if we sin. The word “if” implies a conditional aspect. Ascertaining the condition, therefore, is necessary in order to correctly understand the promise.

What is the promise? If we sin, Jesus acts as our advocate, because He is the propitiation for our sin. This promise assumes, of course, we have repented of our sin, because Jesus cannot apply the benefits of His blood to atone for our sin if we refuse to repent. And this promise only applies to someone who has committed a known sin, which means we have to sin in order to claim it. Sinning, therefore, is the conditional aspect of 1 John 2:1.

But salvation promises more than merely repentance and forgiveness, it promises born again believers freedom from sinning – now and forever. And, once again, these types of promises (i.e., freedom from sinning) imply a conditional aspect, namely, that we are dead to sin and awake to righteousness. To be free from sin we must be dead to sin, self and Satan.

But most importantly, we must be connected to Jesus, we must walk in the Spirit and mind of the new man, we must continually partake of the divine nature. John and Peter make it clear that it is impossible to commit a known sin if we are abiding in Christ, if we are connected to Him, if we are partaking of the divine nature. To commit a known sin, therefore, we must stop abiding in Jesus, and stop partaking of the divine nature.

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One ray of the glory of God, one gleam of the purity of Christ, penetrating the soul, makes every spot of defilement painfully distinct, and lays bare the deformity and defects of the human character.

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Is it all at once?

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Brother Mike...you asked 'how long does it take to penetrate the soul?' It takes a moment like the theif on the cross, and yet it may take a life time.

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