To avoid sinning we must focus on Jesus, but more than this we must necessarily abide in Jesus and partake of the divine nature so that we can grow in grace and mature in the fruits of the Spirit.

Using our time, talent, and treasure to seek and save the lost is one of the best ways to perfect Christian traits of character.

He wasn't saying, "Don't sin at all."

Regardless of the context, Tom, I cannot see Jesus saying any other thing than "Don't sin at all." Do you think Jesus would tell her "You can sin some, just not THIS sin anymore." ???

Jesus did say "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect." It doesn't get any stronger than that. That statement reaches to the highest standard possible.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

Today Christ is feeling the woes of every sufferer. . . . He knows how to speak the word, "Be whole," and bid the sufferer, "Go, and sin no more." {ML 154.5}

Christ is the one to be revealed in all the institutions connected with the closing work, but none of them can do it so fully as the health institution where the sick and suffering come for relief and deliverance from both physical and spiritual ailment. Many of these need, like the paralytic of old, the forgiveness of sin the first thing, and they need to learn how to "go, and sin no more." {MM 27.4}

For this erring woman the world had only contempt and scorn, but the Sinless One pitied her weakness and reached to her a helping hand. While the hypocritical Pharisees denounced, Jesus bade her, "Go, and sin no more." {MH 89.2} ...
Jesus does not desire those who have been purchased at such a cost to become the sport of the enemy's temptations. He does not desire us to be overcome and perish. He who curbed the lions in their den, and walked with His faithful witnesses amid the fiery flames, is just as ready to work in our behalf to subdue every evil in our nature. ... {MH 90.1} ...
The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses "from all sin." 1 John 1:7. {MH 90.3}

Because the Lord has graciously healed you, you must not think you can link yourselves up with the self-indulgent practices of the world. Do as Christ commanded after His work of healing,--"go, and sin no more." John 8:11. Appetite must not be your god. {CD 25.3}

Vaster,

I believe Jesus' words in both of those statements were meant for the larger audience which includes everyone down to the present time. Those words are for you and me. The context may seem "local" but the application is "global." So one cannot correctly argue that the context limited the application. The application is vastly broader than the specific setting in which the words may have been spoken.

Here are some potential applications which add "context" to Jesus' words:


Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

Tom:He wasn't saying, "Don't sin at all."

GC:Regardless of the context, Tom, I cannot see Jesus saying any other thing than "Don't sin at all." Do you think Jesus would tell her "You can sin some, just not THIS sin anymore." ???

Jesus did say "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect." It doesn't get any stronger than that. That statement reaches to the highest standard possible.

God has made provision that we may become like unto Him, and He will accomplish this for all who do not interpose a perverse will and thus frustrate His grace.

With untold love our God has loved us, and our love awakens toward Him as we comprehend something of the length and breadth and depth and height of this love that passeth knowledge. By the revelation of the attractive loveliness of Christ, by the knowledge of His love expressed to us while we were yet sinners, the stubborn heart is melted and subdued, and the sinner is transformed and becomes a child of heaven....

The law is but a transcript of the character of God. Behold in your heavenly Father a perfect manifestation of the principles which are the foundation of His government.

God is love. Like rays of light from the sun, love and light and joy flow out from Him to all His creatures. It is His nature to give. His very life is the outflow of unselfish love....

He tells us to be perfect as He is, in the same manner. We are to be centers of light and blessing to our little circle, even as He is to the universe. We have nothing of ourselves, but the light of His love shines upon us, and we are to reflect its brightness. "In His borrowed goodness good," we may be perfect in our sphere, even as God is perfect in His.

Jesus said, Be perfect as your Father is perfect. If you are the children of God you are partakers of His nature, and you cannot but be like Him. Every child lives by the life of his father. If you are God's children, begotten by His Spirit, you live by the life of God...That life in you will produce the same character and manifest the same works as it did in Him. Thus you will be in harmony with every precept of His law...(MB 76-78)