Jesus said, "Go, and sin no more." John 8:11. Do these words apply to us? And if so, are they a threat or a promise? If it's a promise, when can we expect it experience it?

Mike,

I would tend to take this the same way I take the 10 commandments... as promises.

Because we are delivered from the bondage of Egypt, then we will do those 10 laws.

My question is, then, how do we get delivered from the bondage of Egypt?? How do we pray to be delivered?? What are the steps we need to take to be delivered??

Are we to do anything to deliver ourselves??
Or does Jesus Christ do it all??

Karen, I'm glad you see these words as a promise that is fulfilled when we are delivered from bondage. Seems to me Egypt or Babylon symbolizes the bondage of sin. Thus it makes sense that we must be free of sin before we can "go and sin no more."

How do we get delivered of our sins? From what I've read in the Bible and the SOP we must submit and surrender ourselves to the love and power of Jesus. Then the Holy Spirit empowers us from within to "will and to do" of God's good pleasure.

Is that how you see it? If so, does that mean we can actually live without sin while we abide in Christ? And does that mean we are pardoned and sinless? Or can we anticipate discovering new and unknown defects of character (sin) for several years to come? When are we truly free of the bondage and burden of sin?

In B.C.1105 I read that that "the ten commandments are ten promises," "exceedingly great and precious promises." It also says there that "they are the voice of God speaking to the soul in promise." "There is not a negative in that law though it may appear thus." "Every command is a promise." M.B.76; Education, p.126.

The Christian life is an ongoing battle. It may be a series of uninterrupted victories! So was the life of Jesus! I believe that there will be a people on the earth, before it is all over, who will be more than conquerors in the battle with evil. The latter rain will certainly play an important part in this accomplishment:

"As the members of the body of Christ approach the period of their last conflict, they will grow up into Christ, and will partake largely of His Spirit. As the third message swells to a loud cry, and as great power and glory attend the closing work, the faithful people of God will partake of that glory. It is the latter rain which revives and strengthens them to pass through the time of trouble. Their faces will shine with the glory of that light which attends the third angel." Testimonies, vol.1, p.353.

AB, thank you for those encouraging words and quotes. For sure, the latter rain will add a totally new dimension to living without sin.

By the way, are you under the common impression that living without sin is an experience reserved exclusively for the 144,000? or do you believe it is a miracle God has made available to every believing child of God since Adam?

posted by Mike Lowe:

AB, thank you for those encouraging words and quotes. For sure, the latter rain will add a totally new dimension to living without sin.
By the way, are you under the common impression that living without sin is an experience reserved exclusively for the 144,000? or do you believe it is a miracle God has made available to every believing child of God since Adam?
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"There is no excuse for sinning." "When Christ reigns in the soul, there is purity, freedom from sin." C.O.L.420. "Clothed with the righeousness of Christ we shall have no relish for sin." 1 S.M.360.

The only difference is that the 144,000 will reflect Christ fully because they will have partaken of the latter rain and all earthly dross will be removed during the crucible of the time of Jacob's trouble!

AB, thank you for clarifying that point for me. But now I have another question, if you don't mind. According to this passage...

"Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them. It is left with us to remedy the defects in our characters, to cleanse the soul temple of every defilement. Then the latter rain will fall upon us as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the Day of Pentecost." {5T 214.2}

...Ellen White indicates that no one will receive the seal of God or the latter rain if they haven't already obtained the victory over every defilement and defect of character.

If this is so, then can you please explain what you wrote about the relationship between the latter rain, earthly dross and reflecting Christ more fully? Does this mean the 144,000 are the only ones who can truly overcome all sin?

Describing the experience of the 144,000 during JTOT she writes: "... it is needful for them to be placed in the furnace of fire; their earthliness must be consumed, that the image of Christ may be perfectly reflected." {GC 621.1}

If their sins have already been blotted out, then this "earthliness" cannot possibly be sinfulness. If not, then what is it?