James H. Cagle
Guest Columnist
“For there is not a just man upon the earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not” (Ecclesiastes 7:20 KJV).
A “just man” in the Old Testament was of a gentle disposition, kind (Psalm 37:21; Proverbs 12:10; 21:26), temperate in eating (Proverbs 13:25), in speaking (Proverbs 15:28), one who loved truth (Proverbs 13:5) and wisdom (Proverbs 9:9). He was righteous, just and lawful. The Hebrews viewed such a one as just because of his holy living.
A “just man” in the New Testament is the Christian who is justified by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (Romans 3:28). “Justification originates in grace ... and may be defined as the judicial act of God whereby He justly declares righteous one who believes on Jesus Christ.”
But there has never been, and will never be, in this life, a “just” person who does good all the time and never sins, except Jesus.
Even the New Testament saint who has the indwelling Holy Spirit and the nature of Christ will not always do what’s right but will sometimes do what’s wrong. For the Christian, there is no such thing as sinless perfection. Though once a person gets saved, they will immediately begin sinning much less than they did before their conversion, and sin even less as they grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. They will never in this life know sinless perfection. And sinning less and less is proof of their salvation— “Whosoever is born of God (born-again, saved) doth not commit (live a lifestyle, practice) sin” (1 John 3:9).
Because of the sinful nature that we all inherited from Adam and will not lose until we inhabit Heaven, the Christian is still capable of rebelling against and disobeying God or sinning.
There is the sin of omission, when we know to do the right thing but refuse to do it— “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (James 4:17). Some will be cursed for the sin of omission (Matthew 25:41-46). There is also the sin of commission, when we deliberately choose to disobey God’s holy Word and do evil— “For sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4), and “All unrighteousness is sin” (1 John 5:17).
The Christian is not perfect but forgiven and accepted by God through Jesus Christ, and as he surrenders to God’s perfect will (1 Thessalonians 4:3, 7), he will gradually become more and more like Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:13).