A recent YouTube sermonette by a prominent Adventist lecturer purports to draw a distinction between perfection and sinlessness relative to the character God expects of the Christian [1]. Like so many other contemporary attacks on perfection theology (often called Last Generation Theology) in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, this one takes Bible and Spirit of Prophecy statements out of context and ignores vast reaches of inspired evidence which affirm the imperative of sinless obedience as achievable by the Christian through heaven’s power here on earth.

The following points, among others, are made by the presenter in question as evidence for his case. We will consider each of them in the light of Scripture and the writings of the Spirit of Prophecy.

1. “Perfection is something that we strive for in our sphere” [2]. The presenter is correct in stating that constant striving is imperative for the Christian in the pursuit of character perfection. But when he uses the phrase “in our sphere,” and goes on to speak of our having a sinful nature, the assumption is created that our inherited fallen nature limits the ability of earthly believers to fully eradicate sin in their lives, even through God’s power.

In a number of statements, Ellen White speaks of humans being perfect “in [their] sphere” [##3|Ellen G. White, Testimonies, vol. 8, p. 86; Selected Messages, vol. 1, p. 337.##]. But she never defines the limitations of this “sphere” as established by humanity’s inherited sinful nature. In another statement Ellen White describes what in fact she means by being “perfect in our sphere”:

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 [##4|——Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 77.##].

A similar statement reads as follows:

When perfect faith and perfect love and obedience abound, working in the hearts of those who are Christ’s followers, they will have a powerful influence. Light will emanate from them, dispelling the darkness around them, refining and elevating all who come within the sphere of their influence, and bringing to a knowledge of the truth all who are willing to be enlightened and to follow in the humble path of obedience [##5|——Testimonies, vol. 2, p. 694.##].

In other words, the “sphere” Ellen White is talking about is the environment in which we live, defined by the limitations of time and space. We cannot serve equally all the billions living on this planet, nor can we avail ourselves of unknown opportunities. Our physical strength, the time at our command, the hours in the day, the need to balance our various responsibilities (including to ourselves), impose a variety of restraints on our potential in God’s service.

This is the “sphere” Ellen White is describing, in which we are to be perfect just as God is perfect in His own, much larger sphere. In no way does she say, in this context or elsewhere, that “perfect in our sphere” means we can only be perfect within the limitations imposed by a presumably unconquerable sinful nature.

The presenter maintains that, like the alcoholic who denies the urge to drink, Christians with fallen natures don’t have to yield to their sinful natures [6]. In this he is quite correct. What he fails to explain is how our sinful natures limit our ability to live sinless lives, as he appears to believe. Certainly no one can defeat a fallen nature apart from the imparted grace of God. But when this brother implies that possessing a sinful nature invariably makes the believer less than perfectly sinless, he departs from the inspired message, as we will see.

2. Ellen White is quoted as saying, “No deep-seated love for Jesus can dwell in the heart that does not realize its own sinfulness” [##7|White, Steps to Christ, p. 65.##]. The presenter’s implication is that Ellen White is referring here to humanity’s inborn sinful nature [8].

Here is the full statement as quoted by the presenter:

No deep-seated love for Jesus can dwell in the heart that does not realize its own sinfulness. The soul that is transformed by the grace of Christ will admire His divine character; but if we do not see our own moral deformity, it is unmistakable evidence that we have not had a view of the beauty and excellence of Christ [##9|White, Steps to Christ, p. 65.##].

One of the big problems in this brief presentation is that the speaker almost never gives references for the inspired passages he cites. This creates unnecessary confusion in the minds of his audience, and makes it difficult for those watching and listening to test the speaker’s faithfulness to what the inspired pen is actually saying.

The fact is that nothing in the above statement, nor its context, identifies the sinfulness of the human heart as involuntary or inborn. “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). All who have made the choice to transgress the divine law remain in a sinful state till repentance, pardon for sin, and the victory wrought by sanctification remake the sinner’s heart and life. Until this transformation happens, humans cannot rightly perceive the purity and righteousness of Jesus in contrast with the sins that have hitherto stained their hearts and lives. But neither Scripture nor the writings of Ellen White identify human sinfulness as a condition existing apart from an act of the sinner’s will.

In other statements Ellen White is very clear, as is the Bible (Eze. 18:20; James 1:14-15), that sin is not a matter of inborn nature, but of free choice:

There are thoughts and feelings suggested and aroused by Satan that annoy even the best of men; but if they are not cherished, if they are repulsed as hateful, the soul is not contaminated with guilt and no other is defiled by their influence [##10|——That I May Know Him, p. 140.##].

It is not in the power of Satan to force anyone to sin. Sin is the sinner’s individual act. Before sin exists in the heart, the consent of the will must be given, and as soon as it is given, sin is triumphant, and hell rejoices [##11|——Signs of the Times, Dec. 18, 1893.##].

The light of life is freely proffered to all. Every one who will may be guided by the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness. Christ is the great remedy for sin. None can plead their circumstances, their education, or their temperament as an excuse for living in rebellion against God. Sinners are such by their own deliberate choice [##12|——From the Heart, p. 151.##].

As we see the condition of mankind today, the question arises in the minds of some, “Is man by nature totally and wholly depraved?” Is he hopelessly ruined? No, he is not. The Lord Jesus left the royal courts and, taking our human nature, lived such a life as everyone may live in humanity, through following His example. We may perfect a life in this world which is an example of righteousness, and overcome as Christ has given us an example in His life, revealing that humanity may conquer as He, the great Pattern conquered [##13|——Manuscript Releases, vol. 9, p. 238.##].

The presenter goes on to say, “If you think that you can stand in your own perfection, then you haven’t caught a glimpse of the beauty and the character of Christ” [14]. What he isn’t quite clear about is whether he defines “our own perfection” as something fabricated in humanity’s own strength apart from conversion—an achievement we all acknowledge to be worthless in God’s sight—or whether he defines this phrase as including the work of sanctification accomplished by God’s power combined with human effort. If the latter is understood by the presenter as “our own perfection,” we must disagree on the basis of the inspired text.

At one point the presenter insists, “Nobody who sins willfully will get to heaven” [15]. But is he therefor implying that impulsive, non-willful sinning won’t keep Christians out of heaven? This is a typical argument made by opponents of perfection theology in the Seventh-day Adventist Church for decades. Willful sinning, according to anti-perfection Adventists, can in fact cease in the Christian life, but impulsive sinning is generally seen by such persons as persisting in Christian lives till one’s fallen nature is removed at the coming of Jesus. The speaker’s lack of clarity on this point is very dangerous and seriously misleading.

3. The presenter equates sinful nature with sin itself; hence he believes the human Christ took a sinless nature during His incarnation. Like others who hold this position, he cites the following reference from the famous Baker letter of 1895:

Be careful, exceedingly careful, as to how you dwell upon the human nature of Christ. Do not set Him before the people as a man with the propensities of sin…. He could have sinned, He could have fallen, but not for one moment was there in Him an evil propensity [##16|White, SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 1128.##].

But this, and similar statements which speak of Christ not having like passions as ourselves [##17|——Testimonies, vol. 2, pp. 201-202,509.##], must be understood in light of the Bible/Spirit of Prophecy teaching regarding lower and higher forces in human nature (Matt. 26:41), an arrangement which calls for the will to be in charge and bodily urges kept under control (I Cor. 9:27). Ellen White speaks in one statement of how “the will is not the taste or the inclination, but it is the deciding power” [##18|——Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 513.##]. This is how she can write in certain statements of Jesus “not possessing the passions of our human, fallen natures” [##19|——Testimonies, vol. 2, p. 509.##], while in other statements saying that “He had all the strength of passion of humanity” [##20|——In Heavenly Places, p. 155.##], and that “He blessed children that were possessed of passions like His own” [##21|——Signs of the Times, April 9, 1896.##]. The first set of statements speak of urges exhibited, while the latter speak of urges resisted.

The internal nature of Jesus’ struggle with temptation is affirmed in such passages as the following:

Some realize their great weakness and sin, and become discouraged. Satan casts his dark shadow between them and the Lord Jesus, their atoning sacrifice. They say, It is useless for me to pray. My prayers are so mingled with evil thoughts that the Lord will not hear them.

These suggestions are from Satan. In His humanity Christ met and resisted this temptation, and He knows how to succor those who are thus tempted [##22|——In Heavenly Places, p. 78.##].

His (the Christian’s) strongest temptations will come from within, for he must battle against the inclinations of the natural heart. The Lord knows our weaknesses [##23|——Bible Echo & Signs of the Times, Dec. 1, 1892.##].

And how does He know our weaknesses?

He knows by experience what are the weaknesses of humanity, what are our wants, and where lies the strength of our temptations, for He was “in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15) [##24|——Ministry of Healing, p. 71 (italics supplied).##].

By experiencing in Himself the strength of Satan’s temptations, and of human sufferings and infirmities, He would know how to succor those who should put forth efforts to help themselves [##25|——Confrontation, p. 78 (italics supplied).##].

The presenter in question then quotes another Ellen White statement which reads: “We should have no misgivings in regard to the perfect sinlessness of the human nature of Christ” [##26|——SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 1131.##]. But the paragraph just previous to this statement reads as follows:

Could Satan in the least particular have tempted Christ to sin, he would have bruised the Saviour’s head. As it was, he could only touch His heel. Had the head of Christ been touched, the hope of the human race would have perished. Divine wrath would have come upon Christ as it came upon Adam. Christ and the church would have been without hope [##27|——SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 1131.##].

In other words, the “perfect sinlessness” of Christ’s human nature, as described in this passage, refers to the fact that He never sinned. The higher nature—the will and character—is in focus here, not the lower, fleshly nature inherited at birth. Nothing in this statement, nor its context, depicts Jesus as possessing a different inborn nature from the rest of post-Fall humanity.

4. The presenter claims that according to Scripture, “He who says he is without sin is a liar” [28]. Here he refers to the apostle John’s statement: “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (I John 1:8; see also verse 10).

But the verses in the immediate context of the above verses make it clear that while claiming to be without sin is impossible for any fallen being—the Bible is clear elsewhere that God alone knows the human heart (I Kings 8:39)—to in fact become free from sin through God’s power is very much a possibility for the repentant sinner:

For if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. . . .

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:7,9).

The story of Job is an excellent example of this dual reality—living without sin through God’s power while refusing to claim such an achievement. The Bible speaks of Job as “perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil” (Job 1:1,8). The story that follows explains how, despite the loss of nearly everything (health, wealth, family), that “in all this Job sinned not, neither charged God foolishly” (Job 1:22; 2:10).

But what did Job say about himself, at this same time?

If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me; if I say I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.

Though I were perfect, yet I would not know my soul; I would despise my life (Job 9:20-21).

The inspired text is clear that claiming sinlessness is off limits to the earthly believer. But to actually achieve sinless conduct in our earthly state is quite another matter, as we shall see.

5. According to this presenter, when Ellen White speaks of sinlessness, she refers exclusively to the sinless worlds and unfallen beings of God’s universe, to Adam before he fell, and to the incarnate Christ [29].

Unfortunately for his argument, he has neglected to consider the following Bible verses and Ellen White statements, which speak of sinlessness as present in the lives of victorious believers who retain their fallen natures:

Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.

Blessed are they that keep His testimonies, and that seek Him with the whole heart.

They also do no iniquity; they walk in His ways. . . .

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee (Psalm 119:1-3,11).

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.

That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit (Rom. 8:3-4).

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (II Cor. 7:1).

For even hereunto were ye called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow in His steps. Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth (I Peter 2:21-22).

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am sat down with My Father in His throne (Rev. 3:21).

Numerous other verses declare the same thing (e.g. Psalm 4:4; Zeph. 3:13; I Cor. 15:34; Eph. 5:25-27; I Thess. 5:23; I Tim. 6:13-14; I Peter 4:1; I John 3:2-3,7).

And like Scripture, Ellen White repeatedly affirms the possibility—indeed, the imperative—of sinless obedience in the life of the sanctified Christian, who still retains a fallen nature [##30|White, Acts of the Apostles, pp. 560-561; Counsels to Teachers, p. 20; Prophets and Kings, p. 84; SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 2, p. 1032; Selected Messages, vol. 2, p. 33.##], here on this earth:

In our world, we are to remember the way in which Christ worked. He made the world. He made man. Then He came in person to the world to show its inhabitants how to live sinless lives [##31|——Evangelism, p. 385.##].

Paul writes to the Corinthians, “Casting down imaginations, and every high think that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” When you come into this position, the work of consecration will be better understood by you both. Your thoughts will be pure, chaste, and elevated, your actions pure and sinless [##32|——Testimonies, vol. 3, p. 83.##].

To everyone who surrenders fully to God is given the privilege of living without sin, in obedience to the law of heaven [##33|——Review and Herald, Sept. 27, 1906.##].

Christ bore the sins of the whole world. He was the second Adam. Taking upon Himself human nature, He passed over the ground where Adam stumbled and fell. Having taken humanity, He has an intense interest in human beings. He felt keenly the sinfulness, the shame, of sin. He is our Elder Brother. He came to prove that human beings can, through the power of God, live sinless lives [##34|——Signs of the Times, Aug. 9, 1905.##].

In the day of judgment the course of the man who has retained the frailty and imperfection of humanity will not be vindicated. For him there will be no place in heaven. He could not enjoy the perfection of the saints in light. He who has not sufficient faith in Christ to believe that He can keep him from sinning, has not the faith that will give him an entrance into the kingdom of God [##36|——Selected Messages, vol. 3, p. 360.##].

6. The presenter quotes the following Ellen White statement as proof that humans on earth cannot be as perfect as Christ [37]: “He (Christ) made sacrifices that will never be required of man, as man can never attain to His exalted character” [##38|——Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 3, p. 78.##].

But the presenter fails to consider that the sacrifices Jesus made which will never be required of man, aren’t required of the sinless angels either. Neither they nor redeemed humans have the throne of God to give up, as Jesus did in coming to this earth. In no way does this passage teach that because of humanity’s inherited fallen nature, sin will not be fully eradicated from our lives this side of heaven.

Conclusion

The presenter is really quite confusing, stating on several occasions that we do have to keep God’s law, and can in fact live without sinning, while at the close of his message asking, “Are you sinless in your own strength, or are you sinless by His decree, covered by His blood?” [39]. Here he gives every evidence of teaching that the sinlessness attained by the earthly Christian is a legal declaration, not an actual attainment made possible through divine-human cooperation.

In still another presentation, this brother disputes a key premise of Last Generation Theology by stating that those who stand without a Mediator after the close of probation are fit for heaven in the same way all other saints are fit—by divine decree [40]. But the writings of the Spirit of Prophecy are clear that those who endure the great final test during the ultimate time of trouble are perfected by more, much more, than a mere divine decree. Such statements as the following are clear on this point beyond misunderstanding:

Those who are living upon the earth when the intercession of Christ shall cease in the sanctuary above, are to stand in the sight of a holy God without a mediator. Their robes must be spotless, their characters must be purified from sin by the blood of sprinkling. Through the grace of God and their own diligent effort they must be conquerors in the battle with evil. While the investigative judgment is going forward in heaven, while the sins of penitent believers are being removed from the sanctuary, there is to be a special work of purification, of putting away of sin, among God’s people upon the earth. . . .

When this work shall have been accomplished, the followers of Christ will be ready for His appearing [##41|White, The Great Controversy, p. 425.##].

When He comes, He is not to cleanse us of our sins, to remove from us the defects in our characters, or to cure us of the infirmities of our tempers and dispositions. If wrought for us at all, this work will be accomplished before that time. When the Lord comes, those who are holy will be holy still. . . . The Refiner does not then sit to pursue His refining process and remove their sins and their corruption. This is all to be done in these hours of probation [##42|——Testimonies, vol. 2, p. 355.##].

In light of the inspired statements we have considered in this article, from Scripture as well as the writings of the Spirit of Prophecy, we are constrained to recognize that perfection and sinlessness relative to the character development required of God’s people are one and the same thing. The only difference between the Last Generation of believers and former generations of the saved is the complete absence in the Last Generation of any sins of ignorance. The standard of righteousness required of all in every age is the same [##43|——Steps to Christ, p. 62; Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 76.##], but the Bible is clear that ignorant sin is not held against anyone (Acts 17:30; James 4:17). But ignorant sin nevertheless requires handling by the heavenly Mediator [##44|——Early Writings, p. 254.##], which is why the modern prophet declares:

When our earthly labors are ended, and Christ shall come for His faithful children, we shall then shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of our Father. But before that time shall come, everything that is imperfect in us will have been seen and put away. All envy and jealousy and evil surmising and every selfish plan will have been banished from the life [##45|——Selected Messages, vol. 3, p. 427.##].

In other words, all sin—ignorant and otherwise—will have been revealed and conquered in the lives of the Last Generation saints, before probation closes. This is why God has revealed so much light and truth to His end-time remnant through the writings of the Spirit of Prophecy, and why the demonstration of righteous character displayed in their lives during the final conflict will stand supreme throughout the eternal ages. In Ellen White’s words:

The church, being endowed with the righteousness of Christ, is His depository, in which the wealth of His mercy, His love, His grace, is to appear in full and final display. . . . The gift of His Holy Spirit, rich, full, and abundant, is to be to His church as an encompassing wall of fire, which the powers of hell shall not prevail against. In their untainted purity and spotless perfection, Christ looks upon His people as the reward of all His suffering, His humiliation, and His love, and the supplement of His glory [##46|——Testimonies to Ministers, pp. 18-19.##].

And once again:

The Saviour is wounded afresh and put to open shame when His people pay no heed to His word. He came to this world and lived a sinless life, that in His power His people might also live lives of sinlessness. He desires them by practicing the principles of truth to show to the world that God’s grace has power to sanctify the heart [##47|——Review and Herald, April 1, 1902.##].

REFERENCES

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XAiIul__vU

2. Ibid.

3. Ellen G. White, Testimonies, vol. 8, p. 86; Selected Messages, vol. 1, p. 337.

4. ----Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 77.

5. ----Testimonies, vol. 2, p. 694.

6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XAiIul__vU

7. White, Steps to Christ, p. 65.

8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XAiIul__vU

9. White, Steps to Christ, p. 65.

10. ----That I May Know Him, p. 140.

11. ----Signs of the Times, Dec. 18, 1893.

12. ----From the Heart, p. 151.

13. ----Manuscript Releases, vol. 9, p. 238.

14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XAiIul__vU

15. Ibid.

16. White, SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 1128.

17. ----Testimonies, vol. 2, pp. 201-202,509.

18. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 513.

19. Ibid, vol. 2, p. 509.

20. ----In Heavenly Places, p. 155.

21. ----Signs of the Times, April 9, 1896

22. ----In Heavenly Places, p. 78.

23. ----Bible Echo & Signs of the Times, Dec. 1, 1892.

24. ----Ministry of Healing, p. 71.

25. ----Confrontation, p. 78 (italics supplied).

26. ----SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 1131.

27. Ibid.

28. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XAiIul__vU

29. Ibid.

30. White, Acts of the Apostles, pp. 560-561; Counsels to Teachers, p. 20; Prophets and Kings, p. 84; SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 2, p. 1032; Selected Messages, vol. 2, p. 33.

31. ----Evangelism, p. 385.

32. ----Testimonies, vol. 3, p. 83.

33. ----Review and Herald, Sept. 27, 1906.

34. ----Signs of the Times, Aug. 9, 1905.

35. ----Review and Herald, April 1, 1902.

36. ----Selected Messages, vol. 3, p. 360.

37. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XAiIul__vU

38. White, Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 3, p. 78.

39. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XAiIul__vU

40. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bOGzGK9h9M

41. White, The Great Controversy, p. 425.

42. ----Testimonies, vol. 2, p. 355.

43. ——Steps to Christ, p. 62; Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 76.

44. ----Early Writings, p. 254.

45. ----Selected Messages, vol. 3, p. 427.

46. ----Testimonies to Ministers, pp. 18-19.

47. ----Review and Herald, April 1, 1902.

Pastor Kevin Paulson holds a Bachelor’s degree in theology from Pacific Union College, a Master of Arts in systematic theology from Loma Linda University, and a Master of Divinity from the SDA Theological Seminary at Andrews University. He served the Greater New York Conference of Seventh-day Adventists for ten years as a Bible instructor, evangelist, and local pastor. He writes regularly for Liberty magazine and does script writing for various evangelistic ministries within the denomination. He continues to hold evangelistic and revival meetings throughout the North American Division and beyond, and is a sought-after seminar speaker relative to current issues in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He presently resides in Berrien Springs, Michigan