Hello again CorrectiveLens, thanks for getting back to me
While I agree with what you just said, I've never met or heard of a Christian who is perfected in holiness and righteousness (such that they never sin/never fail to do God's will) on this side of the grave, much less from the moment that they are born again, come to saving faith and are saved. As far as I know, such perfection (on this side of Glory) has been true of the One who became one of us, the One who is our Creator, Savior and Lord, alone.
I believe that this is also why the elder Apostle John gave us (believers of all levels of maturity in the faith, that is) the ongoing remedy (in
1 John 1-2) that we need for the sins that we, sadly, continue to commit (whenever we fail to put on the "
new man or new self" and allow the "
old man/old self" to gain a temporary foothold in our lives again .. e.g.
Ephesians 4:22-24).
This is when our reaction to sin becomes a demonstration of who we are, IOW, that we really and truly are who we claim to be, ~true believers~ (because unbelievers are rarely, if ever "grieved over"/horrified by the sins that they commit/over the sinful lifestyles that they lead). And if they ever are penitent to a degree, it has everything to do with them (guilt/fear/fear of retribution or Hell), not because they love God and are worried that their relationship with Him might suffer .. Christians alone do that!).
This is what I believe Dr. Pink was getting at in the quote of his that I posited earlier in this thread.
God bless you!!
~Deuteronomy
p.s. - if I'm still missing part of the point that you were trying to make to me somehow (about Dr. Pink's quote), please help me understand what that is. Thanks
Ephesians 4
22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;
24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
1 John 1
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.