erfection or Perfections, Law or Laws, Sinless or Sinlesses?

Koot van Wyk (DLitt et Phil; ThD)

If you are long enough an Adventist, and preferably one who is 51 years in the Church, you can see at least two kinds of views on Perfection. The one grounded in Ellen White, Adventist Pioneers, and biblical exposition. The other one grounded in selections from Ellen White, Pioneers and Augustinian-Calvinistic twists in the biblical exposition. Original Sin is not an Adventist nor biblical position but is very famous among Protestant churches and Catholics including those who hang onto Augustine’s expositions.

An Adventist will say that you can keep the law and Christ came to show us that. A Reformed influence Adventist will emphasize that your best works are still tainted with sin.

This leads to two concepts of Perfection. Whereas the Adventist, Ellen White and biblical position is that there is only one kind of perfection and one that is mirrored by the same Law of God, the Reformed influenced hybrids of Adventist theologians, scholars, doctorates, pastors, professors, teachers and others, claim that we have innate tendencies, sinful desires, inborn tendencies and even original sin that makes it impossible for us to claim perfection. Ever.

Well, look at two texts: Hebrews 4:15 that says Christ was sinless and Job 1:22 that says Job was sinless. Are we going to say that Jesus’ perfection is not the same as Job’s perfection because Job could not possibly be perfect due to innate desires, sinful tendencies, inborn passions of original sin? Well that is what some in our church are preaching and I myself went through a period of decades doing exactly the same.

Below are two diagrams in which one is claiming that there is only one kind of Perfection and one Law that defines that perfection. The other view is that there are two kinds of perfection: Perfection (A) which is Christ’s absolute perfection and Perfection (B) which is our relative perfection. The second view also denies (implicitly) that the Bible is correct that Job was sinless.

                  Adventist, Ellen White and Biblical Harmonized Position on Perfection

                  Adventist professed but Calvinist Reformed Influenced Position on Perfection

A Systematic Theology professor of mine taught us the second view when I was a student. His view was that a Christian can never claim perfection and that Christ did all at the cross including our sanctification. His argument was that if your works count or is sinless or can be sinless, then you can be your own savior.

The other side of the coin is this: the sinlessness of a human cannot save us ever. Even if a baby is sinless and dies, the baby dies and cannot resurrect himself/herself. Thus, Christ, Who is divine and human is the bridge between humans and God and can save.

It is thus good for us to keep our eyes open when a pastor preaches, whether he is interpreting the Bible to read the one or the other model mentioned above.

When the Bible says we are born in sin, it means not innate original sin as Augustine and Calvin interpreted it, it means “in an environment that surrounded us with sin”.

When Paul says the good that he wants to do he cannot (Romans 7) it was Saul speaking not Paul. Scholars do not agree, inside Adventism as well as outside Adventism depending on which model they adopted supra.