Sinless Perfectionism
by Floyd Chappalear
via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 13, No. 4, December 31, 1987
Some brethren are saying today that they believe the "walk" of the faithful saint is negated if he commits even a single sin inadvertently (or against his will). This, of course, would include the sin of teaching a point of error. I don't believe those who insist they hold such a position have really thought it out.
Consider the brother who believes a woman must cover her head in the assembly to be faithful to God. Not all believe this. Worse yet, not all teach it. Some teach the very opposite. Now, if a woman must cover her head, then those who say otherwise are teaching false doctrine, and any bareheaded woman is practicing sin. Who could deny it based on the premise? Let us put the two doctrines into practice. On the one hand, anyone who practices or teaches less than required of the "covering position" is out of fellowship with God and walking in the darkness rather than the light. May we fellowship them? Consistency demands that we break fellowship. Therefore, any man who believes in the covering and does not make it a test of fellowship is guilty of the worst inconsistency, for it borders on dissimulation; that is, if he also denies the consequences of "continuous cleansing." (That is, the faithful saint may be cleansed of sin about which he is unaware.)
Also, those who teach that wearing shorts and swimsuits is wrong must likewise make it a test of fellowship. That is unless one is willing to allow time for growth and trust God's grace for the imperfect saint. According to them, this is contrary to what God does; therefore, it would be wrong for us to practice it.
Because of the striking inconsistency of those who claim to believe that sinless perfection and perfect knowledge are required to walk in the light, I have a hard time taking them seriously. They preach one thing and practice something entirely different. Perhaps that is why it is all a tempest in a teapot. It is hard to take it seriously in light of such inconsistency.
