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spelling, etc. part 2
GratefulDisciple
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It turns out upon more research, the answer to the question is easy. Those that have a traditional Protestant view like Luther, (Arminians excluded), who believe that the urges of the flesh are sin and not fully removed in baptism (thus not just ‘weaknesses’) nor fully removed by some spiritual holiness movement (Arminian), are simply those who do not believe in Christian Perfectionism (see Wikipedia entry).

Those who believe in Christian Perfectionism think, in oposition to Luther, that we can obtain a state of being ‘without sin’, even if that be for only a few years, weeks, or days, it is a state of being ‘without sin’. This is the essential idea that Luther argued against and which St. Augustine also denied, by saying that even in our good deeds, there is some ‘remnant of sin’ mixed in. So in this theoretical sense, even the very righteous and most holy, sin perpetually, by being perpetually imperfect until such time that we are in heaven and made perfect.

Note: This does not mean sin rules over the believer; in fact Luther taught that a believer could never be ruled by the remanants of sin, only that in our righteous living according to the moral laws revealed in scripture and made clear through the Ten Commandments, some sin will always remain in our good works. For example, we never love God in absolute perfection because of the perpetual indwelling sin.

The above cited Wiki article, though not exactly accurate with respect to the Missionary Alliance or Keswisk churches! (who do not believe in perfectionism as claimed!) gives a good enough summary of those who reject this doctrine of Perfectionism and therefore also have a similar view to Luther and the Reformers on the underlying nature of sin leading to their rejecting Perfectionism.

Answer: Lutheran and Reformed churches and possibly Christian Science (I have not verified that one from the Wiki article) are those that consider the urges of the flesh to be sinful and not just weaknesses, as Catholics post-Agustine do, or not completely destroyable in this life as Arminians do.

In other words, the dispute between Luther and the Catholic church during the Reformation, split the views on the nature of sin. These fundamental differences in turn is the basis for believing or denying perfectionism. It is the same topic with the same answer.

The question was perhaps too deep in the woods to convey the simplicity of the topic. It is not really debatable but basic church history.

Mike
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