Can We Attain Sinless Perfection in this Life?

I recently received the following question from our AskMark page:

As human beings we are born into sin nature and will sin within our lifetime. Once being born again we are then free from sin and have triumph over sin and death. Paul in Romans chapter 6:11-14 goes on to even talk about how sin should no longer be our master... the ultimate question I have is this... is a sinless life once being born again and not of our own strength what we should ultimately strive for? Since Jesus lived a perfect sinless life and we are instructed to try and become more like His image?
 
My Response:
 
Thank you asking this as it is a common question among passionate believers.  It’s also the area that brings the most condemnation because it deals with one of the many subjects that are best defined by the phrase “Already, but not yet.”  For example, many verses say- we have been saved, we are being saved, and we will be saved. We have been made blameless in Christ and we will be made blameless at His coming. We have been made perfect and we are being perfected, etc. God can speak this way because He sees us already done AND He sees us in the process of this life.  (See Hebrews 4:13-16)
 
First, we must get our definitions right so that we mean what they meant...

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