You’ve come closer to a good balance, especially in your second and third paragraphs, than anyone else. The whole point of verses that seem to contradict each other is to fit them together rather than choose only one of them to champion, so that you are not a pancake unturned and only half baked, surrounded by other halfbaked cakes.
Trying to fit together “cannot sin” and “a liar if you say you haven’t sinned” is an exceedingly good, good labor. That you began in discourse with an overall attitude of “perhaps” is pure air.
Consider this in your good labor - two men, both of them sinners, went to pray. One of the two sinners left with God saying he had done what was right in Gods sight. What was the difference in the two sinners? Wasn’t it that one saw himself accurately and was truthful and asked out of his lack?
So you see, both were sinners. But only one of them saw that and was truthful while praying. So it can be seen that honesty goes a long way with God. If a man struggles with sin, as a first step to receiving more grace, he only needs to be truthful with God.
It’s crucial to not drop the thread that both were sinners, exactly alike in that respect, but that only one walked away with Gods approval.
That is a stepping stone, maybe the first stepping stone, to your labor of putting the other two verses together. I could take it further but I don’t want to take away all your fun! It is the pleasure of kings to search out a matter that God has concealed.
I believe a person can admit that they are a sinner when they first come to God’s grace (Which is what we see in Luke 18:9-14).
But after a Christian is saved by God’s grace, they should not remain in their sins or think they are a defeated sinner.
Titus 2:11-12 says that God’s grace teaches us to deny ungodliness and that we should live righteously and godly in this present world.
While we should be honest with God, by what you had written here, it gives me the impression that you believe no believer can actually overcome sin when in reality the Bible does in fact teach that we can do so (Please see 1 Peter 4:1-2, Galatians 5:24, 2 Corinthians 7:1, and Romans 13:14).
Another problem is that God cannot agree with our sin. So if a believer is struggling with sin, then they need God’s help to overcome it. I mean, I get it. Believers are in a purification process in this life (2 Corinthians 7:1) (Romans 8:13). They are not going to always go from zero to hero overnight, but they cannot justify sin, and they cannot treat sin as if it is no more dangerous than a fluffy kitten. Jesus warned against how sin can destroy our souls in the afterlife (See: Matthew 5:22, Matthew 5:28-30, Matthew 6:15, Matthew 12:37, Matthew 25:31-46, and Luke 9:62).
Believers need to confess and forsake sin in order to have mercy (Proverbs 28:13).
Believers cannot think they are slaves to sin because Jesus said he that sins is a slave to sin (John 8:34).
Jesus said a slave (slave to sin) will not abide in the house forever (John 8:35).
Meaning, Matthew 13:41-42 is going to happen. The Son of Man (Jesus) will send forth His angels and they will gather out of HIS Kingdom them who do iniquity (sin) and they will be cast into the furnace of fire (the Lake of Fire). For Jesus has to set His house in order before He can give it back to God the Father (1 Corinthians 15:24).
Meaning, believers who justify sin are not going to be able to enter the city of New Jerusalem.
Revelation 22:14-15
“Blessed
are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without
are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.”
