We are told over and over again in the New testament to "stop sinning". By Jesus, by Paul, and by Peter
John 5:14; Afterward Jesus *found him in the temple and said to him, "Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you."
John 8:11; She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more."]
John 8:34; Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.
John 15:22; "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.
Acts 3:19; "Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;
1 Cor 15:34; Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.
1 Tim 5:20; Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning.
Heb 10:26; For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
Tit 3:10 Reject a factious man after a first and second warning,
Tit 3:11; knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned.
Luke 13:3; "I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
Luke 13:5; "I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."
Acts 8:22; "Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you.
Matt 3:8; "Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance;
Luke 5:32; "I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance."
It seems the song many churches sing these days is about Jesus leaving the 99, to get that last sheep. But what does that last sheep have to do?
Luke 15:7; "I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
Acts 11:18; When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, "Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life."
2 Pet 3:9; The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
This "stopping of sin" is what separates us from the world. No longer "practicing" sin is what sanctifies us. Sin is a part of our old nature.
We are told to put off the old nature and put on the new man (Jesus). Jesus didn't sin.
We are told to have the mind of Christ. Jesus didn't sin.
I'm not talking about being perfectly sinless here. But we have to be salt and light. If the salt loses it's flavor it's no longer good for anything.
If we are exactly the same as the rest of the world, and act exactly like the rest of the world... guess what... we ARE the rest of the world.
We cannot go on living in sin. We cannot continue to practice sin. The old self with it's sinful ways has to die.
Rom 8:13; for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Rom 6:12; Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts,
Rom 6:16; Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?
We have to "put aside" the old sinful self.
Rom 6:6; knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;
Eph 4:22; that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,
Col 3:9; Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices,
We have to put on the new self.
Eph 4:24; and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
Col 3:10; and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—
1 Pet 2:24; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
Some churches NEVER preach this. But repentance is absolutely required for salvation. It is not an option.
Deut 22:5; "A woman shall not wear man's clothing, nor shall a man put on a woman's clothing; for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God.
1 Cor 6:9; Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,