Hi Arcturus,
We are living in a sinful world for sure, it is all around us, I guess it is much like 'in the days of Noah.'
I think you are right about Paul, by the very end of his life I think he was so at one with Christ in him, that there was no place for sin.
And for the elect too sin does not reign in their lives, as Paul said;
Rom 6:12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.
And how is this possible, the verses before this one.
Rom 6:10 For in that He died, He died to sin once; but in that He lives, He lives to God.
v.11 Likewise count yourselves also to be truly dead to sin, but alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
I like what Ray said in one of his emails on this.
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,4069.0.html -----------
We never conquer every sin as long as we are in the flesh, but we can come to the place that "sin no longer REIGNS over us." I have no desire to sin. I do not think about sinning. There is nothing in the realm of sin that has any value to me. I'll let Jesus be my Judge as to how far I have come in overcoming sin. You have to cry out to God to rescue from sin. You cannot and you will not do it on your own power.
God be with you,
Ray
---------------------------------------------------------------------
mercy, peace, and love
Kat