Christians Please Don't Expect A Perfect Sanctification!
While one must emphasize that works is an evidence of being saved, however do not expect a perfect sanctification one way or another. There's no perfect repentance, then there is no perfect sanctification either. The Christian life can be viewed with a series of ups and downs. Nobody is ever perfectly sinless in the Christian life yet there is the way of sanctification.
2 Peter 3:18 says, "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen." When a person gets saved, it starts with infancy. The whole issue is in 1 Corinthians 3:1 when Paul addresses the problem of carnality. Now let me get it clear, all Christians still have that problem of carnality but you cannot be a Christian and be in a continuous carnal state. However, there is always the expectation of falling and rising.
How is the Christian work anyway? The narrow path is not an easy path. You just entered the narrow path. There's no turning back. The path of Christianity is no longer the easy path. If you enter the narrow path, is it easy? It's a hard path and you pass it daily so do not expect not to fall down. Do not expect not to fall down when crossing the narrow path. The Christian life is full of ups, downs, down, ups, and God lovingly corrects those who He had saved.
John 15:1-8 talks about the vine and the branches. Jesus is the vine, the Christians are the branches and the Christians. Remember apart from Christ, Christians are NOTHING without their Lord and Master. When Jesus becomes the Savior of that Christian, He has become their Lord and Master now and forever. Jesus owns every believer. There are also the useless branches who are the false converts who are cast out. Remember in this entry, Jesus also talks about the reality of Christians are in need of pruning. Fruits are not always in season. The Heavenly Father trims the branches and removes anything that hinders the growth of fruits. Likewise, you can know you are saved when you sin, God does not leave you alone but He chastises you and sets you back on track.
Romans 7:14-19 says, "For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me."
That is, Christians will still fall into sin, sometimes even grievous but that alone cannot negate salvation and sanctification. A saved man will still fall into sin but the attitude towards sin is different than that of a man who has no conviction of the Holy Spirit. Good works is an assurance that one is already and truly saved, the other assurance is in God's loving chastisement. Hebrews 12:-5-7 says that God chastises His own children because they are His and He loves them too much.
See also:
Reflecting On Paul Washer's "Don't Expect a Perfect Repentance"