We find holiness by knowing and enjoying God, and by being known by God and entering into fellowship with Him and taking upon us His holy nature. This is the difference between positional holiness and practical holiness, God forgives and cleanses us from sin by His grace and from a grateful heart, we do what we can with His help to stay cleansed. One is not complete holiness without the other. We must, of course, initially have forgiveness of sins, we must have justification, we must have peace with God. The saints move on to something more and that is the constant effort to walk in the spirit, free oneself from sin and take on the holy and sanctified nature.
Sin first exists in the mind and our heart's desire from an external or internal stimulus.
We make provision for sin when we do not clean up what is around us. The temptation involved gives us space to make the choice to entertain it and give in or to resist before it is an overt act. Sin is therefore potentiated weakness or potentiated defiance. Victory is sweet. The early church did not command very much abstinence, loving God, loving others and walking in the spirit is generally sufficient for us.