The atonement cleanses us from the consequences of our sins (for example the final judgment of death) , and one consequence of sin is further sin (
James 1:13-27). Also, according to that same passage, there is a temptation that will come upon believers that would have had to be "divine" in origin if believers were completely "free" from the ability to sin. James argues that such temptation comes from the things that still lie within our human natures.