A Christian and Sin

Everyone Sins

I have heard it and I have said it, but what does it mean? When we say, "Well, everybody sins", is that a statement that somehow makes it permissible for us to sin? Do we say that to make ourselves feel better about our actions of disobedience because everyone is doing it? Can we sin, ask God to forgive us and continue to live in that sin? God does forgive the souls who come before him with repentant hearts. However, God knows the intent of our hearts. He knows those who are legitimately sorry about the wrongs they have done. Sometimes a person will ask for forgiveness because of guilt or because he fears God's punishment, but he loves his sin so much he has no intention of giving it up. Everybody does sin, but a true child of God will not continue to live in sin. 

Consider someone one with an addiction. Their addictive lifestyle is destroying them, and they are in danger of losing everything--a job, family, friends, home.  Finally, this person reaches the breaking point where they realize what this addiction is doing to them and their families. They see that they are being destroyed by their addiction and seek help to overcome it. After months of rehab, counseling, or whatever corrective plan they follow the addiction is under control. For the rest of their lives they avoid the source of whatever caused them to become addicted because they know how destructive it is, and they don't want to hurt their loved ones anymore.

Like the addict a Christian recognizes the destructive power of sin and loves God so much that they are heartbroken because of their transgression. That brokenness leads them to true repentance. Their love of Jesus causes them to hate the sin and they don’t want to commit that same sin again. God forgives those who come to him broken and repentant. The sweet Spirit of God renews the spirit of the forgiven soul and strengthens him so that he will not yield to temptation again.  Sin consumes a person so that it becomes his style of living--like an addiction. He may ask God to forgive him several times a week, but like the proverb, "A dog returns to its own Vomit and.” A sow after being washed, returns to wallowing in the mire." he proves that he did not have the brokenness required for forgiveness.

Christians will be known by their fruit. They will be Christlike. If a person is really a Christian sin will hurt, and they will not have peace because of their sin. Others will be able to tell if we belong to Jesus, or if we are living for Satan. Galatians 5: 19-25 makes it  very clear how we can notice the difference between a Christian and one who does not bear the fruit of Christ. as Paul says, “Our acts of sin are obvious,”

19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

If we have God’s Spirit we cannot be comfortable living in sin. Our attitude and our actions will show the world the true person we are.