(Scripture references from NASB)
Romans 6
11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
21 Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death.
22 But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 7
14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.
15For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.
16 But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good.
17 So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.
18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.
19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.
We all (or at least most of us) recognize that even as Christians, we still sin.
A few years back, I was in a Sunday school class being taught by the pastor of that church. The subject that came up near the end of the session was “If old (sinful) nature is dead, why do we still sin, after we have been saved?” I gave the answer that we are declared clean based on Christ’s sacrificed, but our natural urges remain for us to conquer by His power. This answer was based on my understanding (or misunderstanding) of the stages of sanctification, namely:
I have been meditating on this ever since. I should have asked him, but often I like to understand my own feelings before I seek comment/enlightenment. Many times, I am better able to internalize truths I had not considered after I come to a point where I understand the issues surrounding my own question.
My meditations on this have resulted in a couple of realizations. The most important one (at least to me) is that death, whether that of a believer or that of an atheist is not the end of life. Unless we are all delusional, we will all stand before the Lord; either to receive the Joy of fulfillment, or the anguish of banishment.
So now I am throwing it open to this forum.
Why do we still sin?
Romans 6
11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
21 Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death.
22 But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 7
14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.
15For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.
16 But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good.
17 So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.
18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.
19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.
We all (or at least most of us) recognize that even as Christians, we still sin.
A few years back, I was in a Sunday school class being taught by the pastor of that church. The subject that came up near the end of the session was “If old (sinful) nature is dead, why do we still sin, after we have been saved?” I gave the answer that we are declared clean based on Christ’s sacrificed, but our natural urges remain for us to conquer by His power. This answer was based on my understanding (or misunderstanding) of the stages of sanctification, namely:
- Positional Sanctification, meaning that one has acknowledged his natural state as being sinful and accepted Christ’s sacrifice as payment for that sin. We are declared clean based on that payment by the ultimate Judge.
- Progressive Sanctification, meaning growing in Christ, becoming more like Him and having greater victory over sin. By trusting and following the HS, the sin nature is made progressively less of a factor in our lives.
- Permanent Sanctification, meaning being raised after death perfected as the complete person God intended.
I have been meditating on this ever since. I should have asked him, but often I like to understand my own feelings before I seek comment/enlightenment. Many times, I am better able to internalize truths I had not considered after I come to a point where I understand the issues surrounding my own question.
My meditations on this have resulted in a couple of realizations. The most important one (at least to me) is that death, whether that of a believer or that of an atheist is not the end of life. Unless we are all delusional, we will all stand before the Lord; either to receive the Joy of fulfillment, or the anguish of banishment.
So now I am throwing it open to this forum.
Why do we still sin?