SIN:  The “Awful” Reality of the Christian Life

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but howto 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… —Romans 7:18-19

Keep in mind, this text was written by the greatest Christian who ever lived—The Apostle Paul.  If this was a problem for Paul, it is a problem in every Christians life!

A true Christian has a will to do good (”for to will is present with me…”). [BTW, If you have no desire to do good, you better make sure you are really saved!]  While I have the will to do good, I can’t always seem to do what is good (“but how to perform that which is good I find not”). The problem is not the will. The problem is the performance of the will.  Jesus said, “The spirit is WILLING, but the flesh is WEAK”(Mt. 26:41.  Evil seems to have a greater pull in my life than the good I would do—“For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do… O wretched man that I am.”  As the Tracy Dartt song goes—“I’m a Mess!”  Can I get an “Amen?”

This is the awful reality in the Christian life—Everyone sins (Eccl. 7:20)!  1 John 1:10 says, “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”  Paul called himself the chief of sinners (1 Tim. 1:15).

So, since we all sin, what happens when I sin?  I suggest four things…

1. My FELLOWSHIP is broken. While I cannot lose salvation, when I sin my fellowship with God is broken and my prayers are short-circuited (Isa. 59:1-2; Ps. 66:18).
2. My FRUITFULNESS is barren.Sin hinders me from bearing good fruit. Fruit is brought forth from healthy plants. If a plant is unhealthy, the fruit will be bad or absent.
3. My FLESH is bolstered.The more I give in to what the flesh craves, the stronger influence my carnal nature will have.  The more I feed the spirit with the things of God, the greater influence it will have over my flesh.
4. My FOE is blessed. The devil is my foe and he delights every time I give in to sin.  When I sin it makes Satan’s day and give him reason to smile. I should never want to give the devil a good day!

The only way to keep from sinning is to “die daily” to the flesh (1 Cor. 15:31; Rom. 6:11-14) and let Christ live His life through you(Gal. 2:20).   However, this is nearly impossible to do 24/7. We all slip-up and give in to the flesh occasionally.

So, here is the good news—When I sin I have an Advocate who pleads my case (1 John 2:1-2). His name is Jesus, and He’s never lost a case!  Praise God!