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The Believer's Sin Struggle
Contrary to the world’s popular opinion, the Holy Bible teaches that humans are not what God originally created them to be, for they are all sinners. Adam and Eve were created perfect; by a perfect God, and placed in a perfect environment. However, Adam’s and Eve’s disobedience to God brought about cataclysmic results upon the entire human race. As a result of Adam being the “federal” and “seminal” head of the human race, the sin force is possessed by every person on earth, saved (Christian) and unsaved (lost). In this article, we will focus our attention on sin in the life of the saved (Christian) person. Every saved person on planet earth still has the sin force within his bodily flesh (Rom. 7:18; 6:11-13; 1 John 1:8).
It is natural for unsaved (lost) people to sin because their human nature is geared toward sinning and is totally dominated by the sin force (Rom. 8:7-8). An unsaved (lost) person will never be able to seek Jesus own their own, because of his or her corrupted human nature and the sin force within them.
On the other hand, saved (Christian) people sin contrary to their human nature, for it has been renewed by divine regeneration and is now geared toward doing righteousness or the will of God (Col. 3:9-10; Eph. 4:24; Rom. 6:18-19,22). The Holy Spirit is now the new resident governing moral force within us (Christians). Now let us examine several verses written by two great apostles: John and Paul. This will help us to see that we as Christians still struggle with the sin force, even after salvation.
1 John 1:7- But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
It is clear that the apostle John is addressing believers (saved people), because throughout this chapter we find a key word:
• V.1 - “Which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon”
• V.2- “ For the life was manifested and we have seen it”
• V. 3- “That which we have seen and heard”
• V. 4- “And these things we write unto you, that your joy may be full”
• V. 5- “ This then is the message which we have heard of him”
• V. 6- “ If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie”
• V.7- “But if we walk in the light, ...we have fellowship”
The word “we” is used over and over again in this chapter to show us that John is indeed addressing believers, not unbelievers. If John had been writing to unbelievers (lost people), why would he have included himself?
In verse 7, we find the word “cleanseth”. The Greek word is “Katharizo”. It is a verb, in the present tense. It means to make clean; to cleanse. It means us as believers still sin ...even after salvation! The blood signifies the antidote for and ultimate defense against sin’s presence and power in our lives. Sin may rise up in us; but it need not reign over us. If we could take time to look at the last three verses of this chapter, we will see that sin is ever present in the believer, and what we need to do is not to get into a debate about whether a Christian still sins but realize it and confess it.
The beloved Apostle Paul gives us the best look at this inner conflict that is going on in believers today, between the sinful old nature (Adamic) and the new nature (of Christ).
The passage is found in Romans chapter 7:13-25.
In verse 14, Paul says; the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. The law has the characteristics of the Spirit and is consistent with the character of God. It is spiritual in its demands. By carnal, Paul speaks of the Adamic nature, or the sin nature inherited from Adam. We are fleshly incapable of yielding spiritual obedience. Sold under sin means he was enslaved to it. Even though he was saved, he could not escape the daily struggle of it.
In verse 15, Paul says; For that which I do, I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. Paul is saying; in obeying the impulses of my carnal nature, I act the slave of another will than my own as a renewed man. Anytime a saved person obeys the new nature, the old nature immediately rebels in opposition. (Ex. - This is why when we get ready to go to church, we suddenly feel sick... we find something else to do, or we get lazy and decide to lay out. We assume one missed service won’t hurt. One missed service always leads to another. ) The more we yield to sin, the easier it will be the next time. On the other hand, the more we obey the new nature, the easier it will become.
In verse 16, Paul says; ...I consent unto the law that it is good. Paul is referring to the judgment of the inner man going along with the law.
In verse 17, Paul says; Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. The sin that Paul is referring to is the sinful old nature.
In verse 18, Paul says; For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: The word flesh is used here in an ethical sense. Paul is referring to a condition of being dominated by sin and sinful pursuits. (See verse 25; 8:5-7; also Galatians 5:17.)
In verse 22, Paul says; For I delight in the law of God after the inward man. The inward man here is the new nature.
In verse 24, Paul says; O wretched man that I am! Paul shows his frustration with the old nature. The closer Paul gets to the brilliancy of Jesus Christ, the more he sees his own sin.
So how do we live by faith and not by sight? How do we live victoriously? We walk in the Spirit.
Romans 8:4- That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. The righteousness of the law is the righteous result. It means the Holy Spirit produces a life of obedience which the law commanded, but could not produce. The Holy Spirit furnishes the power...the decision is ours.
Galatians 5:16, 17- This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Walk in the Spirit... means to walk up and down, to make progress. Jesus commanded us to walk in the truth (John 16:13). When we do this, the Spirit will guide us.
Ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh... fulfill means to accomplish or carry out. Lust of the flesh... here means the strong desires of the Adamic nature (old nature).
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh ... The flesh (old nature) and the Spirit’s desires and yearnings are contrary to one another. The Christian then is a battlefield, having desires to do good and evil. So that ye cannot do the things that ye would... the flesh seeks to thwart the Spirit who, in turn, attempts to frustrate the flesh’s evil desires.
Lastly, let us take a look in 1 John 2 verse 1. John says; My little children, these things write I unto you that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
That ye sin not... It does not say that we cannot sin, but that we may not sin.
And if any man sin... means that it will happen and when it does go to God the judge immediately and confess it.
We have an advocate with the Father... Advocacy is God’s family blessing; other blessings He grants to good and bad alike, but justification, sanctification, continued intercession, and peace, He grants to His children alone. Notice the word “Father”, I love that don’t you? It does not say, “We have an advocate with God”... it says “with the Father”. What does that mean to us? It means even though we sin, and we will on a daily basis, He is still our Father!
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