Why Do Christians Continue To Sin?
Galatians 2:20 - I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
Why Do Christians Continue to Sin?
A Sermon by Charles Moore
Galatians 2:20 – I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
As Christians, if we have been crucified with Christ and He lives inside us, then why do we continue to sin?
Spirit vs. Flesh
Romans 8:10 says “If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.”
Christ died for our sins, but it is our spirit that has been redeemed. Our flesh is still sinful and has not been redeemed.
My Pastor puts it this way: once we are saved, we no longer have a sin nature (our spirit has been redeemed), but we have a sin habit (our fleshly desires).
This is what the Apostle Paul was talking about in 1 Corinthians 15:50 when he said, Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
He takes it a step further in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Paul tells us that our flesh is wasting away, but our spirit is being renewed each and every day.
As believers we may struggle with our flesh, but we have the confidence of eternal salvation.
Live Like Christ
This does not mean that Christians are free to sin. Far from it, we are to strive to be Christ like, allowing Christ to live through us and living our lives by faith and not by flesh.
Galatians 2:20 – I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
We are to set our minds on things above, not on things on earth. We have died, and our life is hidden in Christ. By faith, we are to allow Christ to live through us, that we may live a victorious life here on earth.
Colossians 3:1-4 – Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
