Even after we become Christians and receive salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, we still struggle with sin in our lives. Why is this? There are several reasons why believers continue to sin after being saved:
We Still Have a Sin Nature
When we place our faith in Christ, we are declared righteous before God and our sins are forgiven. However, we do not become instantly perfect. Though our spirit is made new in Christ, we still possess a sinful nature in our flesh that leads us into sin (Romans 7:14-25). Becoming a Christian does not eradicate our sinful tendencies and desires. The apostle Paul lamented his ongoing struggle against sin after his conversion (Romans 7:15-19). Our sin nature is something we will battle until we receive our glorified bodies in heaven (1 Corinthians 15:50-57).
Spiritual Growth Takes Time
Sanctification, the process of being made holy, occurs gradually over a believer’s lifetime. When we are saved, we are declared positionally holy in God’s sight, but God continues His work of making us holy in practice. This happens as the Holy Spirit works in us to renew our minds and transform us into the image of Christ (Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 3:18). Putting sin to death and learning to walk by the Spirit is a lifelong process. We will always be growing in godliness on this side of eternity (Philippians 3:12-14).
We Live in a Fallen World
Christians still face temptation because we live in a fallen world corrupted by sin (1 John 2:15-17). We are surrounded by ungodly influences that entice us towards sin. Pressure and opposition from a culture at odds with biblical values pulls believers into compromising behaviors. Our three spiritual enemies – the world, the flesh, and the devil – conspire to trip us up (Ephesians 6:10-12). As long as we are on this earth, we will need to resist conformity to the sinful patterns of the world around us.
We Are Engaged in Spiritual Warfare
One reason Christians still struggle with sin is because we are engaged in intense spiritual battles. The devil seeks to devour believers through temptation and accusation (1 Peter 5:8-9). He attacks us at our weakest points and knows how to ensnare us back into habitual sins (2 Corinthians 2:11). Sin is often the result of believing the lies Satan feeds us. Putting on our spiritual armor and resisting the devil is crucial to defeating sin (Ephesians 6:10-18). As long as Satan prowls around, sin will be crouching at our door (Genesis 4:7).
God Uses Struggles to Mold Us
Our ongoing conflicts with sin are used by God to mold us into Christ’s image. He allows us to face situations that expose our weaknesses and test our faith so that we can grow in godliness and maturity (James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 1:6-7). Our struggles teach us to rely on the Holy Spirit rather than our own strength (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). God disciplines His children out of love when they stray, just as a good parent corrects a wayward child (Hebrews 12:4-11). Our struggles with sin produce perseverance, character, and hope in God.
We Still Have the Flesh to Deal With
Sin persists in our lives because desires of the flesh wage war against the desires of the Spirit within us (Galatians 5:16-17). Our flesh produces evil deeds, impure thoughts, and selfish motives that lead us to sin and grieve the Holy Spirit. But the Spirit empowers us to put sin to death and say no to the flesh (Romans 8:12-14). Our part is to walk by the Spirit rather than operating in the flesh. Cooperating with the Spirit enables us to overcome the sinful nature (Galatians 5:16, 25).
God’s Grace Covers Our Sins
Thankfully, when believers do sin, God’s grace provides forgiveness. We have an advocate in Christ who speaks to the Father on our behalf when we confess our sins (1 John 1:9, 2:1). His blood keeps on cleansing us and restoring our relationship with God (1 John 1:7). We are no longer under condemnation, for there is now no more condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). God’s grace is greater than all our sin.
We Live Between the Already and Not Yet
Believers struggle with sin because we live in the time between Jesus’ first and second comings – the already and not yet. We’ve already gained victory over sin’s penalty through Christ’s saving work, but we have not yet experienced final victory over sin’s presence and power in our lives. That will occur when we receive our glorified bodies at Christ’s return (1 Corinthians 15:51-57). Currently, we experience the already and not yet tension of the Christian life, with its struggles against sin.
Fighting Sin Takes Diligence
Battling sin requires intentional and continual effort. Believers must commit to pursuing holiness through spiritual disciplines like Bible reading, prayer, fellowship, and putting off ungodly habits (2 Peter 1:5-8). We need to arm ourselves with God’s Word to defend against temptation (Psalm 119:9-11). And we must flee from sinful desires and influences by establishing biblical boundaries (1 Corinthians 6:18; 10:14). Staying vigilant against the enemy’s schemes is essential.
We Are Called to War Against Sin
Scripture calls believers to war against indwelling sin (Romans 6:12-13; 8:13; Galatians 5:16-17; Colossians 3:5; James 4:1). By God’s power and through His sufficient grace, we can gain victories over temptation and refuse to let sin reign in our lives (Romans 6:12-14). But this is an ongoing battle that requires discipline, courage, and perseverance (1 Timothy 6:11-12; Hebrews 12:1-4). The Christian life is not passive – we have a role to play in putting sin to death in the power of the Spirit.
Complete Holiness Comes in Eternity
Our struggle with sin will continue until we reach eternity. Only then will we be free of a sin nature and live in perfect conformity to God’s will (1 John 3:2-3). At the resurrection, we will be like Christ, holy and blameless before God (1 Corinthians 15:49; Philippians 3:20-21). Until that glorious day, we await the redemption of our bodies while seeking to grow in holiness (Romans 8:23-25). By God’s grace we can make progress, but ultimate victory awaits us in heaven.
In summary, Christians still have sin in their lives because sanctification is a process, we still have a sin nature, we face spiritual enemies, God is molding us through struggles, we live between the already and not yet, we must be vigilant in the battle against sin, and full holiness comes only in eternity. But by God’s sufficient grace, the Spirit’s empowerment, and our diligent effort, we can experience victory over sin and make progress in godliness.