Q: Does a person's propensity to sin decrease after salvation?
A: Yes. Before conversion to Christ we are sin prone. It doesn't mean that we are always doing bad things. We are still made in the image of God, after all, and his goodness is not driven out completely. We all know many fine, morally upright people who are not believers. But, our natural bent is toward self and sin. When the Holy Spirit enters a human heart, that person is justified and given a new power to live for God. "Sin remains but no longer reigns," to quote Bob Tuttle. It is not due to will power or trying harder; it is due to Holy Spirit power ... what the Bible calls grace. To quote Tuttle again, "Grace, the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, changes our attitude toward God and sin so that we are now righteousness prone. Our inclination is to obey rather than disobey God."
Monday, January 21, 2008
Do we sin less after conversion?
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4 comments:
If what you say is true then why do we often love sin more than we love God?
Sometimes it's because the power of habits control us and we need to replace that negative habit with a holy habit. Sometimes, it is because we're not familiar with God's word and his teachings regarding righteousness. Other times it is because of willful disobedience. That's a problem. If there is too much of that it is legitimate to ask if our salvation is genuine or not. John says, "No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him." (I Jn. 3:6)
Define "too much". Is it seventy times seven? Or something else?
I can't remember a time when I didn't know about and believe in Jesus and the gospel message. I came to a place in my life where I realized I was in need of a savior, confessed that to God and earnestly committed my life to him and accepeted his saving grace. I truly felt his presence and my spirit was changed. I felt clean and renewed.
Yet, I can also never remember a time since that I haven't struggled with a tendency to give in to temptation. Sometimes I win sometimes I lose. The more I lose the battle the more disappointed I become and ultimately sometimes now feel like a total failure as a christian.
Trying to do the right thing, but not doing it is absolute misery. Living like that is just one disappointment after another. Truthfully it is easier just not to worry about it. I don't intentionally set out to violate God's will, but if I goof up either God's grace is sufficient for me or it is not. I guess it is up for him to decide?
The very fact you are bothered by your sin and attempting to do the right thing is evidence of your genuine faith. In warfare you sometimes win and sometimes lose. The battle itself is proof that you are Christ's disciple. He is pleased by that, even if you fall. Your falling, while not ideal, has one significant upside: it keeps you humble and reliant on his grace. It says, "for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again" (Prov. 24:16). We rise, we fall. We fight on. It IS a fight, after all. Keep fighting "the good fight of faith."
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