7. Persistent sin after profession reveals the lack of a genuine conversion – We are all born in sin because of Adam. Our sin nature causes us to sin all our lives. We are not talking here about a single act of sin or sins committed occasionally. We’re referring to persistent sin. One of the hallmarks of a believer is they will feel guilty when they sin. They will be remorseful. Over time a believer will sin less and less and when they do sin they’ll find they don’t enjoy it as much as they used to.
1 John 3:6 – Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
1 John 9-10 – Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.
A sinner doesn’t stop cold turkey. It takes a little while for most of us to get where we want to be. It’s more of a two steps forward and one step backwards kind of deal. If a Christian keeps sinning as much as they used to I’d have to question their salvation experience. If a Christian finds he still enjoys it when they sin and they feel no remorse or regret for sinning then they aren’t saved. Their hearts haven’t changed. If a person professes to be a Christian and they continue to commit the same sin over and over they’re still lost.
Matthew 17:20 – (Jesus speaking) – Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
Luke 6:45 – A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
8. Perfection is never achieved in this life – Near the end of his life the Apostle Paul lamented that he didn’t have as intimate a relationship with the Lord Jesus as he would like. Paul wanted to know and experience all that God had provided for him in salvation. Paul continued to press on and pursue the Lord. After 30 years of service to God Paul still hadn’t arrived where he wanted to be. The greatest Christian who ever lived still wasn’t satisfied! Paul’s attitude contributed to his greatness.
Philippians 3:13-14 – Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Why is it today some Christians are complacent in their Christian experience and others feel they’ve achieved sinless perfection? Some give the impression they have done God a favor by accepting Christ. A believer shouldn’t lament failures of the past. A believer is to reach for the future with a positive attitude. The Apostle Paul practiced the motto, “Today is the first day of the rest of your life.” All Christians should follow Paul’s lead. In this life, no matter how holy you are, you will never reach ultimate perfection. Perfection will be achieved one day, at the coming of Christ.
1 John 1:1-2 – My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
Christians should have goals but expect and accept failure as a part of Christian life. Don’t be discouraged. We’ll always fail more than we succeed. When we do fail we should have the determination to do better next time. We are to obey God’s commands in the Bible and walk humbly with the Lord. We are to pray to God and ask for our sins to be forgiven. We are to persevere in the faith until Jesus Christ comes.
Do your best and God will do the rest. No man could ever keep his salvation by doing good works. He could never do enough. Our salvation rests on God’s grace. There is an obvious principle in Scripture I’ve felt acutely in my life. The closer one draws to God the more sensitive to his own sinfulness he becomes. I used to think I wasn’t such a bad guy but the more I study God’s Word the more I realize how naked and sinful I really am before a holy God. When I see my true sinful state I’m even more amazed at God’s abiding love for us.