Romans 7:19

Christians still sin. We are not perfect. Why not?

“For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice”
Romans 7:19

This is something all Christians struggle with… I want to live holy, but now and then I fall into sin. Why is this happening and how can I be saved?

Before we knew Christ, we lived as part of this world. We learned to talk like them, dress like them, or act like them. We became citizens of the kingdom of this world. Through Christ, we are made new. We become part of the kingdom of God.
2 Corinthians 5:17: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."
Philippians 3:20: "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;"

Because you lived in this world, not everything is immediately changed. We want to do good, but we are weak. We stumble into sin. We have to be rooted in Christ to withstand the attacks from the enemy. It is a spiritual fight. We have to fight against the devil and his schemes.
Matthew 26:41: "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
Ephesians 6:11: "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles [schemings] of the devil."

Being a follower of Christ takes drastic measures. First, we are called to take up our cross daily and to follow Him. Next, Jesus calls us to get everything that is making us sin, out of our lives.
Luke 9:23: "Then He said to them all, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.'"
Matthew 18:8-9: "If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire."

We have to bring our 'old self' to Jesus. With this, I mean that we have to bring all of our desires to Him. To take every thought captive. Only through the blood of Jesus Christ can we be made new. And once we know Him truly, He will strengthen our faith by giving us His armor (Ephesians 6). We learn that no one can snatch us from His hands. When we follow Christ, the devil has lost his power. God will keep us safe.
2 Corinthians 10:5: "Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ;"
John 10:28-29: "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand."

On this earth we will never be perfect. Now and then we will fall back to sin. But we must not lose hope. For Jesus died for us, while we were sinners. He loves us so much He wanted to do that. Not when we were perfect, but when we were sinners. And there is still hope. For we can be delivered from this body of sin. We will live with Him.
Romans 5:8: "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Romans 7:24-25: "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin."

Today's lesson: We want to be perfect. Sadly, we can't be. Or at least, not now. But we will be, when we are with Him in heaven. And He is preparing us for that moment on this earth. Even though we sin, He still wants to use us. That is how great His love is!