What Sin Does and Doesn't Do in the Life of a Christian

What Sin Does Do and Does Do in the Life of a Christian When you become a Christian sin plays a whole new role in your life. Before you were a Christian, sin kept you from God's presence, brought guilt and condemnation, and was the cause of God's righteous wrath against us. But now that we have been brought into relationship with God through the blood of Jesus, everything changes! We have a heavenly Father who will NOT let sin come between Him and us. Because of this new relationship with God, sin plays an entirely different role in our lives! What Sin Does NOT Do What Sin Does Do Kill us -- Romans 6:23. Enslave us -- Romans 6:14.

Bring punishment from God. -- 1 John 4:16-18. Make God angry with us. -- 1 Thessalonians 5:9; Romans 5:5-9. Cause God to reject us, even temporarily.

-- Hebrews 13:5; Romans 15:7; 2 Timothy 2:13. Make us worthless or valueless to God. -- 1 Peter 2:4,9-10; 1 John 2:1-2; 3:1-2. Cause God to make us feel guilty. -- Romans 8:1.

Brings loving correction and discipline from God. [See The Difference Between Punishment and Discipline.] Interferes with our best personal adjustment, harms us, and eventually makes us unhappy. Decreases our effectiveness in the world. (We aren't shining as bright as we should be.

) Damages the lives of others -- especially those closest to us. Brings loss of rewards in heaven and inability to participate in some of God's blessings on earth. Brings conviction ("godly sorrow" -- 2 Corinthians 7:8-10) from God. Fails to please our Father (1 Thessalonians 4:1) and grieves the Spirit of God (Ephesians 4:19) and yet does not destroy our relationship with God. For more see: The Gift We Have Difficulty Receiving A Guilt Test The Difference Between Living Under the Law and Under Grace See Alan Marshall's essay entitled Understanding Romans 7 & 8