What about Jesus saying it is better to cut off our hand or pluck out or eye than live in sin? Yes it was a bit of hyperbole but it seems quite clear what we do matters.

The Banned said:

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What about Jesus saying it is better to cut off our hand or pluck out or eye than live in sin? Yes it was a bit of hyperbole but it seems quite clear what we do matters.

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Yes, it's better to lose one's eyes and enter Heaven rather than being so sinful that they must be sent to the "Lake of Fire " for a deep cleaning.

My point was that people often condemn themselves for their rather mundane sins but should remember that Paul expressed his own remorse over his inability to refrain from sin.

Of course, this doesn't apply to people engaged in serial murder. They definitely should feel awful about their egregious sins.

Dr. Mephisto said:

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M1Buckeye said:

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We're called to repent (change) from sin but it's impossible for us to be totally free from sin. Paul had been visited by both Jesus and the Holy Spirit and even he could not completely avoid sinning. Don't be too hard on yourself. Jesus didn't come to condemn you for sin but to SAVE you from sin!

Romans 7:15 esv
For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.

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Don't disagree, and I appreciate the spirit of this post, trying to keep people from paralyzing guilt cycles that crush us into inaction and despair. . .


BUT . . .


I can't think of sin so casually. I am a big guilt carrier, and have been working against that impulse since I realized it in my 30s. ONE sin separates us from God. Christ is the only one who was perfect and could be the sacrifice for us all. God HATES sin, and I catch myself thinking, "God hates this. This put Jesus in the cross." But I'm going to do it anyway? I owe Him more than that. Surely I can manage my petty carnal impulses better than this, can't I?

I should take your advice and have more faith. But that's very hard for me to get those voices out of my head.

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Solid post!

Paul also wrote in the very same book of Romans about pursuing sanctification.

Something about working out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

I don't think many Christians realize how terrifying death and the separation of the body and soul actually is.

Yes. The OP is describing Original Sin and the constant impact of concupiscence on this life. We only have to look to the Lords Prayer to see that we are to continually ask God to "forgive us our trespasses..." Jesus knew that sin would always be part of our lives and that we should be continually asking for forgiveness for it.

I don't agree with the title though that "we shouldn't sweat our sin." Just because we are justified through the death and resurrection of Jesus, does not give carte blanche to sin.

Romans 6 says: What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?


Romans 7, however is a beautiful reminder of the struggle that we face and the love of our God:

15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

AgLiving06 said:

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Yes. The OP is describing Original Sin and the constant impact of concupiscence on this life. We only have to look to the Lords Prayer to see that we are to continually ask God to "forgive us our trespasses..." Jesus knew that sin would always be part of our lives and that we should be continually asking for forgiveness for it.

I don't agree with the title though that "we shouldn't sweat our sin." Just because we are justified through the death and resurrection of Jesus, does not give carte blanche to sin.

Romans 6 says: What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?


Romans 7, however is a beautiful reminder of the struggle that we face and the love of our God:

15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

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I like your post, with the following exception. I didn't say the following: "I don't agree with the title though that "we shouldn't sweat our sin."

I said we shouldn't sweat it "too much".

I know of people who are depressed and believe that they are condemned to "Hell" because they can't be perfect. As long as they believe in Christ and are generally good to others, they WILL be saved. They shouldn't wallow in depression and hopelessness.

dermdoc said:

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Klaus Schwab said:

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Something about working out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

I don't think many Christians realize how terrifying death and the separation of the body and soul actually is.

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Why should Christians be terrified of death?

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We shouldn't. Working out our salvation refers to the rewards we receive after death/the rapture. We have salvation when we take Jesus as savior and repent of sins. Sanctification is the ongoing process of God working on us so that we are confirmed more daily into the image of Christ. It is idolatry to assume our sins are bigger than God's grace.