Theological Musings

or a while now, I have wanted to blog about a particular topic that I hope will not spark too much in the way of controversy. (How’s that for a lead-in??!) The topic under consideration is that of the Christian’s relationship to sin.

In times past, I have noticed that there are two almost polar opposite views at play in our western version of Christianity. One is the bumper sticker theology that says:

I’m just a sinner saved by grace

or perhaps this one:

Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven.

The opposing viewpoint is one that says that victory over sin in this life is not only possible, but should likely be the outlook of every Christian.

Some of the controversy seems to come from Paul’s statements in Romans 7. In this well-known chapter, Paul describes a struggle between what he wants to do and what he doesn’t want to do. In this chapter, he seems to indicate that the “doesn’t want to do” frequently wins out. Many see this as the believer’s struggle with sin, and then draw the conclusion that Paul was saying that he was not victorious over sin. It would stand to reason, then, that if Paul was incapable of living a life of victory over sin, how could we hope to do any better?

My problems with this are on several levels, however. Perhaps the first and most obvious problem that I have with this passage (obvious to me, at least!) is the context of Romans 7. Without sounding pedantic here, Romans 7 falls between Romans 6 and Romans 8. And both 6 and 8 talk about victory over sin.

For instance, Romans 6:2 says, “How shall we who died to sin still live in it?” And after describing our identification with the death of Christ, Paul says in Romans 6:7, “he who has died is freed from sin.” And again in verse 11, “Consider yourselves to be dead to sin.” Numerous similar phrases appear throughout chapter 6.

Romans 8 is likewise full of positive statements regarding victory over sin. Verse 4 says that we “do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

So I have a lot of difficulty understanding how Romans 7 could be Paul’s description of his ongoing experience in his life. I have heard that theory justified (no pun intended!) in many different ways, including the idea of an “already/not yet” concept in Paul’s writing. And while it is true that Paul talks about all creation “groaning” while waiting for the ultimate new creation, he doesn’t speak of human beings in that way. Rather he says, literally, “In Christ = new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

[By way of explanation, there is no verb "is" in 2 Corinthians 5:17. Paul doesn't say, "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation" or "if anyone is in Christ, he will be a new creation". Rather, he literally just says, "If anyone is in Christ -- new creation. Old things passed away. All things new." Greek scholars correct me if I'm wrong here, but my understanding of Greek is that two things placed together in this manner without a joining verb are being shown to be equated with each other. So, if we are in Christ, there is no future "new creation" that we need to wait for.]

But an even more interesting passage with this regard is Hebrews 10. I encourage you to read the entire chapter linked there, but I’d like to quote a portion of it here as it relates to the point I’m making:

For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near.

Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins?

But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year.

…[W]e have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins;

but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD,

…For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.

Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.

Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus,

…let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

…For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins….

I’ve quoted large chunks of this passage because I want to give a sense of the flow of the passage. Notice the comparison of the sacrifice of Jesus with the sacrifices under the previous Law. In fact, most of the book of Hebrews is built around this type of comparison.

Under the Law, there was a continued “consciousness” of sin. There was a continued relationship to sin. Why? Because the sacrifices under that law were not adequate to completely remove that relationship.

However, under the sacrifice of Jesus, we have been “made perfect”. By way of the contrast being drawn, it could be phrased that we no longer have a “consciousness of sin”.

Now, what does (or should) that mean? I’m open to debate on this issue, but I think that it might be radically different from a lot of what I hear taught.

Should sin be an issue for us? I don’t think so. Should we be continuing in sin if we are in Christ? I don’t think so.

But here’s the important thing to keep in mind: I’m not proposing that this is a “try harder” admonition. In fact, I would run completely in the opposite direction. What I am suggesting is an application by faith of what has already been done for us.

The writer of Hebrews is not suggesting an “already/not yet” tension here. In the same way that Paul says to “consider yourselves dead to sin”, I think we are called and instructed to live a life that focuses on the indwelling Christ who has already washed us clean. That’s why the writer of Hebrews can talk about our ability to approach our Father with confidence, knowing that we are clean.

If we have come to Christ and received the gift of eternal life that he has provided, we no longer have a consciousness of sin (Hebrews 10). We no longer need to let sin have any place in our lives (since we are to consider ourselves dead to it) (Romans 6-8). Having confessed our sins, we are cleansed from all unrighteousness (1 John 1).

I think in some ways, we have replaced the Old Covenant sacrifices, not with the “once-for-all” sacrifice of Jesus, but with our own confessions and prayers. Instead of walking confidently in our position in Christ with no consciousness of sins, we feel that we somehow have to get cleaned up every time we want to approach the Father. But He tells us that we are already clean! By not accepting that, we are yielding to a “consciousness of sin” that should no longer exist.

The last verse I quoted above from Hebrews 10 says it pretty bluntly.  If we go on sinning willfully, there is no sacrifice for sin.  The sacrifice of Jesus has already removed our sin.  And we need not be drawn into a guilty conscience over something that has already been forgiven.  (The Romans 6:1 disclaimer applies here, lest anyone mistake my thoughts for advocating license to sin freely!)

I close with this admonition and reminder from Paul in Colossians 3:

Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Sin in the life of a believer? Forget about it!

Until next time,

steve