Why do I still sin if I am a new creation?

by Bibi Babatunde-Ikotun

When a person puts their faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, they have a new birth experience. What does this mean? It means that their status changes from a sinner to a righteous person. It means that they got born again, out of the life that leads to sin and death and into an incorruptible life that lives forever. They receive eternal life, one that will never experience spiritual separation from God. They become one with God's Spirit because they have received the very nature of Christ. Their name is now in the book of life and it can never be removed. That sinful nature is uprooted with no traces and the nature of God sprouts up. It is indeed a supernatural experience that is birth by faith alone.

A popular bible scripture that we all know and love is 2 Corinthians 5.17 (NJKV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

This verse tells us that when anyone (the best and worse of society) steps into Christ, everything is passed away and a new chapter has begun. This is a verse that should inspire us to celebrate the miracle of salvation. To understand that the old man that was destined for death is indeed dead and the new man lives forever.

But after your celebration, you may stop to ask yourself. If I am indeed a new creation, why do I still struggle with telling white lies, stealing, fornication, gossip, disobedience, pornography, idle talk and many other sins? Why don't I feel like I'm a new creation sometimes? If you feel like this, you are in company. Apostle felt like this in Romans 7 but we thank God for Romans chapter 8. 

Today's post is not to drive you into sin consciousness because you know I am always about righteousness consciousness.  This is to answer a question that many believers ask themselves. 

To start with this conversation, it will be imperative that we talk about the concept of justification and sanctification. If a person does not understand their position before God, they will spend a lifetime thinking their actions can change their position.

Justification

When we think of justification, we must understand that when believed there was an exchange between Jesus and us. That our sin was put on Him over 2000 years ago and our belief made His righteousness to be credited to our account. What this means is that when God sees you, He sees Jesus. One time on the cross, He was sin for you and me. Today, we can live a life in perfect obedience to God because we believe. 

Let's see 2 Corinthians 5.21 (NKJV)  For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Like I said, He was sin for you and you became righteous like God when you believed. 

Galatians 2:16 (NKJV) knowing that a man is not [a]justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

You have been legally declared not guilty! You have been legally declared righteous! You are not a sinner because you've been fully justified! Your justification was a complete experience when you believed! I like to think of it as the past tense of salvation because it happened when you believed. oh what a wonderful declaration! 

Romans 5:1 (NKJV) Therefore, having been justified by faith, [a]we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

You can learn more about this here and here

Sanctification

Now, this is the present tense. This is the part that answers your question about why you still sin and what you must do about it.

As a believer, you've been saved from the power of sin! However, because your Spirit was the one that was justified your mind still has to go through sanctification. Because you came into Christ does not mean you developed amnesia. You still remember the old habits that have been with you for years. You sin because the mind needs to be renewed by the word of God. That's the instruction we see in the bible.

Ephesians 4:23-24 (NKJV) and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

Because you are aware of your old habits, you must intentionally develop new ones through the word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. If you are not spending time in prayer and in the word, it will be hard for you to let go of the things your old self loved. That's why the bible talks about putting on that new man, the one that longs for righteous and holy conduct. Do not give room for the old man's desires ( I say desires because the old man no longer exists in you) to spring up. When the desires are stronger, it is a pointer to your spirit being starved of the word of God. Listen and do the needful. The thing about sanctification is that it never ends until we die physically. It's an ongoing day by day process.

Titus 2:14 (NKJV) who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

You have been redeemed from the very nature of sin and you've been fully equipped for every form of righteousness. If you want to stop sinning, you must first lock it up in your mind that you are justified! God is not calling you a sinner anymore because He has made you righteous in Christ. You have been called out and set apart for the master's use and He is doing the work in you day after day as you continue to yield to His Spirit. 

In sanctification, the gospel that you've believed begins to transform you into your true identity in Christ. The gospel does not change you into a stranger, it changes you into who you have been joined with. It changes you to become more and more like Christ every day. This thing is not a thing of the flesh, it is 100% powered by the Spirit of God. 

Learn more in Why should I be sanctified as a Christian 

You must know that you have been adopted into God's family the minute you believed and God never rejects His own no matter what. That adoption was completely legal! You became God's son and joint-heirs with Christ Jesus. But remember that growing and conforming to your identity in Christ is a process. Give grace to yourself when you err and remind yourself of who you are. Don't let condemnation creep into your heart because you made a mistake. You are and can never be condemned.

Because God has declared you righteous, you must be eternally sure that you belong to Him forever. You are secured in Him! Let this security drive you into works of righteousness and Holiness. You belong to a family, let your conduct conform to that of the family you belong to.

Learn about God's desire for you to know that you are secure in here and here.