Reliving Past Experiences and Sinful Patterns
The Christian tradition distinguishes between the guilt of past sins and the lingering effects of sinful patterns that remain even after forgiveness. When a believer confesses and receives pardon, the guilt is removed, yet the habits, inclinations, and vulnerabilities formed by repeated transgression do not instantly vanish. Aquinas explains that mortal sin "produces in the soul a certain disposition, or even a habit, if the acts be repeated frequently," and while grace removes the aversion from God, the disposition formed by past acts may persist [2]. Augustine similarly notes that in baptism "the guilt also of the still indwelling concupiscence should be remitted," yet concupiscence itself—the disordered desire—remains as an ongoing reality even after its guilt has been forgiven [5].
The Persistence of Sinful Inclinations
Scripture describes this tension vividly. Paul writes of "a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members" [4]. This "law" operates as an inward principle with the fixedness of habit, a pattern established through repeated action. The Reformed tradition emphasizes that believers remain dependent on grace and the Spirit's power throughout their lives, unable to free themselves from sin's lingering effects by their own strength [8]. Calvin describes the Christian life as one of continual renewal "into the righteousness of God from which we had fallen," a process that unfolds progressively rather than instantaneously [7].
Reliving and Reformation
The experience of reliving past patterns often appears in those who have undergone temporary conviction without genuine regeneration. Hodge observes that "the state of mind induced by these common operations of the Spirit, often leads to reformation, and to an externally religious life," yet without lasting transformation, "the sinner relapses into his wonted state of insensibility" [6]. True conversion, by contrast, involves a turning from the "continued series of sinning" that characterized one's former walk [9]. The penitential psalms model the believer's proper response: not merely regret over specific acts, but recognition of "deep depravity in the sight of God" [1].
Aquinas adds that suffering and discipline can acquire "a satisfactory character" when they become the sufferer's own act, cooperating with God's corrective work rather than merely enduring punishment [3]. The Christian hope rests not in immediate perfection but in progressive sanctification, moving toward the eschatological freedom in which believers "cannot sin" [10].
Sources
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 50: that he abhorred himself, and repented in dust and ashes. David’s Penitential Psalms are filled not only with the confessions of sin, but also with the avowals of his deep depravity in the sight of God. Isaiah cried out, Woe is me! I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell among a people of unclean lips. The ancient prophets, even when sanctified from the womb, pronounced their own righteousnesses as filthy rags. What is said of the body politic is everywhere represented as true of the individual man. The whole head is sick, and the whole h”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Third Part (Tertia Pars), Of the Effect of Penance, As Regards the Pardon of Mortal Sin, Art. 5: Article: Whether the remnants of sin are removed when a mortal sin is forgiven? I answer that, Mortal sin, in so far as it turns inordinately to a mutable good, produces in the soul a certain disposition, or even a habit, if the acts be repeated frequently. Now it has been said above (Article [4]) that the guilt of mortal sin is pardoned through grace removing the aversion of the mind from God. Nevertheless when that which is on the part of the aversion has been taken awa”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Supplement (Supplementum), Of the Means of Making Satisfaction, Art. 2: Article: Whether the scourges of the present life are satisfactory? I answer that, Compensation for a past offense can be enforced either by the offender or by another. When it is enforced by another, such compensation is of a vindictive rather than of a satisfactory nature, whereas when it is made by the offender, it is also satisfactory. Consequently, if the scourges, which are inflicted by God on account of sin, become in some way the act of the sufferer they acquire a satisfactory character. ”
- Romans (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Romans 7:23: But I see another--it should be "a different" law in my members--(See on Rom 7:5). warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members--In this important verse, observe, first, that the word "law" means an inward principle of action, good or evil, operating with the fixedness and regularity of a law. The apostle found two such laws within him; the one "the law of sin in his members," called (in Gal 5:17, Gal 5:24) "the flesh which lusteth against the spirit," "the flesh with the affections and”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 29 [XXVI.]--HOW CONCUPISCENCE REMAINS IN THE BAPTIZED IN ACT, WHEN IT HAS PASSED AWAY AS TO ITS GUILT.: In the case, then, of those persons who are born again in Christ, when they receive an entire remission of all their sins, it is of course necessary that the guilt also of the still indwelling concupiscence should be remitted, in order that (as I said) it should not be imputed to them for sin. For even as in the case of those sins which cannot be themselves permanent, since they pass away as soon as they are committed, the guilt yet is permanent”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 138: and the sinner relapses into his wonted state of insensibility, his faith disappears. To this class of persons our Saviour refers when He speaks of those who receive the Word in stony places or among thorns. Of such examples of temporary faith there are numerous instances given in the Scriptures, and they are constantly occurring within our daily observation. In the third place, the state of mind induced by these common operations of the Spirit, often leads to reformation, and to an externally religious life. The sense of the truth and i”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 58: the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.” Again, “Be renewed in the spirit of your minds” and “put ye on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Again, “Put ye on 516 the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.” 310 310 2 Cor. 3:18 ; Eph. 4:23, 24 ; Col. 3:10 ; 2 Cor. 4:16 . Accordingly through the blessing of Christ we are renewed by that regeneration into the righteousness of God from which we had falle”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 103: Scriptures teach that man is a fallen being, that he is guilty and defiled by sin, that he is utterly unable to free himself from the burden and power of sin, that he is dependent on the grace of God and the power of the Spirit, if these truths are inwrought into the experience of all true believers. In like manner, if all Christians trust in Christ for their salvation; if they look to Him as their substitute, obeying and suffering in their stead, bearing their sins, sustaining the curse of the law in their place; if they regard Him as t”
- Colossians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Colossians 3:7: In the which ye also walked some time,.... Either in or among the children of disobedience, Col 3:6, or rather in the afore mentioned sins, Col 3:5. Sin is a road or path, in which sinners walk a way of their own, or of their own choosing and approving, though a dark and crooked one, and which leads to destruction: walking herein denotes a continued series of sinning, a persisting in it, a progress therein, a proceeding from evil to evil, taking pleasure, and going on securely in it; and which is the case and state of God's elect before conversion, which is a turni”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP. 30.--OF THE ETERNAL FELICITY OF THE CITY OF GOD, AND OF THE PERPETUAL SABBATH. (part 3): of the reward.(4) But the nature thus constituted, having sinned when it had the ability to do so, it is by a more abundant grace that it is delivered so as to reach that freedom in which it cannot sin. For as the first immortality which Adam lost by sinning consisted in his being able not to die, while the last shall consist in his not being able to die; so the first free will consisted in his being able not to sin, the last in his not being”