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Struggle with Indwelling Sin and Salvation in Christians

Christians often experience an internal conflict between their desire to live righteously and the persistent presence of sin within them. This struggle is a recognized aspect of the Christian life, rooted in biblical teachings about humanity's fallen nature and the ongoing process of sanctification [8, 7].

The Apostle Paul vividly describes this internal battle in Romans 7:23, noting, "I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members" [5]. This passage highlights the tension between the regenerate mind, which desires to obey God, and the "law of sin" that continues to exert influence. While all human beings are born with a sinful nature, the godly are characterized by their active fight against it, in contrast to the wicked who indulge it [8]. The concept of "indwelling sin" refers to this remaining corruption within believers, even after conversion.

Sanctification is the theological term for the process by which believers are made holy. It is described as the work of the Holy Spirit, bringing the entire person increasingly under the influence of the new, gracious principles implanted during regeneration [7]. This process involves more than mere moral reformation; it is the carrying on to perfection of the work begun at conversion, extending to the whole individual [7]. The goal is for believers to be "found in Christ," not relying on their own righteousness but on the justification received through faith in Christ's atonement [12].

Despite the reality of indwelling sin, the New Testament emphasizes that those who abide in Christ are fundamentally separate from sin [13]. John states that "He that committeth sin is of the devil," contrasting this with those who "doeth righteousness" [9]. However, this does not mean believers achieve sinless perfection in this life. John also acknowledges that if believers claim to have no sin, they deceive themselves, and if they say they have not sinned, they make God a liar [10]. The sins committed by believers, even after regeneration, are alien to the life of God and require Christ's cleansing blood [13].

The struggle with sin is not meant to lead to despair for believers. While despair can be a consequence of divine judgments for the wicked, saints are sometimes tempted by it but are enabled to overcome through trust in God [3]. God provides comfort and support to afflicted saints, and Christ is with them, preserving and delivering them [6]. The sufferings of Christ abound in believers, and so does their consolation through Christ [2].

The Christian life involves a twofold work: doing the will of God and suffering His pleasure, which includes the mortification of sin [14]. This mortification is a continuous process, driven by the understanding that Christ died for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring believers to God [1]. Through baptism, which is not merely a physical cleansing but "the question of a good conscience in regard to God," believers are saved through the resurrection of Jesus Christ [4]. Ultimately, believers are claimed by Christ, and in Christ, they are claimed by God [11]. The ongoing struggle with indwelling sin is therefore part of the journey of sanctification, where believers are progressively conformed to the image of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Sources

  1. I Peter “I Peter 3:18 (BBE) — Because Christ once went through pain for sins, the upright one taking the place of sinners, so that through him we might come back to God; being put to death in the flesh, but given life in the Spirit;”
  2. II Corinthians “II Corinthians 1:5 (Geneva1599) — For as the sufferings of Christ abounde in vs, so our consolation aboundeth through Christ.”
  3. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Despair — Produced in the wicked by divine judgments -- De 28:34,67; Re 9:6; 16:10. Leads to Continuing in sin. -- Jer 2:25; 18:12. Blasphemy. -- Isa 8:21; Re 16:10,11. Shall seize upon the wicked at the appearing of Christ -- Re 6:16. Saints sometimes tempted to -- Job 7:6; La 3:18. Saints enabled to overcome -- 2Co 4:8,9. Trust in God, a preservative against -- Ps 42:5,11. Exemplified Cain. -- Ge 4:13,14. Ahithophel. -- 2Sa 17:23. Judas. -- Mt 27:5.”
  4. I Peter “I Peter 3:21 (YLT) — also to which an antitype doth now save us--baptism, (not a putting away of the filth of flesh, but the question of a good conscience in regard to God,) through the rising again of Jesus Christ,”
  5. Romans “but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members. -- Romans 7:23”
  6. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Afflicted Saints — God is with -- Ps 46:5,7; Isa 43:2. God is a refuge and strength to -- Ps 27:5,6; Isa 25:4; Jer 16:19; Na 1:7. God comforts -- Isa 49:13; Jer 31:13; Mt 5:4; 2Co 1:4,5; 7:6. God preserves -- Ps 34:20. God delivers -- Ps 34:4,19; Pr 12:13; Jer 39:17,18. Christ is with -- Joh 14:18. Christ supports -- 2Ti 4:17; Heb 2:18. Christ comforts -- Isa 61:2; Mt 11:28-30; Lu 7:13; Joh 14:1; 16:33. Christ preserves -- Isa 63:9; Lu 21:18. Christ delivers -- Re 3:10. Should praise God -- Ps 13:5,6; 56:8-10; 57:6,7; 71:20-23. Should imitate Christ -- Heb 12:1-3; 1P”
  7. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Sanctification — Involves more than a mere moral reformation of character, brought about by the power of the truth: it is the work of the Holy Spirit bringing the whole nature more and more under the influences of the new gracious principles implanted in the soul in regeneration. In other words, sanctification is the carrying on to perfection the work begun in regeneration, and it extends to the whole man (Rom. 6:13; 2 Cor. 4:6; Col. 3:10; 1 John 4:7; 1 Cor. 6:19). It is the special office of the Holy Spirit in the plan of redemption to carry on this work (1 Cor. 6:1”
  8. Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 58:3: 58:3 All human beings are born sinners (see 51:5); however, whereas the wicked indulge their sinful nature, the godly fight against it (Rom 7:19-23; Jas 4:1-10).”
  9. 1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 3:8: He that committeth sin is of the devil--in contrast to "He that doeth righteousness," Jo1 3:7. He is a son of the devil (Jo1 3:10; Joh 8:44). John does not, however, say, "born of the devil." as he does "born of God," for "the devil begets none, nor does he create any; but whoever imitates the devil becomes a child of the devil by imitating him, not by proper birth" [AUGUSTINE, Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John, Homily 4.10]. From the devil there is not generation, but corruption [BENGEL]. sinneth from the beginning--from the time that any beg”
  10. 1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 1:10: Parallel to Jo1 1:8. we have not sinned--referring to the commission of actual sins, even after regeneration and conversion; whereas in Jo1 1:8, "we have no sin," refers to the present GUILT remaining (until cleansed) from the actual sins committed, and to the SIN of our corrupt old nature still adhering to us. The perfect "have . . . sinned" brings down the commission of sins to the present time, not merely sins committed before, but since, conversion. we make him a liar--a gradation; Jo1 1:6, "we lie"; Jo1 1:8, "we deceive ourselves"; worst of al”
  11. 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 3:23: 3:23 Just as they may now claim everything as their own, so Christ has claimed them for himself (see Rom 14:7-9), and in Christ they are ultimately claimed by God (see 1 Cor 6:19-20; 7:23).”
  12. Philippians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Philippians 3:9: And be found in him - Be found a believer in Christ, not having mine own righteousness - not trusting in any thing I have done or could do, in order to my salvation; relying on no scheme of justification, set up either formerly by myself or by others. But that which is through the faith of Christ - That justification which is received by faith through the atonement made by Christ. The righteousness which is of God - God's method of justifying sinners through faith in his Son. See the notes on Rom 3:21, Rom 3:23 (note), Rom 3:25 (note), where this subject is trea”
  13. 1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 3:6: He reasons from Christ's own entire separation from sin, that those in him must also be separate from it. abideth in him--as the branch in the vine, by vital union living by His life. sinneth not--In so far as he abides in Christ, so far is he free from all sin. The ideal of the Christian. The life of sin and the life of God mutually exclude one another, just as darkness and light. In matter of fact, believers do fall into sins (Jo1 1:8-10; Jo1 2:1-2); but all such sins are alien from the life of God, and need Christ's cleansing blood, without appli”
  14. 1 Peter (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 1 Peter 4 (introduction): The work of a Christian is twofold - doing the will of God and suffering his pleasure. This chapter directs us in both. The duties we are here exhorted to employ ourselves in are the mortification of sin, living to God, sobriety, prayer, charity, hospitality, and the best improvement of our talents, which the apostle presses upon Christians from the consideration of the time they have lost in their sins, and the approaching end of all things (Pe1 4:1-11). The directions for sufferings are that we should not be surprised at them, but rejoice in them, o”
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