Destined to Sin?

By Kevin M. Kraft

Several years ago, a Christian friend began to speak slanderous things about me. When I confronted him with every intention of salvaging our friendship, he dished out personal insults. He criticized me for refusing to “confess personal sins” during his weekly men’s Bible study and claimed I was arrogant.

A short time later, I walked into the middle of a conversation between two women at work discussing extramarital affairs. “Kevin,” one asked, “how many times have you gone out on your wife?” I was shocked by the presumptuous question of these believers. After recovering I said, “Never!” “Yeah, right,” the woman laughed, “I don’t believe that. Come on, everyone does it!” After repeating myself with a bit more ire, they continued their dialog. I’m certain they didn’t believe me.

Recently I heard a preacher share from the pulpit something like, “We’re all sinners. We were born into sin and we’ll continue to sin. But Jesus keeps forgiving us, amen?” I got chills... of horror, that is! Didn’t this minister just undermine the gospel message? And what of my friend and the two women, did they all think we are permanently destined to sin?

I find many who profess faith in Jesus Christ who do not believe the Bible states that His work freed us from sin. Not only the consequences of sin, but our sin nature, which causes us to sin.

No one is perfect, especially me. I make mistakes, errors in judgment, like everyone else. But does that presuppose I am guaranteed to sin after being saved? That sin will forever be my lot in life, an impedance to ever fully experiencing Christ? God forbid!

Christ, “who knew no sin,” is my example to live by. The same Spirit, which raised Christ from the dead, is alive in me, and among other things, enables me to live the life God demands of His children. My carnal nature, or the “old man” in me is “dead,” and I am a “new creation.” Sin is against my new nature and no longer has dominion over me. I am now “free in Christ” to choose not to sin.

I now love what God loves and hate what God hates, and want nothing to hinder that intimacy with Him, which is what we were all created for in the first place.

For nearly a decade now, I’ve lived in a way that seeks to omit sin. No matter how hard another woman comes on to me, my wife needn’t worry that I might share a bed with another. And while I was once a sinner, I have been utterly transformed to have the mind of Christ. I’m not arrogant, as my confidence is in Jesus Christ.

The result is a rich life, joyful and powerful in the Lord, with a peace surpassing mere human understanding.