Why I keep sinning

I have recently been thinking about why I keep sinning. I have been a Christian for about 17 years and seems to me that I should be about done with this sinning thing. The reality is I still struggle with the same sins, with possibly lesser degrees, but still struggle with the same sins. Here is something I thought of today while flossing.

In Philippians 2:13 the Scriptures say this: …”for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” God puts in our hearts the desire not to sin, and then he works in us to act according to his good purpose (aka not sinning). He gives us the desire, and then he does it for us.

Then I think, why does he not always will and act us into his good purpose, which is obedience? Why wouldn’t God always work in us to will and act so that when we become Christians we never sin? Then I began to floss.

The Westminster Confession, a common statement of faith for many Evangelicals, poses this question: What is the chief end of man? The answer: to glorify God and to enjoy him forever. It makes sense. We are all about the glory of God.

When I am in a period of victory over a particular sin, I begin to think of how well I am doing in my prayer life, or how my accountabilities work so well, or how consistent I am in reading the Holy Scriptures. But what I don’t do is give the glory to God for my sinlessness. I don’t give God the credit that he a) gives me the desire not to sin, or b) gives me the ability not to sin. Then I thought, “Why would God continue to keep me from sin if I never give him the glory?” It is better for his glory that he not give me the desire or ability to keep from sin. If I don’t glorify Him through my sinlessness, what good is my sinlessness? It is like looking to a paintbrush to inquire how to create a painting instead of looking to the painter. The glory of God supercedes the need for sinlessness.

Could it be that the time to keep from future sin is during victory over a particular sin? If we do not give God the glory for our sinlessness, he will demand it from us. So, in our victory, if we give God the glory he will continue to give us the will and ability to keep from sin. If we do not give him the glory, he will take that will and ability from us, humbling us in the process, so that later we will be willing to give him the glory for what he does.


Soli Deo Gloria.