If I Struggle with Sin Does this Mean I am Not Saved?

Question: I struggle with sin at times. Does this mean I am not truly saved?

Answer: “I believe in God, but I just can’t stop committing the same sins over and over.”

“I’ve prayed the sinner’s prayer and ‘committed my life to Christ,’ but I act in ways that make me ashamed of myself.”

“It seems that the Bible says that Jesus died on the Cross and was resurrected to pay the penalty for my sins and that He ensures my salvation through faith in this truth; but, I continue to live for myself and trust in my own ways.”

“I’ve been told I will lose my salvation because of sins I have committed…but, I’m not even sure if I was saved in the first place.”

Have you thought any of these thoughts in the past? Are you thinking them right now? That is common for many believers. As Christians, our iniquity was nailed to the Cross for this very reason (Col. 2:14). God knew that we were never going to be perfect, in thought or action. This is why He sent the Holy Spirit after Jesus ascended into Heaven. Remember, the Spirit was sent not only to teach the disciples, but also to be a helper for all who belong to God’s family.

We must always remember that God loved and saved us while we were still sinners, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). He didn’t wait for us to clean up our act or go a certain amount of time without committing a certain sin. And just as our salvation came while we were still sinners, we do not stop sinning once we are saved.

Just as faith in Christ is a choice based on free will, so is submitting to the will of God in learning to live for Him. The Apostle Paul speaks of this concept, even relating it to his own life. In discussing the necessity of the Spirit to understanding spiritual wisdom and truth Paul differentiates between people who are “natural” and those who are “spiritual” (1 Cor. 2:14-15). What Paul goes on to say next is vitally important to see and understand. Writing to the same people, Paul refers to them not as “spiritual,” but as “carnal” (3:1); however, further along he asks the same audience, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you” (3:16)? So, what does Paul mean?

Paul has made a significant point: that there are two types of saved people—those who are living by the Spirit, and those that are living by the flesh. He is saying that there are those who are saved that might look like they aren’t because of how they act and think. In fact, Paul struggled with this issue himself. In his letter to the Romans, Paul detailed an ongoing struggle between wanting to do things pleasing to God, but acting out his own sinful, fleshly desires. He even described himself as “carnal, sold under sin” (Rom. 7:14). However, Paul also made it clear that he had assurance of his salvation and that other Christians should as well.

Besides Paul, the Apostle John also wrote a significant amount on salvation. The entire gospel account that bears his name might better be understood as a magnum opus on salvation. In fact, it is widely believed that John wrote his gospel to define and detail the why and how of salvation. The specific construction of miracles and other events were all meant to show people why they should trust in Jesus as the promised Messiah. And when it came to John’s conclusion, his chance to summarize salvation, he simply stated the how to be the reception of eternal life based solely on belief (faith/trust) in Jesus being the Christ and the Son of God (John 20:31).

Let’s return to the quotations at the top of the page; what do they all have in common? They all contain the word “but.” What does this word represent? Doubt. Fear. Uneasiness. The list could go on. However, the Bible makes it clear that our salvation doesn’t include a “but.” When we chose to place our faith in the Person and work of Jesus, we were given to Him by the Father to be kept until we are raised up to be with Him forever (John 6:39-40; 14:1-4).

If you have faith that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that His death on the Cross paid your sin penalty, and that His resurrection defeated death forever, then you are indeed a child of God, and that will never change; God won’t let it. What you do once you are a Christian is important, but trying harder to change who you are will never be as effective as continuing to put your faith in the One who has been since the beginning (John 1:1-5). Your faith matters; not just at the moment of salvation, but for eternity.

To learn more about how to submit yourself to the Spirit of God once you are saved you can check out our resources on sanctification. And, if you have never put your faith in Jesus Christ, or if you are unsure if you have done so in the past, please contact us. Any of the men in this ministry would love to talk with you more.