What is the meaning of living in sin?

Meaning of living in sin

Living in sin means taking a sinful course of life. It is a situation in which one’s life is perpetually sinful. Also, when we talk about living in sin, we typically refer to engaging in behaviors that are considered morally wrong according to biblical teachings. It is the same as being habitually sinful or making a practice of sin.

Living in sin is the way of life of every man who is not born again and that does not come as a surprise. However, the term is put up for discussion because, sometimes, born-again Christians slip into a life of sin. Living in sin encompasses the situation where one does not take God into account in making decisions or going about his daily life.

The consequences of living in sin

Living in sin can have various effects on individuals and their lives.

1. The feeling of guilt

One of the potential consequences of living in sin is the internal conflict and guilt that individuals may experience. Going against one’s own moral compass or religious beliefs can lead to feelings of shame, remorse, and a sense of disconnect from one’s values. This internal struggle can have a negative impact on mental well-being and overall happiness.

2. The social repercussions

Living in sin can also have social repercussions. The church and the Christian community places certain expectations on individual Christians regarding their behavior and choices. Engaging in actions that are deemed sinful by biblical standards may result in judgment, criticism, or even ostracization. Some churches have suspension as punishment for members who are caught in deeds such as alcoholism, lottery, gambling, cohabiting, etc. Some churches go to the extent of excommunicating members who are indulging in certain grave or abominable sins such as LGBT, heresy, embezzlement of church funds, etc.

3. Legal implications

Furthermore, there may be legal implications associated with living in sin depending on the specific actions involved. Certain behaviors considered sinful may also be illegal under civil laws, leading to potential legal consequences such as fines or imprisonment. In this vein, it is not far from possible to find believers behind bars who lived in sin and were convicted of crimes such as corruption, rape, fraud, etc.

4. Apostasy or separation from God

Living in sin makes one have a sense of unworthiness; God is holy and he is proclaimed in the Bible as such and it is incumbent on every believer in God to pursue holiness in their walk with God (1 Peter 1:16). The moment a Christian makes sin his lifestyle, he loses the boldness to approach God; that is, it becomes inconvenient for him to go to church, read the Bible, pray, fast, sing gospel songs, fellowship with other believers, or engage in the things of God. Eventually, his relationship with is ruined and he falls away – apostasy.

5. It makes a Christian become a son of the devil

During one teaching session Jesus had with the Jews, He spoke a revelation to them – a revelation of the mind of God concerning the Jews and their religious leaders who sought to kill Him.

³⁷ I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. ³⁸ I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. ³⁹ They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. ⁴⁰ But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. ⁴¹ Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. ⁴² Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. ⁴³ Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. ⁴⁴ Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar and the father of it. (John 8:37-44)

If the Jews say they are children of God, they have rightly said it, in that God, in times past, entered into a covenant with their fathers to be their God and they would be His people. It is written,

And I will establish my covenant between me [God] and thee and thy [Abraham] seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee [Abraham], and to thy seed after thee. (Genesis 17:7)

It is also written in the Law, “For thou [Israel] art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee [Israel] to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.” (Deuteronomy 7:6)

Hence every Jew was born a child of God. However, while that generation of Jews prided themselves on the belief of being the people and children of God, Jesus told them the mind of God concerning them that the devil is their father. Why? Jesus explained that

• They do what they have heard from their father, the devil. (John 8:38)
• They are doing the works their father, the devil, did. (John 8:41)
• They will do the desires of their father, the devil. (John 8:44)

Therefore those Jews had taken a sinful course of life. As Jesus said, the devil is their father because they were living in sin. God did not regard those sinful Jews anymore as His children. In the same way, God will not regard you as His child while living in sin.

6. Jesus shall deny the Christians who live in sin

²¹ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. ²² Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? ²³ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Matthew 7:21-23.

According to the Scriptures above, some people stood and made certain claims before Jesus. Who are these people? Do you think they are unbelievers? Certainly not. These people are professing Christians; they think themselves to be Christians; for they claim that they have healed, cast out demons, etc. in Jesus’ name. Their claims were true, for Jesus did not deny what they said. Indeed, these people used to be Christians; they have once exercised faith in Jesus and have been saved and have received spiritual gifts such as the gift of healing, prophesy, etc. and they were ministering as singers, prophets, miracle workers, pastors, etc. in the church.

However, along the line, while still professing to be Christians, they began again to pursue a sinful cause of life; that is, they gave themselves to a life of fornication, adultery, idolatry, deceit, embezzlement, bribery, lying, drug abuse, etc. openly or behind the scene; yet still, they thought they were Christians, only for Jesus to deny them and call the workers of iniquity.

A likeness of what Jesus taught in Matthew 7:21-23 is also found in the Gospel according to Luke. It is written, “Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets’; and He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from; DEPART FROM ME, ALL YOU EVILDOERS.” (Luke 13:26-27)

Not even people who saw Jesus in person, ate with Him, spoke to Him, and heard His teachings firsthand would be saved just for the fact that they socialized with Jesus Himself. If their relationship with Jesus did not transform them to become new and better persons, living in holiness, Jesus would deny them. It is the same for anyone who professes to be a Christian. At any point in time in your Christian life, until your faith in Christ or your relationship with Christ has transformed your life of sin into a life of righteousness, you have no share in His salvation. The message Jesus wants to put across in Matthew 7:21-23 and Luke 13:26-27 is simple; any Christian and child of God will apostatize if he is living in sin at any point in time.

What am I to do?

Jesus said in Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Live up to this Scripture. Live up to the Bible’s code of conduct so that atheists, Hindus, Jews, Buddhists, Muslims, etc. would come to acknowledge that they also need to experience Jesus’ salvation which has transformed you to become a new and better person.   

Conclusion

If a Christian fails to live in obedience to God’s word and, rather, lives in sin, we have a paradox. Paradoxes such as a fornicating Christian, a corrupt Christian, a lying Christian, a deceitful Christian, an adulterous Christian, a homosexual Christian, a lesbian Christian, an unforgiving Christian, a Christian who is wicked towards his relatives, etc. are obvious manifestations of apostasy. This is because any Christian who indulges in these gross sins has denied being a follower of Jesus; hence Jesus too will deny him. Christianity and salvation would not make any sense to unbelievers until Christians distinguish themselves in deeds from the unbelievers; hence the need to live up to the Bible’s moral standard.

From now on you can tell whether a professing Christian – pastor, prophet, apostle, bishop, pope, etc. – is a true Christian or an apostate because by their deeds you shall know them. Matthew 7:16