Holy Spirit and Sin

 Some Bible verses seem to imply that we can be completely free from sin, and should be sinless.

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 

Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Romans 6:1–2 NKJV

Sin poisons your life. We must never complacently tolerate sin.

But the Bible also warns us that we will never completely reach the goal of sinlessness.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8–9 NKJV

The apostle Paul experienced a painful inner struggle against sin and guilt.

O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. Romans 7:24–25 NKJV

As the Apostle John wrote (above), we will never be 100% without all sin, but if we focus on our faults and sins, we will live a miserable life.

An empty glass is not completely empty, just as a good life is not completely sinless. An empty glass is full of air.

How can you get rid of the air? If you pour water or coffee into the glass, the air must come out.

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:16 NKJV

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. Galatians 5:16 NLT

You can never obey God through virtuous effort. It is impossible.

You can only fully please God by living in a close personal relationship with the Holy Spirit.

Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,

singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. Ephesians 5:18–19 NLT

Paul says we need to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit and live in loving fellowship with God and other Christians.

In this way we will live in God's light, and God's light reveals sin and casts out darkness.