Righteousness and Sin in the Life of the Christian

All Christians are simultaneously justified before God and continue to struggle with sin. Both are true. We who have trusted in Christ as Savior have received judicial forgiveness of sins (Acts 10:43; Eph 1:7), eternal life (John 10:28), and the gift of God’s righteousness (Rom 5:17). Because God’s righteousness has been imputed to us, He declares us righteous in His sight. God’s righteousness is imputed to us through faith in Christ, meaning it is credited to our account as if it were our own. His righteousness becomes our righteousness. This is not based on our own works or merits but solely on Christ’s work on our behalf. In Romans, Paul wrote that “the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law…the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe” (Rom 3:21-22). When we place our faith in Christ alone (John 3:16; Acts 4:12; 16:31), God’s perfect righteousness is credited to us. This imputation is the basis of our justification, the legal declaration by God that we are righteous in His sight, for “to the one who does not work, but believes on Him who declares the ungodly to be righteous, his faith is credited as righteousness” (Rom 4:5). In God’s sight, a transfer has occurred—Christ took on our sin, and we received His righteousness (2 Cor 5:21). This is “the gift of righteousness” that God gives freely to us who simply trust Christ as our Savior (Rom 5:17). It is “the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith” (Phil 3:9b). Because of this divine exchange, God no longer sees us as guilty but as righteous, for “God is the one who justifies” (Rom 8:33), and we are “justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law” (Gal 2:16). This fulfills the requirements of His holiness and justice, as sin is punished in Christ, and righteousness is freely given to us who trust in Him as our Savior. That’s grace!

The Call to Righteousness

After receiving God’s gift of righteousness, the Lord calls us to live a righteous lifestyle (Rom 12:1-2; 1 Pet 1:15-16). That is, our positional righteousness should be followed by experiential righteousness. To be “right” implies the existence of a standard, and God’s holy character and will is that standard. The suffix “-ous” at the end of the word “righteous” means to be “full of” or “characterized by” the quality of the noun. This means our lives should be characterized by conformity to God and His Word. While imputed righteousness results in positional sanctification, behavioral righteousness leads to experiential sanctification.

Positional righteousness is a fixed reality that God has established and never changes. Even when we sin, our positional state of righteousness before God remains unchanged. However, behavioral righteousness improves gradually over time as we learn and live according to God’s Word (Rom 12:1-2; 2 Tim 3:16-17; 1 Pet 2:2), walk by faith in obedience to His commands (2 Cor 5:7; Heb 10:38), become “doers of the word, and not merely hearers” (Jam 1:22), and advance toward spiritual maturity (Heb 6:1). This requires deep learning and a life of faith dedicated to God’s will.

As Christians, we are 100% positionally righteous before God because of the gift of righteousness credited to us, and that positional standing never changes. God has fixed it for eternity, and there’s nothing we can do to alter it. It’s beyond our influence. However, our behavioral righteousness fluctuates, depending on whether our will is in submission to His will. Humble and submissive Christians will strive to be yielded to the Holy Spirit and consciously apply God’s Word to every aspect of their lives. Walking in step with the Lord glorifies Him, blesses others, and produces stability within us.

Two Natures Within Every Christian

At the moment we place our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are born again (John 3:3; 1 Pet 1:3, 23), acquire a new nature that desires to do God’s will (Rom 7:21-23; 2 Cor 5:17; Eph 4:22; Col 3:9-10; 1 John 2:29; 3:9), and are empowered to live righteously (Rom 6:11-13; Titus 2:11-14). When we operate by positive volition and walk by faith as obedient believers, we walk in the light of His truth and are pleasing to the Lord (Heb 11:6).

However, as Christians, we continue to possess a sin nature that causes internal temptation and conflict (Rom 6:6; 7:14-25; 13:14; Gal 5:16-17; Col 3:9; 1 John 1:8, 10). Though the power of the sin nature is broken (Rom 6:11-14), its presence remains within us until God takes us from this world and gives us a new body like the body of Jesus (1 Cor 15:51-53; Phil 3:20-21; 1 John 3:5). While we have a new nature in Christ from the moment of salvation, we continue to struggle with our sinful nature, which produces ongoing internal conflict throughout our Christian lives.

Paul wrote to the Galatians, “the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please” (Gal 5:17). The New Living Translation renders it this way: “The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions” (Gal 5:17).

Even the apostle Paul acknowledged this ongoing struggle with sin when he said, “For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want” (Rom 7:19), and “I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good” (Rom 7:21). Thus, there is a perpetual civil war in the soul of every Christian, and those who commit to walking with the Lord feel the intensity of this battle.

Degrees of Behavioral Righteousness

While all Christians are called to a righteous lifestyle, the Bible reveals that some acts of righteousness carry more weight than others in terms of significance and impact on others. For example, when King Saul disobeyed God by sparing King Agag and the best of the livestock after a battle, the prophet Samuel rebuked him, saying, “Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams” (1 Sam 15:22). Here, obedience to God’s commands is placed above ritual offerings. Similarly, Solomon wrote, “To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice” (Prov 21:3). The term “righteousness” refers to living in accordance with God’s standards, doing what is right in His eyes, while “justice” involves treating others fairly and upholding the law. Together, these qualities reflect a life that honors God in everyday actions, demonstrating integrity, fairness, and compassion.

Jesus expanded on this idea when He addressed the religious leaders of His time, who were meticulous about minor details of the law but neglected its weightier principles. He said to them, “You tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others” (Matt 23:23). Jesus affirmed that while the lesser matters of the law, such as tithing, were not to be ignored, they were secondary to more important virtues like justice, mercy, and faithfulness. This clearly illustrates a hierarchy within God’s law, where certain commands hold more weight than others in terms of their impact on righteousness and godly living.

Further emphasizing this, when asked “which command in the law is the greatest?” (Matt 22:36), Jesus responded, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matt 22:37-39). Jesus’ answer reveals that love—both for God and for others—is the supreme commandment that underpins all other laws. Every other command, whether large or small, is fulfilled when these two foundational principles are kept (Matt 22:40). This reinforces the idea that some commandments carry more weight, not because they are to be followed to the exclusion of others, but because they represent the core of godly behavior and form the basis for all righteous living.

These examples show that, while all acts of righteousness and obedience matter, certain principles such as love, justice, and mercy take precedence in the biblical hierarchy. This biblical understanding of prioritizing certain commands helps believers focus on what is most important in their walk with God, ensuring that their hearts and actions align with His ultimate will.

Degrees of Behavioral Sin

While all Christians continue to commit sin throughout their lives, the Bible teaches that some sins are worse than others. While all sin is serious and requires mental and volitional recalibration to God’s Word, the Bible indicates that some sins are considered greater due to the spiritual impact they have on others. For example, Jesus told His disciples not to be like the Scribes, “who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers”, saying, “These will receive greater condemnation” (Luke 20:47). Greater condemnation implies greater sin. In another example, Jesus told Pontius Pilate, “The one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin” (John 19:11). This statement implies that while Pilate’s actions were sinful, the sin of those who knowingly handed Jesus over—particularly the religious leaders who understood the Scriptures—was of greater magnitude. Their sin involved deliberate rejection and betrayal, carrying a more severe moral and spiritual weight. These are obvious statements that show some acts of sin are worse than others.

Even under the Mosaic Law not all acts of disobedience were regarded as equally offensive. For example, of the 613 commands given in the Mosaic Law, only 15 demanded the death penalty, namely: intentional murder (Ex 21:12-14; cf. Gen 9:6), attacking or cursing a parent (Ex 21:15), kidnapping (Ex 21:16), habitual rebellion against God (Deut 17:12), sacrificing to pagan gods (Ex 22:20), cursing God (Lev 24:15-16), working on the Sabbath (Ex 35:2), being a false prophet and leading Israelites into idolatry (Deut 13:1-5), human sacrifice (Lev 20:2), the practice of divination, sorcery or witchcraft (Ex 22:18; Deut 18:9-14), adultery and premarital sex (Lev 20:10-14; 21:9; Deut 22:20-22), sex with an animal (Ex 22:19; Lev 20:15-16), incest (Lev 20:11-12, 14), homosexuality (Lev 18:22; 20:13), and the rape of a married woman (Deut 22:25-27). While certain offenses were punishable by death, lesser offenses carried lesser punishments. For example, theft required restitution (Ex 22:1-4), and a rash vow required public confession and the offering of a lamb or goat (Lev 5:4-6). Although all sin is offensive to God, not every sin carries the same impact or punishment. This tiered approach to punishment demonstrates that some sins have more severe spiritual and social consequences than others. We can understand this distinction, as driving over the speed limit is not as serious a crime as kidnapping or murder.

All Christians Continue to Sin

Biblically, no Christian will be sinless in this life. Writing to Christians, the apostle John said, “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). In this verse, the noun “sin” (hamartia) refers to the believer’s inherent sin nature, indicating the ongoing presence of a sinful disposition or propensity to sin that remains in Christians even after salvation. John asserts that if anyone claims to be without this sin nature, they are deceiving themselves, suggesting that no one can be free from this internal struggle while still in their earthly body. Additionally, John wrote, “If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us” (1 John 1:10). Here, John uses the verb “sinned” (hamartanō), which refers to personal acts of sin. The distinction between the two verses highlights both the ongoing presence of the sin nature within believers and the reality that Christians still commit personal acts of sin. John encourages believers to acknowledge both their sin nature and specific acts of sin, while reminding them of the cleansing power of “the blood of Jesus” (1 John 1:7), and the forgiveness that comes through confession (1 John 1:9).

This reality explains why Paul told the Christians at Rome to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts” (Rom 13:14; cf. Rom 6:6; Col 3:9), and to the Christians at Galatia to “walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh” (Gal 5:16). Though we struggle with sin, we are assured that “there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1), for we are “the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor 5:21; cf. Rom 5:17; Phil 3:9).

Consequences for Sinful Living

While it is never God’s will for us to sin (1 John 2:1), we inevitably do. If we leave our sin unconfessed, or sin greatly or repeatedly, the Lord will discipline us (Heb 12:6). David wrote, “When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer” (Psa 32:3-4). These verses highlight the destructive nature of unconfessed sin, illustrating how it can lead to emotional anguish and physical decline. But then David handled his sin correctly, as God intended, saying, “I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD’; and You forgave the guilt of my sin” (Psa 32:5). This statement reflects the psalmist’s understanding that confession is essential for restoring a right relationship with God. Likewise, if we commit a grievous sin, God disciplines us, just as a loving father disciplines his child, for “the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and chastens every child whom He receives” (Heb 12:6) This discipline is loving and corrective, intended to guide us back to righteousness. But if we harden our hearts and fail to respond to His correction, the consequences can become increasingly severe. In extreme cases, uncorrected sin can lead to physical illness or even death, as Paul wrote, “For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep” (1 Cor 11:30). Additionally, John wrote about the “sin unto death” (1 John 5:16), which refers to God terminating His errant children who persist in rebellion and refuse to correct their egregious sinful behavior.

Moreover, unconfessed and habitual sin can result in a loss of rewards in heaven. Although our salvation is secure (John 10:28; Rom 8:1), our works will be evaluated at the Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Cor 5:10). Paul taught that if a believer’s works are found wanting when he is judged at the bema seat of Christ (1 Cor 3:10-14), “he will suffer loss [of reward]; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire” (1 Cor 3:15). Similarly, John warned believers to “watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward” (2 John 1:8). On the other hand, the Bible suggests there will be differing degrees of punishment in hell based on the gravity of sin in unbelievers (Luke 12:47-48). Jesus indicated that it would be “more bearable” for some on the Day of Judgment than for others (Matt 11:21-24), indicating a sliding scale of punishment for sin based on one’s knowledge and rejection of the truth.

In light of these truths, we should be mindful of our actions and strive “to walk in a manner worthy” of our calling (Eph 4:1), to seek forgiveness promptly when we fail (1 John 1:9), and to grow in Christlikeness through the power of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:16). As this happens, over time, our sins will grow smaller and fewer. Though we will never be sinless in this life, we also know that God’s grace abounds, providing not only forgiveness but also the wisdom and strength to live a life that honors Him.

God is Gracious and Slow to Anger

God is very gracious in His corrections, often refraining from quick or harsh discipline. When confessing the sins of His people, Ezra said, “God, you have punished us less than our sins deserved” (Ezra 9:13b), illustrating the balance between justice and mercy in God’s character. David affirmed this when he wrote that God “has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities” (Psa 103:10). In His justice, God could impose the full weight of punishment for our acts of rebellion, unfaithfulness, or disregard for His commands. However, the psalmist acknowledges that, in His infinite mercy, God refrains from enacting the full measure of judgment we deserve, as His grace precedes His judgment.

Though God does get angry and righteously judges sin, many Scriptures tell us He “is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth” (Ex 34:6), that He is a “God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth” (Psa 86:15), and He is “a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity” (Jon 4:2; cf. Num 14:18; Neh 9:17; Psa 103:8; 145:8; Joel 2:13; Nah 1:3). Collectively, these Scriptures reveal that God’s character is defined by compassion, grace, patience, and lovingkindness. While He does respond to sin with righteous anger, His overarching desire is to extend mercy and provide opportunities for humility and recalibration to righteousness. This portrayal encourages believers to approach God with confidence, knowing that His love and grace are greater than our failures, and that His desire is for us to experience His forgiveness and restoration.

Summary

All of us as Christians experience a dual reality in our spiritual lives, being simultaneously justified and struggling with sin. Through faith in Christ, we receive judicial forgiveness, eternal life, and God’s imputed righteousness, which is the basis for our standing as righteous before Him. However, despite this positional righteousness, we continue to contend with our inherent sinful nature, leading to individual acts of sin throughout our lives. The apostle John emphasizes the necessity of acknowledging both our sin nature and our sinful actions, encouraging us to confess our sins for restoration and fellowship with God. This internal conflict illustrates the ongoing battle between our new nature, which desires to align with God’s will, and our sinful nature that provokes temptation. Consequently, while we are eternally secure and positionally righteous in God’s eyes, we are also called to live righteously, reflecting our status, and recognizing that our behavior may fluctuate based on our submission to God’s will. Understanding this dynamic helps us navigate the complexities of our faith, acknowledging our imperfections while relying on God’s grace for continual growth and maturity in Christ.

Dr. Steven R. Cook

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