Encouragement After Falling Into Sin

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Though a righteous person falls seven times, he will get up, but the wicked will stumble into ruin. (Proverbs 24:16)

For the Christian who longs to please God (and thus demonstrates that God has indwelt their conscience), it is discouraging and heartbreaking to fall into sin.

Satan throws gasoline onto the flame of our frustration, saying that not only have we disappointed our God, but we will never do any better. He tempts us, gets us to cooperate with his agenda by committing sin, then turns around and shames us for it. A vicious one-two punch. Indeed, the Hebrew word “Satan” carries the meaning “accuser”.

Fortunately, we belong to God, not him.

Our systematic theology never suggests that a Christian will never sin. It teaches us that the righteous are marked by repentance, by a desire to improve. You know the saying “it’s not about the size of the man in the fight, but the size of the fight in the man”? Well, the Christian has a Christ-sized fight within him. “…the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 1:4)

Though Proverbs 24:16 could be applied to how the righteous (and wicked) react to hardship and loss, it has also been used to describe his reaction to sin. Matthew Henry comments, “The just man falls, sometimes falls seven times perhaps, into sin, sins of infirmity, through the surprise of temptation; but he rises again by repentance, finds mercy with God, and regains his peace.”

We can let sin drive us away from God, or let it drive us towards God in repentance. Satan would love nothing more than the former. That’s his real agenda. But when we choose instead to humbly seek and receive God’s forgiveness after sin, Satan’s jig is up. The cross provides the Savior who paid the price for our sins and made us clean before God, and we acknowledge and celebrate.

It’s nice to be able to post something that applies to everyone, eh?

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

If you’ve stumbled this week, don’t get discouraged. Don’t throw in the towel. Don’t bemoan about how you will “never get there”, no matter how many years you’ve fallen. Rise a seventh time. God has your back. His glory is our rear guard.

 

I’m glad you tuned in today. If you’ve found this post to be of value, please feel free to share it on social media. Thanks a bunch!

22 thoughts on “Encouragement After Falling Into Sin”

  1. Well said, Brandon.

    The Lord’s love for us is abundant, gracious, huge, He actually delights in us, like parents delight in their child. I have a memory of a toddler who used to put everything in her mouth. So I was forever sticking my hand out and saying, “spit it out, give me the rock.” That is how I imagine our heavenly Father perceives our sin, too. Not angry, not condemning, just holding out His hand and asking us to spit it out.

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  5. The only thing worse than a relapse into sinful behavior is to allow Satan to convince you you’re a failure and had best give up trying to please God. Just reach up and let Christ pull you back to your feet. He’ll never let you down.

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  6. I missed reading your posts while I was in Nicaragua. We had little service due to the WiFi being cut off with all the upheaval in the country.

    I love the message here.

    Our sin must convict us and turn us around … back into fellowship with our God!

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  9. Reminds me of how God is love, because only true love can cover a multitude of sins and He is able to wash out the scarlet red stains of sin to white as snow (Mr. Clean’s face randomly popped in my head…rofl)

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  11. Excellent post Brandon. Even though we are saved, we are not perfect. Our sin addiction doesn’t loosen its grip on us overnight. Our chains are free, but we like to drag them along behind us. As believers, we are not sin free, but aware of our need for a Savior and a God to help us overcome what we can’t overcome on our own.

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