Why Does This Suddenly Feel Like Sin?
“But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.” —Romans 6:22 (ESV)
Our attentive server whisked over to our table with a small dish holding two brightly seasoned wedges of freshly baked focaccia bread. As she arranged a spot for the bread and dipping plate in front of my husband, she empathetically explained that she was doing her best to block my view of the “forbidden” focaccia so I wouldn’t be tempted—as if the enticing aroma wafting over our table hadn’t already stirred up a growl from my empty stomach.
“I’m sorry you can’t have any,” she continued. “It must be so hard to be gluten-free.”
As she walked away and my husband took his first blissful bite, I admitted she was right. Of course, my senses are still stimulated to crave glutenous bread—especially when it’s warm and fresh out of the oven—even though it’s been ten years since I began eliminating wheat due to unexplained digestion issues. However, I quickly redirected my thoughts to a truth I learned the hard way (I’ll spare you the details): Wheat does not do my body good—no matter how good it looks and smells!
Although I wouldn’t wish my gluten intolerance on anyone, it’s become a vivid illustration of what happens if I don’t take action when the Holy Spirit exposes something that needs to be eliminated to avoid sin. As the Holy Spirit cleans house in our hearts, sinful thoughts and behaviors that didn’t bother us before should begin to create discomfort. This sudden disturbance is evidence that the Holy Spirit is at work.
For new believers, this transformation is much like putting on corrective lenses for the first time: Suddenly, you see everything clearly—and obvious sins are easy to spot. However, as we mature in our faith, we should become more sensitive to the discomfort initiated by the Holy Spirit, because temptation will not be as obvious. Like an alluring slice of freshly baked artisan bread, some sins remain attractive because we see other believers partaking or we’ve convinced ourselves that they aren’t doing any real harm.
Your first response might be to reason with the Holy Spirit when that discomfort sets in. Maybe “righteous anger” caused you to type out that hasty response to a contrary political opinion posted by an acquaintance on social media? Did it matter that you remained silent during that conversation with friends discussing the latest episode of that popular Rated-M series everyone is talking about? And who did it harm when you let out an expletive behind the wheel as that driver with a cell phone cut you off in traffic and almost caused an accident? (Raising my hand to all of the above.)
As believers who have been set free from sin and “have become slaves of God,” as the apostle Paul describes it (Romans 6:22), we should grow more intolerant of subtle sins that pollute our bodies and minds as the Holy Spirit’s conviction works to sanctify us. When we ignore the Spirit’s prompting, that initial discomfort will likely intensify.
However, when we respond by discontinuing that sinful behavior and removing or avoiding what’s causing us to sin, that temptation will become less appealing over time. Like an elimination diet, the absence of that sin in your life causes it to become even more foreign to your maturing spirit. It may even start turning your stomach to think of allowing it again!
Your freedom from sin, along with the power of the Holy Spirit, makes it possible to stop letting sin “reign in your mortal body” (Romans 6:12). Under the authority of our Holy God, we can move forward in newness of life (Romans 6:4) and begin to resemble our Savior, whose image we are meant to reflect. One layer at a time, the Holy Spirit peels away what’s hindering us so we can become more like Christ and draw others to Him. Hallelujah!
Or as Paul penned it: “But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed (Romans 6:17).”
Questions for Reflection:
- Is the Holy Spirit making things uncomfortable in a new area of your life? If so, ask for His help to address it.
- Why do you think it’s difficult to respond to the conviction of the Holy Spirit when other believers have no problem with it?
- Have you broken free from a habitual sin that no longer has any appeal? If so, thank the Lord for His sanctifying work in your life and share your testimony of transformation with someone.
