Do Christians Sin?

Author:
Christopher J. E. Johnson
Published: Aug 28, 2013
Updated: Oct 1, 2018

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Many Christians are nervous about admitting that they still actively commit sins, even knowingly, after they are saved by the blood of Jesus Christ and are born again. There are two problems I have found when researching why Christians are so reluctant and ashamed to admit they still commit sins as Christians, and the first one is pride.

When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.
-Proverbs 11:2

Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty [prideful] spirit before a fall.
-Proverbs 16:18

But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
-Galatians 3:22

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
-1 John 1:8

When we get too prideful to admit we sin, in whatever area we have weakness, we will be blind to the seducing spirits in our lives and will fall into a trap.

The second problem I found was bad preaching from the pulpit about Christians and sin. A few years ago, I heard an old preacher start out his sermon with a very loud and authoritative voice and say, "A Christian WILL NOT sin!" This man is a liar. Even God's most favored children in the Bible sinned. King Solomon, to whom God gave His wisdom, gave in to his sexual lust and eventually built idols to pagan gods. (1Ki 11:1-8) King David killed a man to make his wife a widow so he could have her, breaking almost all ten commandments in the process. (2Sa 11:1-27) Even Paul explains to us that he also sinned as a Christian, and how we are still saved despite our sin, but just because we are of Christ's flock does NOT mean our sin is justified before God.

Let's begin by walking through Romans 7 and 8. Because of the way this is written, many Christians struggle with these verses, but let's go through it slowly:

Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
-Romans 7:1-4

dominion (n): sovereign or supreme authority
(See 'dominion', American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, retrieved Dec 17, 2015 [webstersdictionary1828.com])

First, Paul expects the Christians in Rome to already know that the law is authority over men as long as they live, and by live, that means in the flesh. The law has authority over the flesh, but the flesh is already dead. We walk in the flesh, but because our spirit is cleansed by the Lord Jesus Christ, we ought not to do the things of the flesh, but rather we should do the things of the spirit, since our spirit is now bound with Christ and freed from the law over the flesh.

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
-2 Corinthians 10:3

We are made free from the law because of the marriage supper of the Lamb that binds us in the spirit to Christ, but remember that we still walk in the flesh. However, we do not walk after (or live according to) the flesh; there is a difference.

For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
-Romans 7:5-6

We should serve in the newness of spirit, doing good works unto God. To make sure Christians don't start thinking the law is evil, Paul addresses them:

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
-Romans 7:7

The law is still good. In fact, the law is what we are supposed to be using in evangelizing to lost souls:

The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
-Psalm 19:7

And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law?
-Luke 10:25-26

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
-Galatians 3:24

The old saying is to preach 90% law and 10% grace because God only gives grace to those who are humble, who have the repentance He gives to them.

Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
-1 Peter 5:5

In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
-2 Timothy 2:25

The typical new Christian tells people they need to be saved and have faith in Jesus, and put "I *heart* Jesus" bumper stickers on their cars, but when Jesus was asked how to get to heaven, He gave them the law. Until a man believes he is lost, he won't look to be found; if he believes he's innocent, he won't look for a savior. The law proves to a man that he is guilty before the Holy God, which brings him to accept the repentance God gives to him.
(Read "Is Repentance Part of Salvation?" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence [lust of the flesh]. For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
-Romans 7:8-12

Paul is not saying "sin was dead" as if there was no sin, but rather, without the law, it was as if sin didn't exist. However, the lust of the flesh was still there. When he says he was alive without the law, he, as a former-Pharisee, used to think he was alive in God, but when Christ came to him and asked him a question, the sin in him was revealed and his flesh was dead, in that Paul was acknowledging the truth in repentance. The commandments he thought were supposed to get him into heaven by his good works, he found instead condemned him in the realization that it was impossible to fulfill all the points of the law.

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
-Romans 6:23

Once we know the commandments of God, then we know we are dead in the flesh and are condemned. That's why Jesus Christ said to let the dead bury their dead, (Mat 8:22) because they were already condemned. (John 3:18) The law, which is holy and just and good, is what brings the unbeliever to repentance by understanding his guilt, but most men in this world hold on to their pride, saying in their hearts that they are not sinners, and believing they are guilty of nothing.

Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
-Romans 7:13-14

The law of God (His commandments) reveals to us the knowledge of sin, so that sin appears sinful, and which is why it is crucial for us to study His commandments. Though the law is spiritual, we still have flesh (i.e. carnal), and the flesh is still in sin being under the law.

For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
-Romans 7:15-17

The law of God is written on the hearts of men:

For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
-Romans 2:14-15

So the Gentile does wrong, but there is an inner conscience that tells him it is wrong, and so when he does the thing that inwardly he knows is wrong to do, he then "consents unto the law that [the law] is good."

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
-Romans 7:18-20

It is the core of sin in his carnal flesh that is doing the deed. The spirit is warring against the flesh.

For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this 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 7:22-25

Paul is not saying that his flesh serves the law of sin in that he sins all the day long, but that the flesh must be brought under the authority (dominion) of the law because the flesh is dead unto sin. The spirit, however, is cleansed unto Christ, and so we should walk in the spirit and not after the flesh because we are now freed from the law.

He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
-1 John 2:6

And Paul continues this thought into the next chapter:

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
-Romans 8:1-2

This is not to say that no Christian will ever sin, but that we ought to walk as Christ has walked; living as a new creature in Christ and children of light.

For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
-Ephesians 5:8

We could not accomplish the keeping of the law in the flesh, but with a cleansed spirit by the Lord Jesus Christ, being born-again in Him, we now can walk after the Spirit, not being bound to the letter of the law.

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
-Romans 8:3-6

Is this to say that a Christian is without sin? No, but that we ought to walk without sin, and be perfect before God the Father.

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
-Matthew 5:48

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
-Genesis 17:1

The salvation of Christ is the gift of God, but once we are born-again, we ought to live our lives as if we are debtors.

Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify [i.e. bring into subjection] the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
-Romans 8:12-17

Since publishing this teaching, I've received some letters from people who object and claim that Christians never sin. This is absurd for many reasons. I had to title the article "Do Christians Sin?' because it answers a question many people ask, but the real question we ought to ask is, "Does God justify sin?"

Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
-Micah 7:18

Remember that we Christians are the remnant of His heritage today, and why would he have to pardon iniquity of the remnant if they never sinned? (i.e. iniquity means wickedness/sin) This is not to say that God ignores sin (because He punishes it), but he forgives sin, and delights in mercy, if we confess our sins in humility and repentance:

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

I want to emphasize that if you are a born-again Christian, you have not received spirit of fear. This fear is what has brought many Christians to read this article in the first place; the fear of "I've done this wicked deed, am I going to hell?" -- because that's a works-based doctrine.

A baby is born into a family, grows into a young man, and when he breaks a rule of the father in the home, the father does NOT say, "You are no longer a part of this family!" You are born into the family. Even if you change your name, even if you try to distance yourself from them, you are still born into that family, and you can't be un-born out of that family.

The problem we have primarily in church buildings around the country is that many people have never been born-again in the first place. The teaching of repentance (which was the first teaching of Christ in ministry) has almost completely been kicked out the door, and because of that, most people join church buildings as a country club experience in which they think going to the church building is what gets them into heaven. They're called false converts. (Read "Jesus Said There Are Many False Converts" & "There is No Saving Grace Without Repentance" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

Born-again Christians that have humility and repentance in their hearts will be convicted to righteousness by the Holy Spirit.

To give an example, take the concupiscence (lust of the flesh) Paul mentioned earlier. Everything from alcohol to pornography to covetousness, even those of us born-again like Paul have been tempted by these things, and even looked in lust, due to the sin of the flesh. What Paul is saying here is that the flesh will want to sometimes do things the spirit absolutely hates because there is war between the spirit and the flesh after being born-again in Christ.

The born-again Christian receives repentance from the Lord God, which is the difference between a pig and a sheep. When a pig gets in the mud, he loves it and rolls around in it; it makes him feel great. When a sheep gets in the mud, he realizes that he's filthy and wants to get out of the mud. In the same way, an unbeliever will commit sin and enjoy it, and though it might also be enjoyable to the flesh for a moment with the born-again Christian, he quickly realizes that it is disgusting, repents, and sanctifies himself from that sin. (If you claim to be a Christian, and don't have that conviction, there's a serious problem.)

Please don't misunderstand: This is not a free ticket for Christians to do whatever they please.

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
-Romans 6:1-2

abound (v): to have or possess in great quantity
(See 'abound', American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, retrieved Dec 14, 2015 [webstersdictionary1828.com])

Many new-age church buildings, filled with many false converts, think they have a free ticket to sin because they believe that sin causes grace to abound, or in other words, they think grace is so plentiful, they can sin as much as they want. But Paul says "God forbid." That means the truth is that sin causes wrath to abound because God is angry with the wicked every day.

God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.
-Psalm 7:11

Though a Christian might sin, we do not remain in that sin, living lifestyles of it. For example, it's easy to spot a wolf when they say "I'm a gay Christian," because they are self-identifying with a lifestyle of sin (i.e. sodomy), actively living in that sin and not repenting of it, but we of Christ don't live any longer therein because we repent.

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
-Galatians 5:13

Though the foundation is on Jesus Christ, and as born-again Christians we have liberty in Him, we are not to use our liberty as an excuse for sin. That leads us to the foundational question many of those in Christ have:
What happens if I sin knowingly as a born-again Christian?
Again, we are not saved by our works, so for example, not stealing will not earn us a ticket to heaven. We are saved by grace through faith in Christ. If we have repented to salvation, being born-again in Christ, we are supposed to do works meet for that repentance.

Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
-Matthew 3:8

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
-Luke 6:46

But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
-Acts 26:20

We ought to live as perfect as possible, as if we are standing before the throne of God. This is the zeal with which we should live:

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
-1 Corinthians 9:24-27

So here, we should run as if we are looking for the first place prize, being one who lives perfectly unto God. One that "beateth the air" is like a shadow boxer, who swings at the air, but doesn't actually fight an opponent, which means he is not prepared for a real fight. We keep our bodies in subjection to the spirit, and Paul says that if he did not do this, he would be a castaway, meaning that the church would reject him for being a hypocrite; preaching righteousness, but living a life of sin.

So what happens if someone does good works, living a life of righteousness? There is reward, and Paul writes to Corinth to explain to them the understanding of a wise masterbuilder:

Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
-1 Corinthians 3:8-10

The works we do while on this earth are taken into account, and so we should consider what work we do. First, all men must lay a foundation on the Lord Jesus Christ, or no reward will ever be received.

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
-1 Corinthians 3:11-15

So even a man who finally repents and is born-again at the end of his life, whose works amounted to nothing, he will not receive reward, because his wood, hay, and stubble will burn up, but he will still be saved because his foundation was laid in Christ. Doing good works and rejecting Christ will end a man up in the lake of fire, but those of us who do good works and are born-again in Christ will receive reward.

What reward would we expect in eternity? I have no idea; no one does. All I know is that is must be something so grand, we cannot even fathom it yet, but the more works of iniquity we do, the less reward we shall receive.

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
-1 Corinthians 2:9

The second thing we need to consider is that we can be born-again in Christ, and live a cursed life if we do wrong. This is called chastening. The Lord Jesus Christ rebukes and chastens his children for sin:

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
-Revelation 3:19

My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
-Proverbs 3:11

There are some preachers out there who will say no Christian ever sins, but why would the Lord Jesus Christ have to rebuke and chasten His children if they don't ever sin? There would be no need for that rebuke and chastening, as there would be no need for a shepherd to hunt down sheep if they did not go astray.

And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
-Luke 15:3-7

Those of us in the flock also need to take into consideration that the food, clothing, and shelter we have is a blessing from the Lord God, and if we seek after His righteousness, then we will have our basic needs provided for us.

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
-Matthew 6:31-33

This promise is not that God will always give these things to us, but IF we seek His righteousness, then he will provide our needs. If we do not seek His righteousness with a repentant heart (i.e. a heart of greif and godly sorrow of wrongdoing), holding on to our lusts, like pagan witchcraft holidays, wicked music, sinful television, and other worldly traditions, this promise may not apply to us because the Lord God rebukes and chastens those he loves. For those that do not seek the righteousness of Christ, we may be chastened by loss of health, loss of loved ones, and various other curses on our lives because a good father is strict on those he loves, but also rewards those who sanctify themselves and suffer grief with the people of God rather than enjoying the pleasures of sin.

Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
-Hebrews 11:25

So to review, the desires of sin still remain in us, at war with our born-again spirit in Jesus Christ, and our spirit is at war with our flesh.

Sin dwells in the flesh, and there is no good thing in the flesh. Doing that which Christ would not is a conflict of the spirit that hates the sin, but the sin dwells in the flesh, which must die in the end. Our spirit is cleansed when we are born-again.

What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
-Romans 6:21-22

As a born-again Christian, you now have your cleansed spirit which receives conviction (i.e. those things whereof ye are now ashamed) from the Holy Spirit, but you are still in the flesh. Though the spirit is cleansed, flesh is not yet cleansed, and flesh will still want to do things contrary to the Spirit of God. The flesh must go through the process of death unto sin to fulfill the Word of God from the beginning:

But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
-Genesis 2:17

For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
-1 Corinthians 15:21-22

However, we can gain victory over the flesh through Christ:

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
-1 John 5:4-5

For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.
-Luke 9:56

The Lord Jesus Christ came to save us from sin, and so as servants of him, we ought to do what he commands of us:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
-Ephesians 2:8-10

Since the Lord God has established that we born-again Christians should do good works, then we ought to live as such.

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
-Luke 6:46

This is not to say a Christian will never sin, but a Christians is REPENTANT of that sin, and turns from it daily. This is why it is so important that Christians understand that only those who repent (i.e. having godly sorrow for sin) will be born-again, having a heart established in repentance towards God; all others are false converts.
(Read "Is Repentance Part of Salvation?" and "False Converts & Eternal Security" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

The repentant Christian, if he sins, gets back up and turns from that sin:

For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
-Proverbs 24:16

Keeping in mind there are many false converts out there, I direct this towards those born-again brethren in Christ: Christians mess up. They're not perfect in the flesh, but no matter how many times they mess up, they keep looking towards God and try again, so they can be perfect before God the Father. (Mat 5:48) Your consistent effort does not win your salvation (because you already have it), but our efforts are an evidential result of our repentance and belief in Jesus Christ who works in us, and this is why Paul concluded with these words in Rom 8:

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
-Romans 8:35-39

When people turn to wicked ways and love worldly things, it does not show the evidence of conviction from the Holy Spirit, and thus we do not have the evidence that they are born-again in Christ. Christ will give His children conviction to do what is right, and he will chasten and rebuke them:

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
-Revelation 3:19

If anyone believes themselves to be a Christian, and they are not rebuked and chastened for sin and loving the world, it should be a concern that they are not a child of God. The sheep of the flock know the voice of the shepherd and follow him.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
-John 10:27

This is why we are to examine ourselves daily to make sure we are doing what Christ has commanded us:

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
-2 Corinthians 13:5

The born-again Christian will refuse to self-identify with the lust of his/her flesh. They won't walk around openly saying how they want to get drunk, they won't walk around openly bragging about their pornography, and they won't openly walk around saying they are homosexuals. Christians DO NOT take pride in sin! A Christian will confess his faults (weaknesses), but he/she does not walk around in their sin acting like it's okay with God, because if they do, then they have not conviction or chastening of the Holy Spirit, and that means the Holy Spirit does not live inside them.

If you are a new Christian, understand that there will be times you will sin, and not even know you are sinning. For example, some Christians are deceived into thinking that Christmas is of God, but it is really idolatry that we are commanded to flee from.

Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
-1 Corinthians 10:14

Remember that Paul told us that he only knew sin by the law, and so there is a learning curve where a new Christian will begin to read his Bible, but God is going to teach him the truth and start cleaning up his life, and with that comes conviction by the Holy Spirit that will warn him when he is wallowing in the mud. If you see someone rebuked in his sin, and he hears the Word of God on the matter, and yet he still walks around in his sin, it's possible you're seeing a false convert.

They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
-Titus 1:16

How do we get conviction of sin? We study the Word of God.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
-2 Timothy 2:15

If we do not feed ourselves with His Word, the sin of our flesh will try to get the better of us; an analogy would be a man who owns two dogs, both of which fight often, and his neighbor approaches him and asks which dog wins the fights? The dog owner says, "Which ever one I feed more."

I had a man once argue that this was a pagan concept of "yin and yang," and I agree that yin/yang is pagan mysticism, but yin/yang are the concept of light and dark working in harmony together. The Bible teaches no such thing. We are speaking of the sin of the flesh, which must die, warring against the law of the mind, which is born-again in Christ by grace through faith.

So let's study and do what the Lord Jesus Christ would have us to do. If we are truly saved, then let us work hard to do righteousness, putting away the old man and his deeds, and putting on the new man which is born-again in Christ.

Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
-Colossians 3:9-10

If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
-Ephesians 4:21-24

And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
-1 John 2:3-6

For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
-Ephesians 5:8-11