Well, what did Jesus tell His disciples when they asked 'How many times am I to forgive my brother when he sins against me?' What did Jesus tell them? He said to forgive them 70 x 70 times (depending on which translation you read) basically meaning that you keep forgiving them. Do we think God expects more from us then he is willing to do for us?
Yes, it is forgivable to keep stumbling into even deliberate sin. Its tough, humbling. In fact, Im kind of in the same boat and I know Im forgiven. I know God wants me to grow up and move on from this stumbling and truth be told He could very well make it really easy for me by removing the person who keeps aiding my my stumbling, or allowing me to move on, but he's not called me to do that. He's called me to grow thru it. And truth be told, even if I do keep stumbling I know my heart is for Him, I know, He knows I love Him more then anything, Ive given up so much to follow Him, so I know my place in heaven is secure, bc He is faithful. Like I said, His love for me isnt dependant on anything I do but solely on who He is. Im a weak and feable, fallible human being. Im NOT strong, Im NOT better then ANYone. In fact Im nothing, but Im amazed at how much he cares and loves me, and at how much he's forgiven me. So, yes, I KNOW God forgives even deliberate sin, when there is a repentant heart behind it. A heart that is heartbroken bc of this crappy sinful nature we have. I hate it. Hang on what does romans say?
Quote:
| 1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,[a] 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. |
That applies to me. God reassured me by calling me to read that entire chapter over and over and eat it up, meditate on that single chapter for months... bc he knew I was about to stumble!
Ch 7 is just as good if not better...
Quote:
Struggling With Sin
7What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet." 8But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead. 9Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death.
11For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. 12So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. 13Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.
14We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. |
Now, Im in the middle of the stumbling bit. Ive not fully overcome this yet. But in the Power of Christ, I will. And Ill be changed thru it. This sin that I keep stumbling in is a besetting sin, something from my youth and I have the same problem as you AlmostAPpropriate. I know that before I partake, I know I shouldnt be doing it. Its like Im numbed to the 'concience' I used to have. But I still KNOW. I wanna stop. I will. Thats the thing. By not wanting to do it I prove that the Law is right and I am sinful.
Been there!
:
I too struggle with this.
