How do Christians deal with living in a sinful world?

-- Louise S Lawrence (rayofsun18@hotmail.com), April 18, 2004

Answers

Pray, pray, pray....

-- MaryLu (mlc327@juno.com), April 18, 2004.

We also must take an active role in the world. We are not to be silent. We also improve the world by trying to be as sinless as possible.

-- David F (notanaddress@nowhere.com), April 18, 2004.

Hi Louise,

This is a good question, because it can be very difficult. I am a Protestant who wishes to become Catholic, and I have found it so liberating to be able to have faith in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. There were things in my life that I did not even know were sinful that God has used His Church to show me, and now looking back, I realize that my conscience sometimes warned me of things, but I justified them with the idea of "Christian liberty" or after reading Christian articles that even encouraged such sinful behavior.

It is sad that for Protestants (at least when I was one) it can be quite difficult to determine what is right and wrong, as there are numerous "gray" areas, such as things that the Bible does not directly address.

Whenever I am tempted, I try to keep in mind these two Bible verses:

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

James 4 (NIV) 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you.

Thus we see that by God's grace we can overcome every temptation. Ask for God's grace continually to persevere, because it is only by God's grace that we can do anything good. God's grace can be obtained and multiplied through prayer, regularly receiving the Eucharist, attending mass, doing good works, and reading God's Word to us (both in the Scriptures and from the Church).

I strongly encourage you to read the Bible and the Catholic Catechism fervently, because they are God's Words to His people. He loves us so much and longs to show us the way to enjoy life to its fullest - that is a life in which you obtain freedom from the bondage of sin.

Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-­ edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Ephesians 6 (NIV)

10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. . . 17Take . . . the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

We can see that immersing ourselves in the Word of God and applying it to our lives by God's grace is the strongest tool we have with which to fight sin.

God bless,

-- Emily (jesusfollower7@yahoo.com), April 18, 2004.

all Christains deal with it the same was. we press on. we move toward God. we fall. we rise aain. we repent. we sin again ourselves. we suffer and enter agony pver our own sins, or the sins of others. Still, we press on, carryign the Cross on our backs, following the Lord up the road to Calvary.Their we will be cricified, die, and reborn in the end, in glorious, perfect bodies.

-- ZAROVE (ZAROFF3@JUNO.COM), April 18, 2004.

it is simply the daily Cross that was given to every one of us to carry until Heaven. Quite time in prayer is key, because only through reflection can we rid ourselves of the ever present sin. I know personally from my 2 years as an Undergrad here at the University of Minnesota, that sin ABOUNDS. I have a beautiful and wonderful girlfriend, but walking to and from classes and on campus is a nightmare for sinning through my eyes! The vast majority of girls here dress extremely poor, and if I don't pray all the time and be aware of these temptations, I can fall into sin in an instant. Besides that, because of my scholarship I have to bus at a sorority, which is the creme of the crop for immodest girls. So, without prayer and acknowledgement that we can't do it alone, we are hopelessly lost in the river of sin that we have to swim in every day of our lives.

Pray often, spend much quite time reflecting, perhaps write about your fears and concerns to God, and most of all realize that God gives us painful crosses so that meritorious graces emerge victorious over the greatest sins in this world. We have to be chastized in purification through this sin in the world now, or else be chastized later in Purgatory. God bless and pray for perserverance

-- Andrew Staupe (stau0085@umn.edu), April 18, 2004.