5 Encouraging Verses For Christians When Sin Creeps Back In

We often hear scripture telling non-Christians how they can be cleansed of their sins, but what about Christians when sin inevitably creeps back in?

Nobody is perfect

No one is perfect but Jesus! But thanks to the sacrifice Jesus made for us, we can be made clean when we are born again. However, that doesn’t mean we will live a sinless life from that point on. Becoming a Christian does not mean we’ll never struggle with sin again.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve occasionally found myself worrying about my salvation. I’m a baptized believer and I wholeheartedly believe in Jesus, but what if there’s a sin I’ve committed that took that salvation away? Do I need to be saved again? What if I do something and Jesus comes back or I die before I’m re-baptized? What if there’s a sin I committed a long time ago that I forgot about and haven’t specifically repented of?

It doesn’t work that way

Since this is still an ongoing study for myself and I know there’s a heavy debate over it, I’m not going to get into the doctrine of “once saved, always saved.” All I know is that the ones who disagree with that doctrine often misunderstand it and think those people mean you can be saved and go on doing whatever sin you want, which is not what I understand people with that doctrine to believe.

I am also definitely not getting into predestination or Calvinism (but for the record, I believe that to be unbiblical). Can someone become a Christian and then later denounce their faith, causing them to lose their salvation? I…think…? I don’t know? Maybe, maybe not? Were they ever a true Christian to begin with? There are some verses people think may point to that, but I have no idea and that’s not for me to decide.

Any one person’s salvation is between them and God, and no human can ever be the judge of that. So let’s move on.

Not if, but when

It’s not a matter of if we’ll sin again after being saved, but when. We’re human, and we will sin! But what do we do when that inevitably happens? Do we stress about whether or not we’re doomed, or do we do something about it? Are there any Bible verses that cover this? Definitely!

Let’s take a look at some:

1. Romans 6:1-4

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”

Romans 6:1-4

When we are saved, we must live at a higher standard. We have died to our old self and been born again. So even though we are saved by grace, that doesn’t mean we get a free ticket to heaven with the ability to go on and do whatever sin we want with no repercussions.

So when we slip up and sin, or start to feel tempted by things, we can’t just say “it’s okay for me to do it cause God already forgave me.” It should be a priority to do our best to live better.

2. 1 John 1:9

“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

But in the event that we do sin, all is not lost! God is faithful. When we confess and repent of our sins, even after we’re saved, God will forgive us. So if you catch yourself having lied, or stolen, or lusted, etc. after the fact, you can still ask for forgiveness. It’s not like salvation is an on/off switch any time you sin and then confess again.

Example: I used to be a compulsive liar as a teenager! No idea why, except that I was a people-pleaser who hated confrontation and just spat out whatever phrase would satisfy people. Eventually I realized this was wrong and would catch myself having done it on impulse every now and then. But I continued to repent and ask forgiveness, as well as ask God for help so I could get out of my sinful habit. Now I do my best to think before I speak and evaluate whether what I’m about to say is true or not. That particular sin hasn’t been a struggle for me for years now.

3. 1 John 2:28

“And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.”

1 John 2:28

I appreciate this verse because it emphasizes that our faith is absolutely worth it. It’s worth it to keep God at the forefront of every aspect of our lives–including trying not to sin, but praying for forgiveness when we do–because it will give us confidence when Jesus returns.

Sometimes I’m afraid that I’ll feel shame or fear when Jesus comes back. Like, what if I wasn’t a “good enough” Christian? But what matters is that I was born again and strived to live a righteous life by God’s standards, and repented when I inevitably slipped up. And this verse encourages me a lot.

4. Jude verses 20-21 (it’s all one chapter)

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.”

Jude v. 20-21

I love how, as we near the final books of the Bible, they are full of encouragement and reassurance that our faith will not be in vain. Jesus is faithful and will do exactly as he said. We must continue to build each other up and support each other with that hope and righteousness.

5. Hebrews 10:36

“For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.”

Hebrews 10:36

I actually really love the whole section of chapter 10 in Hebrews, but couldn’t fit it all here haha. It talks about how Christ made his sacrifice once for all, and how we can have full assurance of faith. It points out that we should not go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, but that it’s worth persevering and enduring in our righteous living in the end.

Final thoughts

Sometimes, sin is so sneaky that we don’t even notice it right away. But it’s important that once we do catch ourselves or realize that something we’ve done is a sin, that we confess and ask forgiveness from God. Because, as believers, he is faithful to forgive. From these verses, there is nothing saying we lose our salvation every time we sin after being saved. But it is obviously important to practice ongoing repentance.

So, if you are a Christian who has ever wondered about how to handle sinning after being saved, let these verses be an encouragement to you. Take time to study deeper and pray about this as often as you need to. Our relationship with Jesus is ongoing!

Do you have any other verses or passages that help you in this area? Let me know in the comments!

God bless,