Expert: Carl Fuglein - 7/15/2009

Question
My name is Jennifer, and I'm a young teen attempting to keep on the narrow path to heavan, as most other Christian teens are I'd assume. I have been raised a Christian, as in I was introduced to God, Jesus, and the Holy spirit as a young child going to Sunday school. But it hasn't been until a few years ago in 2007 at a district youth camp, that I've really been introduced to God. My teen years havn't been the easiest. And still arn't. I find myself constantly sinning, and ask every day for forgiveness, and repantance. I feel as if it's not enough, so I tell myself, "You know what you're doing is wrong, so why do you keep doing it?" Honestly, I don't know. I know I'm wrong, and sinning, but can't seem to stop it. Jesus Christ is my savior. But I can't seem to keep my feet on the right path at times. What do I do? :/

Answer
Jennifer-


Simple answer?  Keep on keepin' on. You're not the only one with problems with sinning - it happens to ALL of us.  Read the scripture below.

Romans 7
14  The law is good, then. The trouble is not with the law but with me, because I am sold into slavery, with sin as my master.
15  I don't understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate.
16  I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience shows that I agree that the law is good.
17  But I can't help myself, because it is sin inside me that makes me do these evil things.
18  I know I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn, I can't make myself do right. I want to, but I can't.
19  When I want to do good, I don't. And when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway.
20  But if I am doing what I don't want to do, I am not really the one doing it; the sin within me is doing it.
21  It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.
22  I love God's law with all my heart.
23  But there is another law at work within me that is at war with my mind. This law wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.
24  Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin?
25  Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God's law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

The key verse is this:  "I don't understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate."

Is that you?  I bet it is.  You know who wrote those words about himself?  It was Paul, the greatest evangelist who ever lived.

There is an answer - read on

Romans 3
23  For all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard.
24  Yet now God in his gracious kindness declares us not guilty. He has done this through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins.
25  For God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy God's anger against us. We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us. God was being entirely fair and just when he did not punish those who sinned in former times.
26  And he is entirely fair and just in this present time when he declares sinners to be right in his sight because they believe in Jesus.
27  Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on our good deeds. It is based on our faith.
28  So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.

Key verse here is 28, the last one.  You've accepted Christ, you know that Jesus died for you.  That's all you need, plus a continual attempt to stop sinning.  The first part is easy, the second is hard.  But it happens to all of us, so just keep trying.

From a practical point of view, try staying away from the places and people where you are prone to sin.  Just say no.  If you have friends who make fun of your christianity, dump them if they won't respect you.  Join Chi Alpha if you have one at school, or join a Bible study group at school.  IF you don't have one START one.  Your teachers can't, but you can.

Hope this helps.  I really want to hear back from you to see how you're doing.

Please take the time to rate my answer.

hugs,
carl