Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.” John 8:34
We tend to think of sin in terms of actions, words, and perhaps even thoughts. And, of course, that is true. But Jesus speaks here of sin as a power, a power that can grip our minds, hearts, and wills, pulling us into thoughts, words, and deeds that gradually gain control of our lives.
Notice Jesus says, “Everyone who practices sin…” Jesus is not speaking here about a person who falls into temptation and then repents of what he has done. Jesus is speaking here about a person who chooses a sinful path and stays on it.
Think about a middle school student who hears others in his class swearing. It sounds cool and people pay attention when they do it, so the student starts swearing too, but only when he is angry. Over time he does it more often, and now when he is really angry he has to reach for stronger words. But he is already using the foulest words, so he has to repeat them. And this becomes his habit. Twenty years later, his words are still peppered with foul language. The habit has shaped him. “Everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin” (8:34).
All of us face our own battles with sin—greed, lust, anger, lies, deception, pride, cowardice, and selfishness. The more you give way to a sin in your life, the harder your battle to get free from it will be. As a believer in Jesus, you want to be free from these sins. You want to overcome them, but these sins have a deep root in you. You have practiced them for a long time. The power of habit has been formed in you.
This is not a problem only for new believers. Most Christians can identify a sin that we find especially hard to overcome. We have asked forgiveness more times than we can remember. But still it comes back and rears its ugly head.
Can you identify one sin that has become ingrained in your life and exercises power over you?
