- BibleViews2Use
- Posts
- You Can Sin Less. Here's How
You Can Sin Less. Here's How
Victory wasn't happening as quickly as they desired or expected. This helped...
Steven Pawley
November 29, 2025
Hope you have a great weekend! Let me know where you’re reading from today!
Did You Start Your Free 15 Day Challenge? I’ve created a fun 15 day devotion in Ephesians to strengthen your walk with God. You’ll get a short meditation, handful of verses to handwrite, question to ponder, and couple “to do’s”. Have fun!
If you’re already taking the Challenge, drop me a quick note and let me know how it’s going. I’d love to hear if and how Jesus is working in your life through this.
PS. Quick Favor? Spread our influence by forwarding this newsletter to some friends, family and those you fellowship with and invite them to subscribe.
PSS. Grab this blessing. Our friend Andy over at Bible Copy Club wrote this really good post yesterday. It’s well worth checking out. You can also subscribe for free.
Trivia question: Hagar - Gen 16. Jan Martin, Chloe Thronson, Malia Lancaster & Anita Siecker were all over it. Way to go! Give today’s trivia a try.
♥️ Follow on Instagram | Facebook | Threads for more biblical encouragement.
In a life group I attend at church the topic turned to falling prey to temptation. There was a genuine desire to sin less, and with it a real sense of frustration.
For some, younger in the faith, victory wasn’t happening as quickly as they desired or had expected. Maybe you’ve been there too. I have. Maybe you’re there right now.
Can I save you some trouble? It took too many years to figure this out. It’s a pattern I’ve seen and lived.
Some believers know about God but don’t really know Him. They relate to Him through religion, rites, laws, or their spiritual performance on a given day. They relate to others that way too 🫤.
Others seem to know about God AND know Him. There’s relationship, but it seems like they take it for granted and aren’t too bothered when they sin willfully against Jesus.
Paul addressed this propensity here and here because he knew it would happen. Strong words! The Apostle John really helps, but I’ll get to that in a minute.
You can be sure that if you know about Jesus but don’t really know Him, you’ll live in frustration with sin. It will feel like you’re never good enough and trying harder just makes it worse!
Yet, if you do know God relationally, you risk giving yourself permission to sin. After all, God’s goodness and grace cover it, right? Why not let grace abound!
Now, this isn’t always the case, but maybe it’s truer than we’re willing to admit. Thousands read this newsletter. I’m not the only one who’s struggled, am I? You know:
Never good enough (frustration). God’s so good (permission). O wretched man that I am!
At times I’ve been more about precepts than the Person (frustration) and then more about the Person than the precepts (permission). Is there something missing? Yes.
Knowledge about God and knowing God won’t be enough motivation to help you sin less.
Here’s what’s taken me years to learn. I think it’s part of the growing process toward a more mature faith that leads to sinning less:
Add genuine affection toward God. Love is a better motivator than guilt or grace. Love makes us want to sin less against the One we love and gives the motivation to do so.
You’ll have to learn this too. It’s part of growing in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Don’t be too hard on yourself.
Genuine love doesn’t just happen; neither does sinning less. it’s a commitment that grows with time and experience.
Now, genuine love toward God won’t make you sinless, only Jesus is (2 Cor. 5:21). Sin happens (1 John 1:8, 10). But with those moments of frustration and permission let affection do its perfect work.
As your love toward Jesus matures your desire to sin less will also grow without having to try so hard (1 John 2:3-6). Spiritual maturity develops over time. Be patient.
And when you sin, you’ll learn to lean on (1 John 2:1-2) without the guilt. I love what John, that old saint, added down in vv. 12-14. I expand this in the GO DEEPER section.
Take a moment to reply and let me know what you think. Your feedback is invaluable.
Thanks for Reading!
How did you like today's newsletter? |
TRIVIA QUESTION:
Who asked God to “enlarge my coast”? What else was requested? (Give it a try and send your reply. You might get a shoutout in the next newsletter. Happy digging!
This ministry will always be free; growing our influence isn’t! You can support BV2U financially. Just click the button below for several ways to contribute.
📫 Who Do You Know that Could Use Some Encouragement?
✅ You can help others in their walk by regularly forwarding these posts to:
Your spouse, best friend, partner or other family members & friends
Someone who comes to mind that might benefit from today’s post
Church members, Bible study or coffee companions, mentors, etc.
Someone you’d like to help grow in their faith.
GO DEEPER with Today’s Read:
It’s helpful to remember that before you can live a sanctified life (sinning less) you’ll need to have a saved life (made dead to sin and freed from its power).
My pastor likes to say, “you need Romans 5 [justification by faith] before you can live in Romans 6” (sanctification by faith). It’s true!
And when you sin, remember Romans 7 & 8! Especially Rom. 8:1.
Rom 5:6-11, 17-21 teach us about the necessity of the new birth. Knowing God (salvation) starts here. But then we have to learn to live out Rom 6:1-13, 14-19.
If you’re in Christ, you’ve been made righteous (new birth). But you’ll still need to learn how to live righteously (spiritual maturity).
And it’s not as easy as it seems or some suggest. So, don’t be so hard on yourself.
If find yourself frustrated or discouraged by your sin, and not where you want or expected to be, good! It means you care!! It will come with experience.
Really, it will. Let this word from John, (an old man writing sixty years after Jesus’ ascension), encourage you concerning spiritual development (1 John 2:12-14).
You’re in here somewhere, find out what stage you’re in and what comes next:
- “little children” in the faith. You’re learning about God. Be encouraged, God is pulling for you just like a father rejoicing over a little child learning to walk;
- “young men” or women in the faith. Full of spiritual vitality and desire but maybe too impatient and inexperienced in some of the finer or deeper points of faith. The body of Christ needs your energy and vigor - you know God! Keep going for God;
- “ye fathers” or mothers who are much older and experienced in the faith. We need your wisdom. You’ve “been there and done that” a few times and learned some things. It’s your season (like me) to share what you’ve learned and rejoice in the younger spiritual generations around us who are picking up the mantle of faith!
Here’s a few more things that help us to sin less while growing in love for God:
Before you think, say, do, or allow it, stop and figure out what God’s word says about it. With more time in the word, this will become easier and habitual.
Then consider how Jesus handled similar situations. What would He do. Remember, His Spirit is in you so tap into the resources He’s already given you!
Then give way (Yield). He’s better at it than you are, so give way and let Him do it.
Rom. 13:11-14. Be ruthless in getting people, places, or things that tempt you out of your life. Col. 3:1-5 puts it pretty bluntly - kill it! Practice Gal. 5:24-26.
Study Psa. 101 carefully. There is a list of very practical things everyone of us can resolve to do just like David! Count his “I will” / “I shall” statements in just 8 verses!
Eccl. 9:18. Think long and hard about the consequences before you engage!
1 Th. 5:22. Avoiding anything that tempts you or diminishes your testimony still works! Don’t visit with it, watch it, listen to it, or make it accessible.
1 Cor. 15:33. If you stay away from spiritually unhealthy content and company you’ll be less likely to be infected with whatever they’re “sharing”.
Did this help? Would you take a moment to share something you got out of today’s newsletter with me. Click here to reply. Then share it with others.
Sharing is caring. Who can you forward this to and be an encouragement?
📫 Forward this email to a friend and encourage them to subscribe
💬 💡Feedback? Let me know how to improve this newsletter or how it impacted you. Reply to this email or write to [email protected]. I answer every email.
Some Popular Posts You Might Have Missed:
Thanks for reading 🙏
Have a wonderful day!
Financially Support This Free Ministry
BibleViews2Use will always be free; growing our influence is not. If it has helped you go deeper or grow stronger in your walk with God please consider donating and helping us reach more together. Even small donations have a big impact! Click the button to contribute.
Already a paying subscriber? Sign In.