Ask Ligonier How Should I Deal with the Shame of Returning to the Same Sin? How Can I Pursue Lasting Change?
Oct 16, 2025
Michael Reeves, a theologian and president of Union School of Theology, dives into the struggles of recurring sin and shame. He explains how these challenges invite the accusatory whispers of Satan, urging believers to remember God's abundant grace over their failures. Reeves emphasizes applying the gospel personally, highlighting that Christ's sacrifice cleanses guilt and breaks the power of sin. By fostering a superior love for God, he argues, believers can overcome their attachments to sin and be drawn back by grace.
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Return To Grace, Not Guilt
- Apply the gospel to yourself when shame from repeated sin tempts you to run from God.
- Remember God's forgiving grace and let it draw you back rather than drive you away.
Cross Cleanses Guilt And Power
- The cross not only cleanses guilt but begins to undo sin's power in your life.
- Seeing Christ's mercy makes God more desirable than your sinful pleasures.
Replace Lust With Superior Love
- Fight a besetting sin by cultivating a superior love for God, not merely by forbidding the sin.
- Let the love displayed in the cross make Christ more beautiful to you than the sin's fleeting pleasure.