how can someone stop the cycle of sin in their life. My friend just told she 's tired of sinning and repenti

Question

ing over and over again. She says she wants to stop. She wants Help!

Answer 1

Oy vey! You Christians and your saving.

If your friend is behaving in ways that she considers inappropriate and in conflict with her core beliefs she might want to consider therapy to sort out her conflicts. Hitting her over the head and condemning her may be counterproductive.

Answer 2

Hmm... instead of begging God to make her into a better person, then whimpering to God when she fails, she should just decides to make HERSELF into a better person, and then follow through with it.

If you find a behaviour offensive (ie. sinful), STOP DOING IT. Don't make excuses for yourself. The devil didn't make you do it. Your human frailty didn't make you do it. None of this "the soul is willing but the body is weak" garbage. Your friend is RESPONSIBLE for her own actions, and the only way to break a cycle is to make the conscious commitment to change.

She needs to decide what her priorities are. It's not as much a religious matter as it is a matter of personal integrity. Read and consider this:
Day 1: "I'm sorry I stole a cookie, mommy. I'll never do it again!"
Day 2: "I'm sorry I snuck another cookie, mommy. I SWEAR I'll never do it again!"
Day 3: "I'm sorry I took another cookie...

You get the idea. Stop sneaking cookies! Obviously, this is a very juvenile example, but it's a clear illustration of how the cycle of "sin - repent - sin - repent" sounds. If your friend relies on excuses, she'll continue the cycle for the rest of her life. If she actually DOES want to change, there's nothing else except to DO it.

If she has some sort of addiction, maybe she should see a counselor. I would recommend NOT going to a religious counselor, because half of them just tell you to "pray and repent", and that's obviously not working. Maybe she should read some philosophy books. Maybe she should change her situation by removing the "temptations" in her life, whatever they are. Whatever she does, in the end, the only way for her to achieve what she wants to achieve (ie. to stop doing things that she finds sinful or distasteful) is for her to take responsibility for herself.

Of course, maybe something will happen that will cause her real consequences, other than guilt, as a result of her unfavorable behaviors, and that will force her to do a much more sincere self-evaluation.

Answer 3

Here's the real deal with sin. Why does your friend want to stop? Why is she even repenting?
Because it hurts so bad to be in that place! We are designed by God in His image to be holy and righteous. When we do wrong we feel guilt and shame. Ask any 2 year old. They aren't old enough to know about this stuff but they sure feel bad when they do something wrong. That's because God designed it into us. We are also built for sin. We live in the flesh and our flesh desires EVERYTHING! We live in a "fallen state" and we cannot stop sinning. With God, all things are possible and in that statement you can find the strength to leave a life of degrading sin. Come to a new place in your life and submit yourself unto God and ask for His strength to hold you up. Bad behavior (sin) can be washed away and the peace of a new life is yours. Ask the Holy Spirit to intercede on your behalf and see the power of God come. Tell your friend to go to any AA meeting and listen. Go to a Teen Challenge place and listen. Tell your friend to get involved with a women's bible study. It's not the bible - it's the people that will be there!

Answer 4

Perhaps she should study the basis for what she claims to be 'sin'? I don't know specifically what she's doing that she thinks is sinning, but maybe it's not the actions that are the problem, but how she defines the actions. If it's something natural and not harmful to anybody, maybe instead of worrying about sinning and repenting she should worry that she's defining something that's not a problem as a problem? She needs to check her premises and THINK!

Answer 5

My friend, we are living in a fallen world, living in flesh. Tell your friend, we are all sinners. WE SIN everyday. She is not alone.

Thanks be to God, who sacrifice his only begotten Son for us, taking all our sins and punishment on himself, so that we can be make righeous and come boldly to Father God's throne and be blessed.

In the old testatment, the people made sacrifice every year to be cleansed of their sins. Jesus, the Son of God, today is our lamb sacrifice and has cleansed all our sins once and for all. Your past, present and FUTURE sins are all being cleansed by the blood of Jesus. YOU ARE A FREE PERSON! THE CHILD OF GOD! Do you think that Jesus' death is the same as the normal lamb or goat? Doesn't Jesus' death means much more than normal lamb and goat?

My friend, stop focusing on your sins everyday and focus on Jesus' death on the cross that cleansed your sins everyday. You are like a jewel under the waterfall of grace and mercy constantly being cleansed and clean every minutue every second.

Should you be reminded of your sin, stop praying prayer saying that "I repent God of what I had done" but start praying that "Thank you Jesus for your sacrifice on the cross that I have been make sinless and righteous." By doing that you are not focusing on your works but on the sacrifice of Jesus and his works on the cross for your salvation.

Romans 8:1 Now there is no more condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus because through Jesus Christ the law of the Spirit of Life set me free from the law of sin and death.

Even in the bible, God has told us not to condemn ourselves once you had received Christ. If God has not condemn us as long as we are in Chirst why should you condemn yourself?

My friend, remind yourself that GOD LOVES YOU so much that he gives his grace (undeserved and unmerited favour) and mercy everyday of your life . Therefore be embrace and submerged in God's love now!

I have more to say but the message is quite long already. Hence I should stop here. We can discuss this further on email if you need more help.

Answer 6

While we live, we are being sanctified by the Holy Spirit, and we will continue to sin...but God willing, it will be less and less as we mature in Christ. We are to repent when we sin, because we know it is wrong...and we must pray for faith, and patience, and discipline and wisdom...God will provide for us. Remain faithful and ask for your Christian friends to help you be accountable when you sin...you can share your concerns, and confess your sins to them to bring them out in the light...and ask for their prayer as well. You could perhaps ask one friend to be an accountability partner.

Take Care and God Bless!
I pray God helps you both each and every day!

Answer 7

Recommend she read Romans 5,6,7,8 over and over and study out what it is saying.

God has provided everything she needs in Jesus. He lives in her and He has the power to stop the sin. She needs to grasp that its done already and begin to live that out. Focus on His life in her and its provision, instead of focusing on herself and sin. When she asks, He gives and she can live what He provides.

Sometimes very straightforward things are so simple we miss them. People write whole books explaining these things, but it is written there in Romans, Paul had this same struggle until he finally realized Jesus already did everything and He began to live out of what was already his in Jesus.

God Bless You. You are a good friend to ask for your friends need!

Answer 8

The flesh is weak, she will have to continue repenting everyday she lives on this earth. She should surround herself with Christians.

Answer 9

Stop sinning and she won't need to repent! If she needs help God will help her.

God loves you....God bless

Answer 10

Maybe she should just embrace her sins instead of feeling guilty about them. That will also stop the guilt cycle.