Why do we keep repeating the same sins over and over again?
Confessional stalls at the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Toledo, Spain. Photo: Gerald Farinas.
Why do I keep making the same mistakes, even when I know better?
This question has been deeply explored by Presbyterian and Reformed theologians for centuries.
I’m an armchair theologian so I would need the Presbyterian doctorates to check me on this. But here goes.
We are born with a broken nature
In Presbyterian or Reformed theology, we believe all people are born with what’s called original sin.
This means our whole nature—our thoughts, our feelings, and choices—is affected by sin.
The French lawyer John Calvin, one of the founders of Reformed thinking, said that people are so deeply influenced by sin that even when we want to do good, we can’t do it perfectly (Institutes of the Christian Religion, 2.3.5).
Sounds a lot like everything in my life, quite frankly.
Even after we become Christians, the effects of sin don’t disappear right away.
It’s like a disease we’re healing from—slowly, over a lifetime.
Or the nagging of a mother. Even after she’s gone, her commentary on your actions remain in memory.
We are both sinners and saved
Reformed Christians believe something very important but also a little confusing. We are both forgiven and still sinners at the same time.
A Latin phrase for this is simul justus et peccator, which means “at once righteous and a sinner.”
This means God sees us as good and clean because of Jesus, but we still struggle with sin every day.
Our Presbyterian Church (USA) Book of Confessions puts it this way in Westminster Confession of Faith 6.5: Even people who trust in Jesus still have sin living inside them.
Sin becomes a habit
The longer we let sin stay in our lives, the easier it is for it to become a habit.
John Owen, a famous Reformed writer, said that we must fight sin every day, or sin will start to control us again.
He wrote, “Be killing sin, or it will be killing you” (The Mortification of Sin, Chapter 1).
That’s why it’s easy to fall into the same patterns—because sin is sneaky, and often shows up in our habits, emotions, and even the things we desire.
Growing in holiness takes time
Becoming more like Jesus—what we call sanctification—doesn’t happen overnight.
It takes time.
The Belgic Confession, another Reformed document, says we do good things not to earn God’s love, but because we already have it (Belgic Confession, Article 24).
Even the Apostle Paul struggled with this.
In Romans 7:15 (NRSVue), he says, “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.”
That’s a familiar feeling for me!
God helps us through His gifts
Presbyterian and other Reformed churches teach that God gives us tools to help us grow—things like reading the Bible, praying, going to church and listening to Pastor Kristin, and taking Communion.
These are called the means of grace.
Through them, the Holy Spirit helps us fight sin and grow stronger.
Calvin said that godly people may fall into sin, but they don’t stay there.
They get back up, with God’s help, and keep going (Institutes, 3.3.9).
In simple terms
We keep repeating sins because our hearts are still healing.
We are forgiven, but not yet perfect.
We live in the middle—saved, but still growing.
The good news?
God doesn’t give up on us.
His grace is stronger than our worst habits.
Every time we fall, God invites us to stand back up—with His help.
Sources
John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 2 and 3
John Owen, The Mortification of Sin, 1656
Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 6
Belgic Confession, Article 24
Romans 7:15
