If We Are New Creatures, Why Do So Many Christians Still Live Like the World?

The Bible makes staggering claims about the Christian life.

Scripture says that those who are in Christ are new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). It says that believers have been born again (John 3:3), freed from slavery to sin (Romans 6:6–7), and indwelt by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). We are told that sin no longer has dominion over us (Romans 6:14), that we have been given everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3), and that the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in us (Romans 8:11).

And yet, when we look around, we see something deeply troubling.

Many who profess Christ continue to fall into habitual sin. Temptation regularly wins. Addictions persist. Gossip flows freely without repentance. Prayer closets remain empty. Bible study is neglected. Church commitment is minimal or optional. Evangelism is absent. Entertainment is embraced—even when it celebrates what God hates. And when concerns are raised, holiness is dismissed as “legalism,” and self-denial is framed as “working for salvation.”

If the Bible is true—and it is—then how do we explain this?

The Bible Already Anticipated This Tension

First, we must acknowledge that Scripture itself recognizes an ongoing struggle in the Christian life. The apostle Paul describes a war between the flesh and the Spirit (Galatians 5:16–17). Even mature believers stumble (James 3:2). Sanctification is progressive, not instantaneous (Philippians 1:6).

But Scripture also draws a clear line: struggle with sin is not the same as surrender to sin.

A true believer may fall, but they do not make peace with sin. They grieve it, fight it, confess it, and repent of it. “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret” (2 Corinthians 7:10). When sin becomes casual, cherished, defended, or unchallenged, something far more serious may be at work.

Possible Biblical Reasons for the Disconnect

1. Many Professing Christians Are Not Truly Converted

This is the most uncomfortable explanation—and the most biblical.

Jesus Himself warned that not everyone who calls Him “Lord” truly belongs to Him (Matthew 7:21–23). He spoke of seed that springs up quickly but has no root (Matthew 13:20–21). The apostle John wrote, “They went out from us, but they were not of us” (1 John 2:19).

It is possible to admire Jesus without submitting to Him. It is possible to attend church without being born again. It is possible to believe facts about Christ without having saving faith in Christ.

The Bible is clear: those who are truly born of God practice righteousness (1 John 2:29). Not perfectly, but genuinely. A life unchanged by the gospel may indicate a heart untouched by the Spirit.

2. The Flesh Is Being Fed More Than the Spirit

Even true believers can live defeated lives when they consistently nourish the flesh and starve the Spirit.

Scripture commands us to “walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16) and to “set [our] minds on the things of the Spirit” (Romans 8:5). These are active, ongoing choices. When believers fill their time with endless entertainment, social media, movies, music, and distractions—especially content saturated with profanity, immorality, and godlessness—the flesh grows strong.

Paul warns plainly: “Do not be conformed to this world” (Romans 12:2). John echoes it: “Do not love the world or the things in the world” (1 John 2:15). When Christians love entertainment more than devotion, pleasure more than prayer, and comfort more than obedience, spiritual dullness is the predictable result.

3. Holiness Has Been Replaced with a False View of Grace

One of the great errors of our time is the idea that pursuing holiness is legalism.

The Bible never teaches that obedience earns salvation—but it does teach that obedience flows from salvation. Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). Paul asks, “Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means!” (Romans 6:1–2).

Grace does not make sin safe; it makes holiness possible.

When Christians resist removing sinful influences—whether certain movies, music, habits, or environments—by labeling self-denial as “works-based,” they contradict Jesus Himself. He said, “If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out” (Matthew 5:29). Radical obedience is not legalism; it is love-driven submission.

4. The Fear of God Has Been Lost

Scripture consistently ties spiritual vitality to a proper fear of the Lord. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10). When God is treated casually, sin soon follows.

Modern Christianity often emphasizes comfort over reverence, affirmation over repentance, and relatability over holiness. But the God who saves is still holy (Isaiah 6:3). The Spirit who dwells within us is called the Holy Spirit for a reason. Where there is no reverence, there will be no repentance—and where there is no repentance, there is no growth.

So What Is the Answer?

The Bible’s answer is not despair, but examination and repentance.

Paul exhorts believers: “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith” (2 Corinthians 13:5). For those who are not truly in Christ, the call is clear: repent and believe the gospel. Turn from sin, abandon self-rule, and trust fully in Jesus Christ—His death, resurrection, and lordship.

For those who are truly born again but spiritually drifting, the call is restoration. Return to your first love (Revelation 2:4–5). Put to death what is earthly in you (Colossians 3:5). Renew your mind with the Word. Recommit to prayer, fellowship, accountability, and mission. Feed the Spirit and starve the flesh.

A Final Word of Encouragement

If you are a genuine believer who feels convicted by these realities, that conviction itself is evidence of the Spirit’s work. The Holy Spirit does not abandon His children. He disciplines, restores, and empowers them. “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion” (Philippians 1:6).

But let us be clear: Christianity is not about adding Jesus to a comfortable life—it is about dying and being raised with Him (Romans 6:4). The world will always offer entertainment, distraction, and pleasure. Christ offers something infinitely better: Himself.

May we be a people who take Scripture seriously, holiness joyfully, and Christ supremely. The world does not need more comfortable Christians. It needs men and women who truly belong to Jesus—and live like it.

A Final Thought: Stand Firm

The Christian life is not a playground—it is a battlefield.

Scripture never calls us spectators, but soldiers.

In Ephesians 6, God does not offer the armor as a suggestion,but as a command: “Put on the whole armor of God.”

Armor left on the ground protects no one.

A soldier who neglects training grows careless.

A soldier who lays down his armor grows exposed.

And an unarmed, unalert soldier is not avoided by the enemy—he is targeted.

The schemes of the devil do not wait for convenience.

They strike when prayer is neglected,

when Scripture is unopened,

when truth is loosened,

when righteousness is compromised,

when faith is set aside,

when salvation is taken lightly,

when the sword of the Spirit is left unused.

Armor is action.

Truth must be fastened.

Righteousness must be worn.

Peace must be stood upon.

Faith must be raised.

Salvation must be remembered

The Word must be wielded.

And prayer must be constant.

We do not stand firm by accident.

We stand because we are prepared.

We endure because we are equipped.

We remain because we are alert.

So stay awake.

Stay armed.

Stay grounded in Christ.

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood…”and only a fool enters a war unready.

Stand therefore.