Continuing in Sin

Our Pastor has been preaching on sin and how because of what Christ has done for us we are no longer a slave to sin. As Christians we should not be walking in sin, or living a sinful life. We can not claim to be children of God and continue in our old sinful lives. In fact we have been freed from the bondage of sin. If we are in Christ we no longer desire to live our lives in ungodly ways. In fact there should be evidence of a changed life, a renewing, putting off the old self and putting on the righteousness of God. I have to wonder then why it is as Christians we find ourselves falling into our old patterns of sin. Romans 7:17-23 tells us why we still struggle with sin in our lives. As it is, it is no longer myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do-this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. Whenever I fail in my Christian walk, I remember that because of the sin's of Adam I inherited a sinful nature. My desire is to walk a life that is pleasing to God and yet everyday I feel as if I fall flat on my face. But God is always there picking me back up again and washing the mud off my face and saying to me, your forgiven. He loves me even though I fall on my face. I am looking forward to that day when there will be no more sin, no more waging wars within my members, and I will be living a pure and holy life with Christ in Heaven.