Besetting Sin
The Reality of the Shadow Self
The human experience is often marked by a “shadow self”—a collection of coping mechanisms, defensive postures, and behavioral patterns developed in response to trauma, pressure, or past hurts. These traits, while they may feel like an inherent part of one’s identity, are frequently just the tools used to survive. In the life of faith, the challenge lies in distinguishing between who a person is in Christ and who they became to compensate for the world’s brokenness. This tension is nowhere more evident than in the life of Abraham, a man of monumental faith who nevertheless found himself trapped in a recurring cycle of deception.
Genesis 15:6 (NASB) Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.
Abraham had been credited with righteousness because of his belief, yet his journey was far from a linear ascent toward perfection. His life demonstrates that while the Gospel breaks the mastery of sin, it does not immediately remove its influence. The “besetting sin”—that persistent, recurring failure—often remains a shadow that follows the believer, waiting for moments of stress or isolation to reemerge.
The Cycle of Regression
In Genesis 20, Abraham enters the region of Gerar and encounters King Abimelech. Despite having previously seen God’s faithfulness after a similar failure in Egypt, Abraham reverts to his old pattern of manipulation. He instructs his wife, Sarah, to claim she is his sister to protect his own life. This “Groundhog Day” of spiritual failure reveals a profound truth: moving on from a sin without experiencing deep, transformational work simply means that the sin will manifest again when the conditions are right.
Genesis 20:1-2 (NASB) Now Abraham journeyed from there toward the land of the Negev, and settled between Kadesh and Shur; then he sojourned in Gerar. Abraham said of Sarah his wife, ‘She is my sister.’ So Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.
Abraham’s regression is a reminder that old habits are difficult to break, even for those who have walked closely with God. This deceptive behavior was not just a one-time lapse but a “normal mode of operating”—a strategy developed over decades to navigate a dangerous world. When the pressure intensified, Abraham did not lean into his faith; he leaned into the shadow of his former self.
The Theology of Progressive Sanctification
To understand why a man like Abraham would struggle so deeply, one must distinguish between justification and sanctification. Justification is the act of being declared righteous before God through faith. Sanctification, however, is the ongoing process of being set apart as holy. This process is often categorized in three stages: positional sanctification (our status in Christ), progressive sanctification (the messy, daily walk of growth), and perfect sanctification (the final glorification at death or Christ’s return).
Romans 7:17-18 (NASB) So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good [is] not.
Progressive sanctification occurs in the “awkward middle.” It is the reality described by the Apostle Paul, where the desire to do good is present, but the power to perform it often feels out of reach. The believer is freed from the mastery of sin, but not yet from its presence. This creates a life that often feels like “one step forward, two steps back.”
Romans 8:1 (NASB) Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Despite this struggle, the Gospel offers a foundation of “no condemnation.” The recurring failures of the believer do not disqualify them from God’s grace; rather, they serve as a diagnostic tool, pointing toward the areas of the soul that have not yet been fully surrendered to the transformative power of the Spirit.
The Purpose of the Thorn
One might wonder why God allows these struggles to persist in the lives of His people. The Apostle Paul spoke of a “thorn in the flesh” given to him to prevent him from exalting himself. In the same way, a besetting sin or a persistent weakness can serve as a perpetual reminder of one’s need for the Gospel. These “tender spots” in the soul are the very places where God’s strength is perfected.
2 Corinthians 12:7-9 (NASB) Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me– to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
When a believer is honest about their “junk”—their anger, their fear, or their propensity for control—they are at their most spiritually secure. Vulnerability before God invites His presence. Conversely, the most dangerous spiritual state is the illusion of self-sufficiency. When a person thinks they stand firm, they are most susceptible to a fall.
1 Corinthians 10:12 (NASB) Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.
Planting for the Long Game
By the end of the narrative in Genesis 21, a shift occurs in Abraham’s character. After a conflict over water rights with Abimelech, Abraham acts with integrity and forthrightness. He moves beyond the quick fix of deception and begins to play the “long game” of faith. This change is symbolized by the planting of a tamarisk tree at Beersheba.
Genesis 21:33-34 (NASB) [Abraham] planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God. And Abraham sojourned in the land of the Philistines for many days.
The tamarisk is a slow-growing salt cedar that takes decades to reach maturity. By planting this tree, the hundred-year-old Abraham was signaling that he was no longer living merely for his own immediate comfort or protection. He was planting for the next generation, trusting in the “Everlasting God.” He had moved from the shadow of his self-preservation into the gold of a legacy built on God’s promises.
The Means of Transformation
Transformation is not a matter of sheer willpower but is facilitated through three primary means: the Spirit of God, the Word of God, and the people of God. The Holy Spirit acts as the internal voice of conviction, reminding the believer of their true identity in Christ. The Word of God serves as a mirror, exposing the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Finally, the people of God provide the community necessary for growth, offering both the wounds of a faithful friend and the encouragement of shared grace.
Psalms 139:23-24 (NASB) Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.
While the shadow of the past may still linger, it no longer has the final word. The sins of the past may follow a person, but the good deeds of a life transformed by grace cannot be concealed forever. The journey of faith is often messy and marked by “kook slams” of the soul, but it is a journey toward a restoration that only God can achieve.
1 Timothy 5:24-25 (NASB) The sins of some men are quite evident, going before them to judgment; for others, their [sins] follow after. Likewise also, deeds that are good are quite evident, and those which are otherwise cannot be concealed.