"To abstain from sin when one can no longer sin is to be forsaken by sin, not to forsake it"

This quote by Saint Augustine talks to the idea that avoiding sin is not the same as forsaking it. To avoid sin is to refrain from taking part in it, while to abandon it is to totally turn away from it. Augustine is recommending that when one can no longer sin, it is not due to the fact that they have abandoned it, however due to the fact that sin has forsaken them. This suggests that sin is something that can be actively selected, and that it is possible to turn away from it. Augustine is emphasizing the value of making a mindful choice to avoid sin, instead of simply being unable to sin due to external scenarios. He is recommending that it is just through actively selecting to turn away from sin that a person can really be free from it. This quote acts as a pointer that avoiding sin is inadequate, which it is necessary to make a conscious effort to turn away from it.