The Truth About Being A Sinner
re
you a living the life of a sinner or a saint? If
you are living the life of a sinner, you will be condemned regardless
of what you profess to believe.
You
can tell by your fruit. Sinners bear the fruit of unrighteousness
and await condemnation, while saints bear the fruit of righteousness and
await glorification. There is no middle ground. A sinner can be given
righteousness, but he must put his faith in Christ, and be willing to
stop living as a sinner. In this sense there is a complete difference
between the righteous and sinners.
God's Judgement
After
the book of Acts, the term "sinner" is used 13 times. In 1 Peter 4:17-18
those who do not obey the Gospel - the ungodly and the sinner - are directly
contrasted with the righteous. The righteous and sinners are also contrasted
in 1 Timothy 1:9, where we read: "The law was not made for the righteous,
but for rebels, the ungodly, and the sinful. In the New Testament, God's
judgment is still pronounced against the sinner. Jude quotes the prophet
Enoch:
"See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his Holy ones, to judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against him." (Jude 14-15).
The
passages in Jude, Timothy and 1 John 2:3-6 make it plain; sinners
will be condemned. The law still condemns those who refuse to repent
and remain practically sinners.
Are You Condemned?
There
is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Some have tried
to imply that you can live the life of a sinner while in Christ, but this
is easily shown to be false by the consideration of what it means to be
in Christ. Being in Christ, ie. abiding in him in the vine correlates
to obedience, " as is seen in passages such as John 15:1-10 "If you obey
my commands, you will remain in my love., just as I obey my Fathers commands
and remain in his love." Becoming a Christian should be synonymous with
becoming obedient. This should not only be clear, but the implications
of the opposing view must inspire evil. Wouldn't the devil himself believe
in Jesus if it meant he could escape condemnation while continuing to
be the devil?
"One cannot be dwelling in the light of God and also be in darkness. You cannot be in the service of Christ and simultaneously in the service of sin. "Thou shalt call His name Jesus, for lie shall save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21). Not saved in one's sins, but from them. What is a sinner? Let us see. A liar is one who lies; a deceiver is one who deceives; a murderer is one who murders; a sinner must be one who sins. What is a Christian? A Mohammedan is a follower of Mohammed; a Confucianist is a follower of Confucius; a Christian is a follower of Christ. How did Christ act? He "was holy, .harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners." (Hebrews 7:26). "As He is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4:17). Are we Christians? Are we followers of the meek and lowly Jesus? Are we imitators of that heavenly example? To say that one is a Christian and yet a sinner is about as ridiculous Os to say that one is a truthful liar, an honest thief, an intelligent idiot, a healthy invalid, a living corpse, or a holy devil." (1)
The Worst Sinner
The
primary argument against this position is based on 1 Timothy 1:15-16,
though this is easily reconciled with the position I have expressed. The
preceding arguments, however, will not submit to the contrary doctrine.
Only once is the term sinner used in the context of one who is also a
mature believer. Paul himself confesses: "Christ Jesus came into the world
to save sinners-of whom I am the worst". The question is, what is Paul
implying? Is he implying that he is at present living the lifestyle of
the worst sinner? The context says no. There are many things to consider:
1) The sins Paul stated he was guilty of in context are stated as past sins. " I was once a blasphemer, a persecutor, a violent man ."vs 13. If he was stating that he was presently in lifestyle the worst sinner, he would have said : "even though I am a blasphemer, a persecutor, a violent man." This is obvious. He stated he is the worst of sinners, but the sins that made him that were a part of his past.
2) The reason that Christ saved him, the worst of sinners, was so that "Christ Jesus might show his unlimited patience as an example to those who would believe" vs16. God demonstrated that he could save anyone, no matter how corrupt, The question bearing an obvious answer is what kind of example was Paul, who said " the grace bestowed on me was not in vain" 1 Corinthians 15:52. Was it the example of someone who lived the life of the worst sinner even after he claimed to see the light? Absolutely not. He was such an example that he could say to the Corinthians: "Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ" 1 Cor.11:1. Paul said that the God of peace would be with us if we would put into practice what we saw in him. This would not be true if his lifestyle was that of the worst sinner.
3) In 2 Corinthians 1:12, Paul states the kind of example he was. " Now this is our boast: our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God." I'll spend more time in section 3 speaking of the testimony of Paul's life, so I'll leave it at this: many had questioned Paul's motives and sincerity. He had to defend himself - and justly so, because if he was a Jim Baker, Joseph Smith, or worse, who would have considered him credible? You see, people will often make outrageous statements, but then fail to draw them to there logical conclusion. Why would people want to make the apostle Paul out to be a sinner? Perhaps to ease their conscience. This is an excuse like any other.
4) Paul said that: "We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?". This is what Paul taught, and this is what he lived. Jesus came to save sinners. The word "save" implies spiritual healing; it means to deliver or protect:-heal, save(self)do well, be (make) whole. This is what God did in Paul's life and what he testified to.
5) In Romans 5:8 Paul stated that, " The love of Christ is shown to us in this: that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" . Note that Paul says "while we were", he uses the past tense. In this passage, Paul refers to being a sinner as a part of his hideous past. Is this inconsistent? No. Someone might still call himself an alcoholic, though they haven't actually taken a drink in years. He could also say he's sober or he's dry and not be inconsistent. In the same way, Paul called himself a "Hebrew of Hebrews; in regards to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless" (Philippians 3:9). Here he uses the present tense, but it was well known that he wasn't a practicing Pharisee but an apostle. He wasn't persecuting the church any longer, but was instead now working to build it. He no longer had a legalistic righteousness, but the righteousness of Christ. Nevertheless Paul had done all of those things and thus could claim them as credentials.
Paul
was not a practicing Pharisee, nor was he a practicing sinner. Of all
the sinners Christ came to save, Paul was the worst. But he was saved,
and lived a holy life as an example to the church. People who argue that
Paul was positionally righteous but practically a sinner (the worst) will
say that Paul's claims to holiness were only positionally, not practically.
This is simply not true, and is obvious from the verses such as 2 Corinthians
1:12, 1 Corinthians 11:1 also 1 Thesalonians 2:6-12. As has been stated
you should always take the unclear verses of scripture and interpret them
in light of the clear verses. As we have seen there are many clear verses
which support the assertion that Paul lived a Holy life. It is not hard
to understand 1 Timothy 1:15 as being consistent with these claims.
God
worked in such a beautiful way that the apostle Paul was a real example
to the early church. I find it very disappointing that so many bible teachers
would try to hold Paul up as a bad example to the Church. I ask myself
how can this be Paul was an example of God's amazing grace working Love
in the heart of a believer yet he's constantly used rather misused as
a precedent to support the idea that it's normal for a Christian to live
as a Great sinner.
There's
a parallel in the faith movement they cast Jesus and the apostles as living
in great luxury to justify there greedy lifestyle. They know that were
told to store up our treasures in Heaven but they ignore it using Jesus
and the apostles as an excuse. They say Paul was rich to justify living
in luxury. Still others say Paul was living the life of a sinner to help
rationalize there sins. This is precisely what was happening in my conversation
with Haanagraaff I had quoted Paul saying he was Holy and to escape the
implications, Ron said he "claimed to be the chief of sinners." What they've
done is ignored the clear passages, and the context for the sake of a
preconceived rationalization.
If
your finding this hard to swallow I want you to be real honest with God
and answer a question? is it because this doesn't make sense, or is it
because you don't want to accept the implications.
Were
We
were sinners this is a word we need to know "were". we were controlled
by the sinful nature Romans 7:5. You were slaves to sin Romans
6: 20. You were dead in your transgressions and sin's Ephesians
2:1. Eph 5:8. Are is another word we need to get to know you were
once in darkness now you are children of light in the lord. "You
are complete in him," Colossians 2:10. The following quote from
Barnes notes on the bible makes the subject plain:
"Rom 6:17 [That ye were ...] But to give thanks that although people had been sinners, yet that now they had become obedient; that is, that great sinners had become converted, is in entire accordance with the spirit of the Bible, and with propriety. The word "although" or "whereas," understood here, expresses the sense, "But thanks unto God, that whereas ye were the servants of sin," etc. Christians should thank God that they themselves, though once great sinners, have become converted; and when others who are great sinners are converted, they should praise him." (from Barnes' Notes, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1997 by Biblesoft)
Searing Consciences
One
of the most frequent testimonies used to mend hearts that should be broken
and to sear consciences that are dying is the statement that "We're all
sinners." You see, a man whose heart is tender he knows that has committed
a terrible sin. His heart is grieved, and he makes his confession to his
would be discipler. Instead of reassuring him of the greatness of God's
mercy calling for repentance, and praying for healing and restoration,
his discipler implies that it's no big deal, saying something like, "Oh,
we're all just sinners. It's bound to happen."
It's
true that some people have a hard time asking for or accepting forgiveness.
Judas Iscariot felt so much remorse he killed himself. This is a serious
problem, but trying to deaden someone's conscience is not the answer.
We have to deal with problems in a biblical manner. Jesus knew that Judas
was going to betray him, but he didn't tell Judas not to feel bad because
he was "just a sinner." When people counsel someone in this manner, they're
not looking for God's honor or the sinner's restoration; they just don't
want to see the person feeling bad. Often they're not really confessing
their sins, but are looking for a carnal pity party. This is a real problem,
and leaving the impression that its not serious, is as harmful as it is
wrong. James wrote his letter to encourage the believers - to exhort them
and to rebuke them because he wanted to see their lives honor God. There
was slander and compromise with the world. He didn't say, "Just remember:
we're all sinners, so don't expect too much of yourself or your brothers."
Just the opposite, he proclaimed they should "grieve mourn and wail, change
[their] laughter to mourning and [their] joy to gloom". In our generation
we will still find sinners who feel remorse and will seek council but
most are careless and stay in the darkness they need to change their laughter
to mourning.
Tickling Itching Ears
"The time will Come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit there own evil desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what there itching ears want to here." 2 Tim 4:3
This
is forever man's tendency but we must stand against it. It is this desire
to tickle peoples ears that is at the heart of the one who will not stand
up to sin, they might even call it compassion, but even compassion can
go awry. Rather then saying, "You're just a sinner - you have to sin,"
James proclaimed " Wash your hands you sinners and purify your hearts
you double minded." James was never one to tickle people's itching ears.
He never said that it's acceptable to live the lifestyle of a sinner after
you've been saved. Instead, he said, "Whoever turns a sinner from the
error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of
sins." We're called to turn sinners from the error of their way,
not tell them it's expected that they continue in the error of
their way. Some people live as if they had a divine commission to leave
people with the impression that even the power of God can't impart holiness.
I say wash your hands. Wash them in the blood of the lamb, and purify
your hearts.
God
has provided everything we need to deal with our sin problem on a practical
level, as will as dealing with our need on a positional level. To do otherwise
would be to remove some symptoms but leave the disease. Jesus
shed his blood on the cross to atone for our sins and thereby justify
us. Yes, this is all true - but he also redeemed us. "He himself bore
our sins on the cross so that we might die to sins and live to righteousness"
1 Peter 2:24. God has imparted his very life in us; don't work against
him after he's done so much for you!
"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD,and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water,which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.Whatever he does prospers. Not so the wicked!They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,but the way of the wicked will perish."
Psalm 1:1-6
"For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose
to do-living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable
idolatry. They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into
the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. But they will
have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead."
1 Peter 4:3-6
"I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in
heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons
who do not need to repent."
Luke 15:7
"For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and
if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey
the gospel of God? And, "If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?"
1 Peter 4:17-18
"But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in
while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is
a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will
be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, "God is
really among you!"
1 Cor 14:24-25
"Someone might argue, 'If my falsehood enhances God's truthfulness
and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?' Why
not say-as we are being slanderously reported as saying and as some claim
that we say-'Let us do evil that good may result'? Their condemnation
is deserved.
Rom 3:7-8
"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even `sinners'
love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to
you, what credit is that to you? Even `sinners' do that. And if you lend
to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even
`sinners' lend to `sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. But love
your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get
anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of
the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful,
just as your Father is merciful."
Luke 6:32-36
"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee
from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands,
you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn
and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble
yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up."
James 4:7-10
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were
still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by
his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!
For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through
the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we
be saved through his life!"
Rom 5:8-11
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ
lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of
God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
Gal 2:20-21
"My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone
should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the
error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of
sins."
James 5:19-20
