Are You a Sinner?

 From time to time, you’ll hear a Christian say something along the lines of, “I know I’m a sinner,” “We’re all sinners,” or “Everyone is a sinner.” You and I and many others have probably all said something along these lines at some point. The problem is, these statements contradict the Word of God!

To see how, we need to see how the Bible uses this term. We need to see exactly who the Bible describes as sinners, and what it says about them.

Who Is a Sinner?

First, God’s Word repeatedly contrasts sinners with the righteous. For instance, Psalm 1 tells us, “Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous” (Psa. 1:5). Again, in Prov. 13:21, we find, “Evil pursues sinners, but to the righteous, good shall be repaid.” The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy,

8 But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully,

9 knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

10 for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine,

11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust. (1 Tim. 1:8-11.)

The Bible urges us to avoid the path of sinners. Psalm 1 begins, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful” (Psa. 1:1).

The Bible calls sinners to repentance. It says that they must turn to God and walk in His ways. The apostle James wrote, “Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins” (Jam. 5:19-20).

Again, in Ezek. 18:21-22, we find, “But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall live.”

In fact, Jesus said He came to earth for this very reason, to call sinners to repentance: “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Luke 5:32). He even declared, “I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7).

In Psalm 51, David’s prayer of repentance, he included this line: “Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted to You” (Psa. 51:13). David had sinned grievously, committing both adultery and murder, yet he didn’t describe himself as a sinner. Why? Because he repented, prayed for forgiveness, and turned back to God’s way. He prayed, in this very prayer, that he would teach sinners God’s way. David had sinned, but his life as a whole shows that he was not a sinner. Sin wasn’t his way of life.

David committed murder and adultery, but he must never be remembered as a murderer or an adulterer. In the eyes of our great Creator, David was a righteous man, a man after God’s own heart. His sins were blotted out and forgiven.

Scripture tells us that those who practice sin are not children of God, but children of the devil! “Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:7-8; NASB).

Similarly, the Book of Hebrews tells us, “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries” (Heb. 10:26-27).

Now, before we were converted, we were indeed sinners! The apostle Paul wrote to the congregation at Rome, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). A few verses later, he added, “For as by one man's [Adam’s] disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous” (Rom. 5:19). So we see yet another example of sinners contrasted with the righteous, but not only that, we see that Jesus’ mission is to transform us from sinners into righteous! Again, Paul wrote to Timothy,

12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry,

13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

14 And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. (1 Tim. 1:12-16.)

Paul described himself as formerly the chief of sinners — a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man — and yet saved by Jesus Christ. Was Paul still doing these things? Was he still the chief of sinners? Was he still practicing sin? Of course not! He was redeemed and sanctified! He was made righteous by the blood of Christ.

Like the apostle Paul, we, too, were sinners before we were converted. But when we repent and accept the blood of Jesus Christ, we are no longer sinners. We are now pure and clean in God’s sight. Our sins are gone, washed away by the blood of Christ.

Yes, we are human beings, and we all have our weaknesses. Yes, we do still sometimes sin, but we are not sinners. Sin is not our way of life. Huge difference!

Does Christ’s blood cleanse us only partly, and leave us still in sin? What an absurd notion! The Word of God tells us, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,  that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:25-27).

There is no example in the Bible of a righteous person being called a sinner. The two are diametrically opposed, 180 degrees apart. Those who practice righteousness are children of God, but those who practice sin are children of the devil, just as we read moments ago in 1 John 3:7-8.

Strive For Perfection

The truth is, calling oneself a sinner is all too often an excuse to continue cavorting in and flirting with sin. To continue wallowing in sin and self-pity. It’s an expression of defeatism, of resigning oneself to continue living in sin.

If you continually call yourself a loser, how will you ever succeed at anything? You’re undermining yourself before you even get started. And so it is with sin. If you continually call yourself a sinner, how will you ever overcome your sins? You’ve already resigned yourself to living in them!

Jesus Christ gives us the power to overcome any sin and any addiction that we might have. But we have to believe! We have to have faith. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (Jam. 1:5-8).

Rather than wallowing in sin and self-pity, let us strive for perfection, just as our Savior told us! “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Mat. 5:48). The apostle Peter exhorted us, “Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless” (2 Pet. 3:14).

In Romans 6, we also find these words of encouragement from the apostle Paul: “Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. ... Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. ... But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life” (Rom. 6:6, 12, 22).

Will we obtain perfection in this life? Will we get to a point in our lives where we never sin in any way? Probably not, but that isn’t the point. As the renowned football coach Vince Lombardi said, “Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.”

Though we may never get to a point in our lives where we never sin in any way, we can and will get to a point where we no longer practice sin! By the power of Christ, we can and will overcome. By the power of Christ, we can and must practice righteousness if we desire to be in His Kingdom!

Conclusion

Brothers and sisters, let us stop describing ourselves as sinners — unless we’re actually practicing sin, in which case we must repent! God doesn’t look at us and see sinners. He doesn’t look at us and see all our past sins, whatever they may have been, because He has blotted them out. He looks at us and sees men and women He has redeemed. People He has bought with a price and cleansed.

If you have repented of your sins, accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, and been baptized, then you are no longer a sinner, but the redeemed of the Lord. Walk accordingly!