Should We Call Christians Sinners

What I am about to tell you will change your life. I know that it will because it changed mine. When I first began to discover the truth of what I am about to reveal to you, a surge of realization swept over me that gave me great confidence and happiness as a Christian.

How would you answer this question for yourself? If you died today would you go to Heaven? I know how you would answer it. You would answer it just like I always have. You would say, “I hope I would” or “I am not sure if I would or not”. And I now know why we answer it that way. We are convinced by what we have been taught for so many years that we are not worthy of the grace of God that gives us everlasting life. That was true before we were redeemed by the Blood of Christ, but God be thanked that we are cleansed, we are sanctified, we are washed, and we are made Holy by the Blood of the Son of God. The Bible does not refer to us as sinners and we are worthy of eternal life in Heaven with our God.

How many times have you heard recently, that we are all constantly guilty of sin? Have you heard someone tell you that even though you are a Christian you are not worthy of salvation? Perhaps they have said that no one is even worthy to take the Lord’s Supper. I would guess that it has been said recently. This is beginning to be a common explanation for what is determined to be the “sinful nature” that many say is an overpowering part of all Christian’s lives. What they are failing to see is that the Bible does not refer to Christians as “sinners”.

There are several reasons that have caused us as a church to start referring to ourselves in this way. One is an attempt at piety to keep us from sounding like we deserve all the grace of salvation that has been given to us through God’s own grace and good will. By referring to ourselves as “unworthy sinners” we attempt to show that we have not done enough good deeds and works to deserve God’s favor on us with eternal life. But the fact is, the Bible just does not refer to the people who are redeemed in this way. And why would it? God has made us Holy. And because of what Jesus has done for us, we are cleansed, we are Sanctified, we are Priests, and we are the Holy people of God’s Kingdom. God has cleansed us and set us aside as His own Holy People.

Look at what God said to Peter in Acts 11:9 about things he has cleansed.

            But the voice answered me again from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed you must           not call common.’ ‘

There is another reason, and I think it is really the one that is driving our opinions on whether or not we should call ourselves unworthy and unclean and unable to cope with what is called our “sinful nature”. And that is the subtle and propaganda teachings against the church of Christ by the denominations of the world. In an attempt to teach against our explanation that baptism is required for salvation, they try to label baptism as a work. They have found many ways to try to advertize that we are not saved by works. One common Scripture used to try to discredit baptism and tell us that God has no respect for our works is Isaiah 64:6.

            But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; Anyone who studies the context of this knows that this is describing the Israelites during a time when they were a disobedient people to God’s laws. But I would hate to say how many times I have heard this quoted by people of denominational churches trying to say that baptism could not save us. Once it was an attempt to tell me that God cannot “be pleased” with anything we do. This is part of the Calvinistic doctrine of “Total Hereditary Depravity”. Calvinists would teach that there is nothing good that we can do that pleases God and has any affect on our salvation. Therefore, baptism is not for the remission of our sins. I would ask you to check any good commentary for an explanation of Calvinism.

Denominational religions also try to use Romans Chapter 7 to try to make it sound like the Apostle Paul struggled constantly with his sinful nature and had a hard time keeping it under control. I would like for you to read Romans 7 and you will see that this is describing Paul’s dilemma with unforgiven sin when he was under the Law of Moses. Everything changed when he was no longer under the Law and was “In Christ”. Look at how Chapter 8 begins with these words;

Romans Chapter 8;

            There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. ² For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

Notice how Paul says that there is “therefore now” no condemnation to those who are “in Christ”. This indicates that now things have changed since he is in Christ.

If you study chapter 7 you will notice Paul talks about being alive once without the law and then he found himself under the law and guilty of sins which he had no way of eliminating himself from the guilt. The law made him guilty because it required obedience but it had no way to deliver total forgiveness. But when Paul found himself in Christ he was no longer condemned by the disobedience to the law.

Christians are no longer under the Law of Moses. We are completely forgiven for our past sins and if we walk in the light as a Christian is supposed to do, the blood of Christ continually cleanses us from all sins. Most of us can quote this verse from memory. It is found in 1 John 1:7 and it says, “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

As an example of this, consider the person who steps out of the water as a newly baptized and saved Christian. Would you say this person was a sinner? How would this person’s condition be any different than a person who has been a Christian for 20 years and walks in the light with the Blood of Christ continually cleansing him from all sins?

Of course it is not impossible for a faithful Christian to sin. If it is through impulse or ignorance then the Blood of Christ is cleansing us from all sin. But if a Christian sins willfully and deliberately, his soul is in danger without repentance. A Christian can fall away. And let’s not forget this Scripture in Romans 6:1, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?”

But for those of us who do walk in the light and whose lives are dedicated to living in obedience to the Word of God, and who get up every day determined to walk as a Christian walks, we are not to be referred to as unworthy sinners. It is no wonder that so many Christians are unsure whether or not they will go to Heaven. We hear so much what unworthy and sinful creatures we are that we can’t be sure we will be saved.

But look at some of the descriptions of us found in the Bible. The Bible refers to us as “worthy” and “Sanctified”. In Revelation 3:4, the Bible refers to Christians as “worthy”. “You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.” 

And again in 2 Timothy 2:21 the Bible refers to Christians as “Sanctified”. “Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.”

And there is the verse we have already quoted in Romans 8:1 that tells us that Christians who are “in Christ” are not condemned. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” 

There are many more Scriptures that tell us we are worthy of eternal life.

Carl O. Cooper