Sinner or Saint?

Have you ever said, “I’m just a sinner saved by grace?”  I have, and recently I read that this is really an inaccurate statement, according to the Bible.  It reflects what we once were, but no longer who we are. 
Scripture makes this very clear that habitual sinning is part of a believer’s past, not their current state:

1Co 6:9  Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 

1Co 6:10  Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 

1Co 6:11  And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. 

1Jn 3:6  Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. 

1Jn 3:7  Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 

1Jn 3:8  He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 

1Jn 3:9  Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 

1Jn 3:10  In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. 

The fact that our new nature does not sin is not an excuse for us to continue to sin because we feel like it!  In fact, it is important to recognize our inability to save ourselves from the certain death that sin produces.  And to understand our complete inability to produce anything good or godly (produce righteousness) outside of His spirit, which He gave us.  We need also to remain aware of our constant need of God’s grace and empowerment in our lives to live a life that is honoring and pleasing to Him.  And at the very least we owe Him our lives since He laid down His life for us.

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

1Cor 6:20  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

With that said, we shouldn’t confuse what we WERE, to what we NOW are - blood bought, forgiven, a precious child of God worth His Son’s own life.  And we should never confuse sinning and having to constantly confess our sins when our sin nature has been dealt with once and for all. 

Heb 7:25  Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 

Heb 7:26  For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 

Heb 7:27  Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 

Paul talks much more about the sin nature than he does about our need to continually confess our sin so that we can stand righteous before God.  Let’s take a look at the following.

We are new creatures:
2Co 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Walk no longer in the flesh:
Rom 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Rom 13:14  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

When you are born again by the Spirit of God indwelling you, God will stop at nothing to polish you into the beautiful person He created you to be, carved to perfection with His own characteristics.  He has dealt with our sin problem, so that now He can work on perfecting the saints.

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 

Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast. 

Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. 

If you really think about it, if all we are doing is confessing our sins that have already been dealt with and forgiven, then when are we taking the time to do the will of God, the “good works” that He has pre-ordained for us to do?

I can offer many more Scriptures, but for now, may God bless you and enlighten you on this very important topic.

Our Great God & The Grand Canyon

It was on my wish list of places to see: The Grand Canyon. It actually took years for me to get there, but a couple of weeks ago, I got to stare down into the nearly 6,000 feet canyon, and I was in awe. Not of the canyon, but the great and marvellous God who created it. It is a natural wonder, and scientists believe it formed as a result of the world wide flood. It is reported to be a mile deep, 277 miles long, and 18 miles wide. Everyone should try to see it at least once. I don’t think I will ever be the same after seeing it. I have seen many wonders, like Niagara Falls, the CN tower, and the massive 10th largest inland lake in the world just down the street from my driveway, but nothing like this.

As I walked around the rim (mostly on the sidewalk), one word came to my mind about God, and that word is “abundance.” He is a God of abundance. He is a big God and He does things in a big and great way. Just read His Word and you’ll see. He is a mighty God beyond description. We can only imagine. 

Just look at the following passage of Scripture:

Rev 20:11  And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Rev 20:13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Rev 20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

This is an epic scene of the time that is coming where every single person ever born will stand before our great and Awesome God (only God is awesome), and the books will be opened. Don’t you feel the breadth and the depth of this place that exists between heaven and hell? The Grand Canyon pales in comparison. Will He find your name in the book of life? I pray so, for He loves you so much He died for you. Our God of abundance did what no other god could or would ever do, lay down His life willingly, take our sins upon Himself, and forgive us who wouldn’t ever deserve such generous grace. He rose again and He lives right now, hoping we’ll turn to Him and find the abundant life we were born to live with Him as our Lord and Savior. But you need to invite Him into your life.

Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Reach out to the Lord today, and you’ll find an abundant life waiting for you, not because you are suddenly materially rich, but because you’ll discover a God who loves you and will enrich your life with His goodness and mercy.  And on that judgement day that is approaching, your name will already be recorded in the book of life.