SINNER SAVED BY GRACE?
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Are you a sinner saved by grace? Does the Bible really teach us that we are sinners that are saved by grace or is it our churches that have taught us that? We are told by our pastors today that we should be satisfied with God's forgiveness and that we shouldn't hope for deliverance from the sin itself. These “teachers” don't understand what the true Gospel is and how Jesus has made us free from sin.
(Rom.6:17) But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. (18) And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness... (22) 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. (23) For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. How is it that we were set free from sin? (Rom.6:6) 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. (7) For he who has died has been freed from sin. We have been freed from sin because our "old man" (the sinner you used to be) was crucified with Christ, we can now reckon ourselves to be dead to sin (11) Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (12) Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. Why do our churches and ministers keep on preaching that we are sinners and that we'll always be sinners when Scripture clearly says to reckon ourselves dead unto sin and that we shouldn’t let sin reign in our bodies? If we have no desire to be holy like our heavenly Father is holy, (Matthew 5:48) Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect, then this is a convenient doctrine that permits us to live as we like (in sin) while confessing Christ. (Isa.29:13) Therefore the Lord said: “ Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths And honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me, And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men. Yes, the Bible speaks clearly of those who profess the Lord and yet it’s only a form of Godliness, we would call them “religious” and they teach the commandments of men instead of God. (2 Tim.3:5) "Holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof: from these also turn away" What’s the power these "religious" people have denied? It’s the power of God to completely deliver you from sin. They say that God can’t do that and you’ll always be a sinner. “These have a name that lives (Christian) but they are dead” (Rev 3:1).
Yes, the Power most "religious" people are denying is the power that sets you free, the real Gospel of Jesus Christ. That through FAITH in Jesus and what He did on the cross, He made an exchange; He became sin for us so that we would be righteous before God. (2 Cor 5:21) For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. It is no longer us that live but Christ who lives in us (Gal 2:20)! If by faith “the things hoped for, the evidence not seen” you believe it’s Jesus and not your old self who lives in you, then God will use your faith to empower you to not sin and make you holy. After all if it's Jesus in you, then the Jesus in you cannot sin. By faith we manifest Christ more and more until we’re perfected. Not by our power but God's and the blood of Jesus covers us until He is manifested more and more in our lives. For a complete study of this please read He takes away the sins of the World on our site.
Let’s now look at the verses our pastors teach us saying that we’re all sinners, “sinners saved by grace”. Here is one of their favorites. (Romans 3:9) For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. (10) As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; (11) There is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. (12) They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one.” This scripture is not saying that we’re all under sin for the rest of our lives but we are all under sin before we become saved, the natural man is under sin while the born again man is free from sin (Rom 6:22). Paul is not talking out of both sides of his mouth because if you remember just three chapters later Paul says that we’re “made free from sin” and that we’re “dead unto sin”. Verse 10 is not saying that Christians are sinners and because “there is none who does good, no, not one” that we’ll always be sinners because no one is good. I ask you, was Jesus a sinner? If you recall, it was Jesus who said that even He wasn’t “good”. (Mark 10:18) So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. No, Jesus was not a sinner and yet He said that even He was not good. Another scripture false teachers use to say that you are a sinner occurs just a four verses later in (Romans 3:23) “for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God”. This scripture is certainly true, each and every one of us has sinned and fallen short of God’s glory, but notice this is past tense and not future tense. Paul is not talking about saints who are in the Lord already. Please open your Bible to see this in its context. If you’re a born again believer then being a sinner is a thing of the past because you’ve been washed, you’ve been purified and you’ve already been made righteous by faith in Jesus.
Let’s look at the next scripture that supposedly proves that we’re all sinners and that we will always be sinners. (1 John 1:8) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (10) If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. This is another past tense statement; it's not the Good News of the Gospel after you’ve come to know the Lord. Just look what John continues to write in the very next verse. Now remember this was one continuous letter with no chapter breaks. Those were added later by men, so how do we explain what John writes next? Remember that what you’re about to read are the very next words in the same letter. (1 John 2:1) My little children, these things write I unto you that ye may not sin. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: (2) and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. (3) And hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. (4) He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; (5) but whoso keepeth his word, in him verily hath the love of God been perfected. Hereby we know that we are in him: (6) he that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked. Clearly John is telling us first and foremost not to sin, secondly if you mess up, Jesus is our Advocate with the Father, thirdly the apostle John says if we really know the Lord, we’ll keep His commandments and if you’re sinning then you are a liar! You cannot say you know Him when you’re not keeping His commands. Finally John says that the way we really recognize that we know Jesus is by walking as He walked. I ask you, how can you be a sinner and yet walk as Jesus walked?
Continuing in the very same letter on what John says about sin. (1 John 3:3) And every one that hath this hope set on him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (4) Every one that doeth sin doeth also lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. (5) And ye know that he was manifested to take away sins; and in him is no sin. This is the Good News, in which Jesus came not to just forgive sin but to take away sin! These are not my words they're God's Word. An example, if I take away your only car, do you still have a car? No you don’t and that’s the same with our sin, Jesus took your sin and you are no longer a sinner. (6) Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither knoweth him. How can we say that we’re sinners after reading this? If you’re abiding by faith in Jesus you’re not sinning because He is that continual sacrifice for your sin. (7) My little children, let no man lead you astray: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous: Are we being led astray by pastors who say that you’re still a sinner? When you’re doing the best you can and following the Holy Spirit in righteousness, then you are righteous in God’s eyes. That’s all the Lord expects from you is to obey His spirit and do what you know to be right according to the Word of God. (8) He that doeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. To this end was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. I guess John is saying that if you’re a sinner you’re of the devil! Are you really a sinner; if so you’re of the devil? No, Jesus came to destroy the power of the devil which WAS that sin nature which used to dwell in the old you. Because of Adam, you had that old sin nature, because of Jesus and His spirit living in you, He took away your sin and your old sin nature. (9) Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God. If you are truly born again, then it’s Christ who now lives in you and scripture says that He cannot sin. If you are really reborn of God you cannot sin! You may not understand this yet but you must believe it because the Bible says it. Do you believe your Pastor who says you’re a sinner or God who says you are not? (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. Look around at those who call themselves “Christians” and you'll see the manifestation of either saints who are truly children of God doing righteousness or you'll see sinners who are sinning and these are who the Bible calls children of the devil. The Bible clearly says that by their fruit you shall know them (Luke 6:44). You're either a saint or a sinner and a sinner has no place in the kingdom of God! "Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous" (Psalm 1:5).
In the same letter John continues to refute that “we are all sinners” and that we will continue to sin. (1 John 5:18) We know that whosoever is begotten of God sinneth not; but he that was begotten of God keepeth himself, and the evil one toucheth him not. If as born again believers, we are still sinners, why would the Apostle John, inspired by the Holy Spirit say that whoever is born of God (Born Again) doesn’t sin? The Holy Spirit continues to speak through John and says that those born of God keep themselves (do not sin) and the evil one doesn’t touch them. This just does not fit into the “sinner saved by grace” doctrine but does fit into a "Saint who is saved by grace" doctrine that is all throughout the Bible.
All scripture is truth and you cannot have two truths fighting against each other. To understand the real truth of what God is telling us, we must fit all scripture together. We cannot get on our soap box and say that “all have sinned” and “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” and make our case that we’re all sinners when we find that the Bible also says “whosoever is begotten of God sinneth not” and “Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither knoweth him”. Do you see the problem? Our churches teach us one thing while the scriptures teach another. Our pastors teach us that we’re all sinners and we’ll always be sinners. They teach us that Jesus only forgives sin and that He doesn’t have the power to work in us to deliver us from sin itself. This is the false antichrist doctrine which denies that it's Jesus in you! For many deceivers are gone forth into the world, even they that confess not that Jesus Christ cometh in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist (2John 1:7). Those who do not confess that Jesus Christ is in them, in their flesh and that He took away their sin is what the Bible calls the antichrist!
Many will use this next scripture to say that we’re sinners because even Paul was a sinner. (Romans 7:14) For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. (15) For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. (16) But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. (17) So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. (18) For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. (19) For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. (20) But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. (21) I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. (22) For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, (23) but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. (24) Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? (25) Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Do you see Paul’s confession here? Our flesh is sinful and wars against our spirit. Paul says that he is a wretched man and asks who will free him from this body. He then says that “Thanks be to God THROUGH Jesus Christ our Lord!” Only through Jesus does Paul realize that he can be freed from his sinful body. That’s why Jesus says that we must be born again and of the spirit to enter heaven. (John 3:3,6,7) Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." (6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (7) Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' Your flesh is sinful and that’s why Paul said, “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor 15:50). It’s only through faith in Christ that we are made free from sin. It’s only through the promised spirit that causes us walk in righteousness. (Ezekiel 36:26) And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you… (27) And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules… (29) And I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. Are you the one causing yourself to not sin or is it the Holy Spirit? It’s only through the power of Jesus that He protects and keeps us from sin and the evil one! This is the true Gospel that the devil doesn’t want you to know, that you have already been delivered out of the power of darkness. (Col 1:15) [Jesus] who delivered us out of the power of darkness. There’s power when you understand that you’re not a sinner and you’re free from sin, not your power but God's, yet if you don’t believe that Jesus took your sin then the devil has taken that power back from you and you’ll have no power to resist the devil and you will continue to walk in sin. Satan couldn’t prevent Jesus from defeating him on the cross so now he comes to each of us with a false "you're all sinners" teaching in order to steal our faith in the true Gospel of the cross. This is the Good News that Jesus took our sin away forever and gave us His righteousness; that in turn gives us every promise and blessing we see in the Bible; from healing and deliverance to provision and eternal life in heaven. That’s what the devil wants to steal from you by teaching you that you’re a sinner and you will always be a sinner! That is why our churches are so powerless against sickness, disease and all the workings of the devil. We have held a "form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof", we have denied the power of God which is the power to totally deliver us from sin and scripture says "from these also turn away" (2 Timothy 3:5).
Let’s look at another verse which our “teachers” twist in order to convince you that you’re a sinner. (1 Timothy 1:15) Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Why do churches who are supposed to be teaching truth, insist that we’re all sinners, when all we need to do is take this scripture in context and see that Paul is talking about his past and not his present state? Let’s now back up a couple of verses and read it in context to understand the real truth of what Paul is saying. (1 Timothy 1:12) I thank him that enabled me, even Christ Jesus our Lord, for that he counted me faithful, appointing me to his service; (13) though I was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: howbeit I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief; (14) and the grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. (15) Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief: Paul is clearly speaking about his past sins and not his present condition. You see, the Gospel preaches that we are accounted righteous through FAITH and not by works. (Gal. 2:16) Yet knowing that a man is not justified (Greek: Dikaioo - accounted righteous) by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed on Christ Jesus, that we might be justified (accounted righteous) by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law: because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified…(20) I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me. Those who say that we’re still sinners are looking at their selves and their works to be righteous instead of their faith in Jesus and His righteousness and what He did for them on the cross. They look at their weakness instead of God's power to keep them from sin. If you always believe that you’ll be a sinner, then that’s exactly what you will be is a "SINNER”. Jesus Himself said, “as you have believed, so let it be done for you” (Matt 8:13). What do you believe; that you’re a sinner and you’ll will always be a sinner or the Bible which says that it’s now Jesus who lives in you and that He took away your sin? If you believe the scriptures and accept that Jesus took your sin and believe you are free from sin, and that you’re holy as your heavenly Father is holy, then God will do as you believe because you have the faith for God to work in you! If by faith you believe that it’s Jesus who now lives in you, then how can you possibly believe that Jesus is a sinner? Remember that faith is defined in scripture as “the substance of things hoped for with the evidence not yet seen”. We have faith in our confession that we’ve been made free from sin and now we start the continual process from the blood covering of Christ by faith, to the manifestation of holiness in our bodies. That crucifying of the flesh starts to manifest righteousness in our bodies. In other words, we start to bear the fruit of Jesus Christ.
Another scripture some promote to say that born again believers are sinners is, James 4:8. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded”. Is this really saying that we are all sinners; does this really make the case? No James is saying to those who are sinning they should repent and purify their hearts. James calls them double-minded because they’re really not following the Lord with a single heart. This scripture just doesn’t line up with the others we’ve read, nor this next one. (1 Cor 3:16) Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? (17) If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. How can you be both the temple of God and a sinner at the same time? God warns us that if we defile His temple He will destroy us. Sin is the only thing that will defile God’s temple and if we are all sinners then we’re in big trouble. If you’re a sinner, your temple is defiled!
Other scriptures they say “prove” we’re sinners: (Romans 5:8) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Again, a past tense truth before we become saved. Next they say that Peter called himself a sinner. (Luke 5:8) Then Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” Yes, this was true because Jesus had not yet died on the cross for Peter’s sins. Once Christ died Peter was no longer a sinner.
The last and final scripture is the last of what I could find. There are no other scriptures that they can find to support this false doctrine. (Gal 2:17) While we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners. Wow, this seems to be the “smoking gun”, proving that we are indeed sinners and will always be sinners. Can we argue or refute this “proof”? The answer is a resounding yes because they cannot find scriptures to prove that we are sinners, some take scripture out of context to purposely deceive the sheep. Let’s read this verse in its entirety. (Gal 2:17) “But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! Can you believe how deceptive this is and how it says the exact opposite when you read the entire verse and not skip the first and last part of the verse. Read them both again to see how tricky Satan is.
Do a search in your Bible and you will see that believers are addressed as “saints” 61 times in the New Testament. The Greek word for saint is “hagios” which means physically pure, morally blameless, and holy. Yes, after we come to the saving knowledge and faith in Jesus we are called saints, holy and blameless. Compare that to a search on sinners, look it up for yourselves and you will find a grand total of zero times where true believers are called sinners; zero!
If you insist on believing you’re a sinner, consider these scriptures below:
(Luke 6:33) And if ye do good to them that do good to you, what thank have ye? for even sinners do the same. (34) And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive again as much. Even though our pastors don’t, It seems Jesus does see a difference between believers and sinners.
(John 9:31) We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. Are you still claiming to be a sinner? If so, why even waste your time praying when God won’t hear you?
(Romans 5:8,19) But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (19) For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one shall the many be made righteous. Are you getting the picture of the true Gospel? That you were sinners (past tense!) but now are made righteous through Christ!
(Hebrew 7:26) For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; Jesus is our high priest, HOLY and UNDEFILED and separated from SINNERS! If you’re really claiming to be a sinner, you’re separated from Jesus!
(Psalm 1:1) Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; (5) Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; If you’re a sinner, you’ll be separated from the righteous on Judgment day! Remember in Romans 6 it says “reckon yourselves to be dead unto sin” and “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body” that we were “made free from sin”. This is the Gospel preached throughout the scriptures, this is what you must believe in and then walk in. If you cannot walk in holiness and without sin now, aren’t you going to feel a little out of place when and if you do make it to Heaven?
(1 Peter 4:17) For the time is come for judgment to begin at the house of God: and if it begin first at us, what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God? (18) And if the righteous is scarcely saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear? Judgment will begin at the house of God. Will you be counted in the righteous who obey the gospel of Christ or with the ungodly and the SINNER? We see that once again SINNERS are not a part of God’s people!
(Isaiah 13:9) Behold, the day of the LORD comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger, to make the land a desolation and to destroy its sinners from it. Are you sure you want to be a sinner?
I hope this short study has opened your eyes to the truth that was once preached, but has been lost. Wouldn’t you think if the Bible really did teach that we are all sinners, we’d be able to find it in the Bible? Yet, we are warned in the book of Jude to “contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed”. False teachers have certainly crept in and most Christians haven’t even noticed. Without taking verses out of context, we cannot find one place that says that we are sinners, so I’ll leave you with a quote from our Savior Himself, “go and sin no more”. Believe it and trust in God and He will do it for you! “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor 5:21). Either you’re in Christ and have the righteousness of God or you're not in Christ and are a sinner.
Which one are you, Saint or Sinner?
God bless,
Mark, a servant of the Lord, www.HeavensHelpers.org
Questions/Feedback - email me:mark@heavenshelpers.org
