I can’t count the times I’ve heard folks claim, “I’m a sinner saved by grace.” That is not Biblical. Nor is it true. There are no saved sinners. There are only saved saints. The only part of that statement that’s true is all saints have been “saved by grace.”
Sinners are lost. Sinners have not accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Sinners are condemned to eternal separation from God. Isaiah 59:2 said, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you. Romans 8:23Â said, “. . .for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 6:23 said, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus.”
Paul consistently refers to followers of Jesus as “saints“. Paul said in Ephesians 2:4-6: “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5Â even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Cwith hrist (by grace you have been saved), 6and raised us up with Him, and seated us Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,” And in Romans 8:1 Paul said, “therefore, there is now NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
It’s Bible 101 folks. I wrote a similar post last year and a friend replied, “I sure don’t feel like a saint because I still sin.” Of course you do. I do too. So did Paul. So do we all. Right standing with God is not about how we feel. It’s about what Christ did for us on the cross.
God gave Adam and Eve freedom of choice in the Garden. We have it too. Until Christ takes us home we can choose to obey God or sin. Our sins don’t make us sinners. God’s word says we are totally accepted and unconditionally loved by God. That makes us children of God. His beloved.       Saints.    Not sinners.
For His Glory 
What a great post, Steven. I’m not comfortable calling myself a saint but I understand your point and found this to be thought provoking.
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Thank you, Kerri. You are such a spiritual blessing to me.
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Hmmm… I feel hesitant to say I am a Saint saved by Grace… I know I am saved by Grace! At least it’s not “other” 😉
Hey I replied to you on one of your last comments on my blog! So sorry it has taken me a while to get back here!
Here is my message on your response to Chapter Nine…
Hey Steve,
In honor of you and my friend Debbie… encouraging me to keep working. I tried to edit this with all of your suggestions… I don’t think that I want to go the first person route for this book. Maybe if I do another one that is not so personal… I might do it in the first person format.
When you have time… see what you think. I also cut Chapter Nine in half because I am trying to shorten the chapters over all.
Thank you for your patience!
xoxo
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I sent you an email about this. Hope you are doing well. No problem. Hope to hear more from you whenever you can find the time. I’ll be here.
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I believe you are sincere–but the fact remains that I do sin. In this mortal body I will never be sinless. I don’t beat myself up about it. I confess my sin before God, not because He hasn’t forgiven me, but because I need the reminder of how great His sacrifice was.
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Thank you. I totally agree. As long as we have the choice between right and wrong we will always sin.
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Great comments. I agree.
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All I can say is GRACE GRACE MARVELOUS GRACE!!
I have shared this on my new Facebook Page “Thoughts From The Porch.” It is a page set up to coincide with my blog site. A page of sharing other’s thoughts and a place where people can find hope and encouragement. I invite you to come by and visit my page. Leave a thought, quote of encouragement, a favorite scripture if you like.
Have a Blessed Weekend.
April
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GRACE! Amen. Been to your Facebook page. Will post at times to get you going.
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Thank you! Invite your friends to check out my page as well.
Blessings
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I will
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Amen to that!! I cringe every time I hear a pastor say that, because it’s a lie. There used to be a pastor at my church who would say that from the pulpit all the time and I used to cringe then too. They’re not taking into account the NEW identity (2nd Cor 5:17) we receive when we come to Christ by grace through faith. God could not have been more crystal clear of the error in that line of thinking when He inspired Paul to write 1st Corinthians 6:9-11. Because we are still in these bodies of death, we still sin, but thank God that is no longer our identity.
True, our sins no more make us sinners, than our garages make us cars.
Thank you Steve for getting the Word out that we truly are saints and not sinners.
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Thank you, Scott for reinforcing what God has already said we are. You are spot on. I want to use your comment as an aside. It will appear in one of the blue dots at the top of my welcome page soon. Thanks again.
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My pleasure! I’m glad you can use it.
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Thanks
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