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Are You a Saved or Lost Sinner?
By Bill Bryant, Wooddale Church of Christ
No human being can truthfully say that he is without sin.
Romans 3:23 reminds us that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
No one can stand before God and boldly proclaim, “I am perfect.”
Most of us know that.
Many then conclude that all sinners are, therefore, in the same condition before God. That’s the reason many sinners remain home on Sundays to sleep and do other things instead of attending worship services to honor and adore the God that made them. That’s the reason why little, if any, moral changes are made in their daily lives.
The implication is, “Why worship and change the way one lives when all are sinners?”
This is extremely dangerous thinking, both in this life and in the one to come.
Even though all are sinners, God makes distinctions between those who sin.
There are differences between sinners.
How so?
Sinners that have been redeemed try to find out what sin is, but many in the world do not. Many allow the world to set the standard for sin (murder, drunkenness, rape, etc.), but even non-religious people have basically the same list.
No, God’s list goes far beyond the “big ones.”
The Bible shows the harm and evil of impure speech, envy, pride, arrogance, evil desires, the lack of unmerited love, etc. These items seldom make news or arouse guilt, but not so with the redeemed sinner.
The redeemed sinner trusts a sovereign and Almighty God to define sin and listens to His warnings against it. God has decreed what sin is and all will be judged by God’s standard of right and wrong.
Most sinners in the world have a light view of sin.
Redeemed Christians do not!
Redeemed Christians realize the cost of sin (the blood of Jesus – Acts 20:28) and realize it has terrible consequences (Rom. 6:23 / Gal. 6:7).
Sinners out in the world don’t struggle and fight against sin. They allow passions and desires to dictate their actions, but not so with the redeemed child of God.
Also, redeemed sinners continually go to the place of cleansing (Christ Jesus -- I Peter 1:18-19 / Eph. 1:7 / 2:1), whereas the sinners of the world do not. The redeemed sinner's hope does not rest on the ground of his own sinless perfection (I John 1 – 2). On the other hand, the Bible clearly reveals that unredeemed sinners will be turned away (Matt. 7:21-23).
Even though all are sinners, the redeemed sinner is headed for heaven.
Sinners in the world are not.
The Bible tells us that only those whose names are written in the book of life will enter the heavenly city (Rev. 21:27). Others will be cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:15).
Indeed, all are sinners, but some have been redeemed in this life and have a relationship with God as one of His beloved children.
Unredeemed sinners do not.
Sinners are not all the same!
