AM I REALLY A SINNER? by Precious C Philip

Am I really a sinner?
Yes, you are, if you've not yet accepted Jesus into your heart and given up sinful living.
No, you're not, if you've accepted Jesus into your heart and given up sinful living.

It is funny that a lot of sinners (those who have not accepted Jesus) see themselves as righteous, while the righteous (those who have accepted Jesus) still see themselves as sinners and actually call themselves sinners. They pray, "God, forgive us our sins because we know that we're sinners." If you're still a sinner after receiving Jesus, who then does the Bible refer to as 'the righteous' in many parts of the Bible? Such as: "The righteous shall live by faith" (Romans 1:17). "The righteous are as bold as a lion" (Proverbs 28:1). "The righteous will flourish like a palm tree..." (Psalm 92:12). "The expectation of the righteous shall not be cut off" (Proverbs 23:18)...and so many other scriptures.

It is inadequate and incorrect understanding of the scriptures that makes some Christians who are born again to still see themselves as sinners and even call themselves sinners. The biblical truth is: If you're born again, you're no more a sinner. God sees you as righteous now. God calls you a righteous person now. Yes, you were a sinner before you gave your life to Jesus, but after accepting Jesus into your heart, Jesus made you righteous by imputing His righteousness to you and you became righteous. These two Scriptures corroborates this truth - "Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1). 1 Corinthians 1:30 "You are partners with Christ Jesus because of God. Jesus has become our wisdom sent from God, our righteousness, our holiness, and our ransom from sin."

When you still call yourself a sinner or still see yourself as a sinner after being born again, it has a significant impact on how you live. Because how you see yourself and what you call yourself influences how you live. If you still see yourself as a sinner, surprisingly, you'll still be living like a sinner, pray like a sinner, speak and act like a sinner. You'll still live in sin and find yourself falling and rising in your Christian journey. But the moment you understand, realise, and grasp firmly that you've been made righteous by Christ and have become a righteous person, it liberates you. You suddenly begin to see yourself living righteous, overcoming sinful temptations, living above sin, because of your knowledge of your true identity.

God made Christ who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God - 2 Corinthians 5:21.

Who is a sinner? A sinner is someone who has not yet received Jesus into their heart to make them righteous by believing in Him. "Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes" (Romans 10:3-4). The moment you believe in Jesus, you are made righteous instantly. The righteousness of God is immediately imputed to you, thereby transforming you into a righteous person.

If you're born again, you're no more a sinner. Jesus made you righteous to live a righteous life when you believed in Him and accepted Him into your heart. You're now a righteous child of God. "But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe" (Romans 3:21-22).

Never see yourself as a sinner or call yourself a sinner if you're born again - John 1:12.

Don't be afraid to call yourself a righteous person if you're born again because that is truly who you are now. You're not sinning or being proud by calling yourself a righteous person in Christ, you're simply declaring your new righteous nature in Christ to see it manifest in your daily living. You received the righteousness of God by faith in Jesus and your sin nature was crucified at the cross. You are not a sinner anymore. Never call yourself one. Falling into sin does not make you lose your righteous nature and become a sinner again. No! The sin nature you had as a sinner was crucified and you were given the righteous nature of Jesus when you accepted Jesus. You have a righteous nature now.

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their corrupt nature along with its passions and desires - Galatians 5:24.

You are a sinner and remain a sinner if you refuse to be born again. So, if you're not born again, please acknowledge that you're a sinner and ask Jesus to save you and make you righteous, so that you'll join the company of the righteous on their way to heaven. Give up everything that needs to be given up to receive the righteousness of God like Apostle Paul did: "What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith" (Philippians 3:8-9).

You need to take this step urgently and cry out to Jesus to save you because sinners spend eternity in hell with the devil and his angels if they fail to receive Jesus before death. The righteous on the other hand, spend eternity in heaven with God if they continue to live righteous lives till they pass on - Matthew 24:13. Give up your self-righteousness and receive God's righteousness by faith in Jesus Christ.

Shalom!