Saint or Sinner?

I was recently asked after a service if a Christian is “still a sinner.” They had heard me say publicly (during a worship service) that “we are all sinners.” It was an interesting question. My curiosity launched me into a study of this subject. Even though the question was really whether or not it is Biblical accurate to call a saved person a sinner - my mind went down a different rabbit trail. How can we know if someone is saved or unsaved? At times they look very much alike. I know that what a person labels themselves is not nearly as important as how they actually live, but this is where the confusion comes in.

I have known unsaved people who are some of the most caring, loving, generous and unselfish people on earth. I have also known some Christians who rarely displayed any of these qualities. It does make you stop and wonder what’s wrong with this picture. During my study of this I read a statement that I have really wrestled with. “Just how much like a Christian can a sinner be?” Then I switched it around. “Just how much like a sinner can a Christian be?” In other words, is it possible to live like a sinner and still be a saint?

The Bible tells us that an unsaved person can be strictly moral in his outward life (Matt. 23:28) outwardly very prayerful (Mk. 12:40) very zealous in religion (Matt. 23:15) and very conscientious in doing what is expected of him (Matt. 23:23). I find this a little unnerving because, if that is so (and I believe the Bible is) none of these outward signs of Christianity are necessarily the signs of a true child of God.

The word Christian actually means “little-Christ” or “Christ-like.” It is interesting that the first time we see this term used to describe Christ-followers was in Acts 11:26

“The disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.”

Antioch is the first location where the label “Christian” was associated with early followers of Christ. What is interesting about this is that they didn’t call themselves Christians – they were called Christians.

There was obviously something about the way these early believers lived that they were called Christ-like. Today, we like to call ourselves Christians. I wonder if those around us would agree. Would they call us Christian even before we let them know that we are?

I purposefully left this post open-ended so that it left room for discussion. I would love to hear what you think.

Comments

[Doug Vaughan]

I've always found it frustrating just how much a "Christian" can be like a "sinner." Afterall, it gives Christianity a bad name. But the reality is, we are all sinners. The question you raise, "sinner or saint?," could definitely spark a healthy debate. However, the topic may better serve as a wake up call for all of us who call ourselves Christians. While it's always easier easy to think about how the actions of others are giving Christianity a bad name, we must realize how much our neighbors, family, friends, co-workers et al are forming opinions of Jesus by watching us and our actions. If we start acting like the One we say we represent, others around us will see a lot more saint and a lot less sinner.

[Chris Giusto]

This is a topic I've studied a bit myself. I lead a night of Bible study on this topic last year, but I'm on my lunch break at work right now and don't have my resources at hand. So I'll just spout off what comes to mind...

Like many subjects in our Christ-following journey, I think there is a tension here with which we must wrestle. The conclusion I have reached (for the time being) is that, as God's redeemed creation, I am both saint and sinner. We know that through the blood of Christ we are a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17) and have been given a new heart (Ezk. 36:26). Furthermore, Paul refers to entire Christ-following communities as "congregations of the saints" (1 Cor. 14:33). If we refuse to call ourselves saints, I think we dishonor the redeeming work of our Lord.

On the other hand, we all experientially realize that we are still capable of rebellious acts against God... and nasty ones at that! I can't think of a better passage to demonstrate this than Romans 7:7-25. Paul laments the internal war between God's law (Spirit) and his sinful nature, both of which reside in his heart. In 7:24, he exclaims, "What a wretched man I am!" Remember, this comes from a man who boldly declares himself to be an apostle appointed by Christ Himself, "set apart for the Gospel of God" (Rom. 1:1).

There are a couple of things that I have found important after recognizing this tension. First, I have to stay strong in my faith that God will finish the good work he began in my life (Phil. 1:6). This is a challenging one for me. I actually sign by personal correspondence "Rescued by Grace" because it reminds me that the rescue took place, but that event was just the beginning of God's good work in me.

Second, I have to realize that I play a conscious role in putting off the "old self" (Eph. 4:22)and becoming a saint by continuing to "work out [my] salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil. 2:12). While I agree that it is difficult to tell whether a person has a relationship with God based on outward signs of faith, Jesus does use the analogy of good/bad trees being recognizable by their good/bad fruit (Matt. 7:16-20).

Lastly, and this may make my whole comment irrelevant, I try not to worry too much about how I should classify/identify myself. If I have truly been bought at a price (1 Cor. 7:23), I no longer have authority to claim my own identity. "I no longer live" (Gal. 2:20; this verse rocks my world) and when my Father looks at me,
He chooses to see the righteousness of His Son that has covered us (1 Cor. 1:30). That's not to say that discussing the saint/sinner tension isn't productive; I believe it goes a long way toward helping us reconcile our redemption to our struggles. I just think that this investigation should ultimately lead us back to what God has done for us and what role we play in advancing His kingdom.

[Scott and Gwenna Bradley]

Jesus instructs the disciples in John 13: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." This gives us a glimpse into the heart of God. He had just modeled servant leadership by washing the disciples feet, spoke of his coming death and resurrection, and would soon predict Peter's denial. What a beautiful savior we have in Jesus. He sees our potential even when our behavior (fruit) is suspect (sinful). His words to the disciples speak directly to us. The world will know you are "little-Christs" by your love for one-another. We are not told that people will know we are "Christ-like" by quoting scripture or passing judgement, but by our love. Most importantly, we must remember these words as we reach out to a fallen world. Most people are not seeking biblical truth when they investigate the claims of Christ, they are looking for authentic relationship (people who truly love one another). They want to know that we are of love (acceptance, tolerance, and inviting) to , not hate (especially towards other religions/beliefs and homosexuality). They basically come in asking, "Do I want to be like you?" (Read Burke's No Perfect People Allowed for more insight.) The question, Saint or Sinner could be divisive, but it leads us back to the words of Christ, "Love one another, as I have loved you."

[Emily Main]

I used to hate it when Greg would use the phrase "vanilla wafer people." Yet, how i have realized that i am so 'vanilla wafer' like and because of this even though I am a beliver, i am still going to screw up...at least 17 times a day..so, we can be His, Little Christs, and still mess up...what i am learning continually is why i make the choice i do to 'mess up' and how can i do things differently next time???...working with children keeps me on my toes and honestly, i am on my game some days, and many i am not. Perhaps the challenge is to allow ourselves to fail, be okay with it and let others in on the fact that we are not perfect, sinners in fact; while at the same time passionate about Him....this is something i know i haven't gotten...but, i can now smile at being a 'vanilla wafer' person.

Dennis, thank you for the question and deep musings on what we all struggle with.
Emily
Crossnore, NC