I am not a sinner saved by grace

 “I am a sinner saved by grace.” Have you ever heard that phrase before? I certainly have. I’ve even said it myself. I have come to the conclusion that this is a theologically incorrect statement, and it is actually detrimental for the believer to believe this. How could I say such a thing? Aren’t we saved by grace? And if we are saved, then we were saved from our sinfulness, right? Yes. Then what’s the big deal?

When people say this phrase, they use it as a way to describe themselves. Let’s look at the first two words. “I am.” These words “I am” are a prerequisite for a statement of identity. The next two words are “a sinner.” This is a profound statement of identity. “I am a sinner.” Let me make this as loud and as clear as possible.

If you are a born again Christian, your identity is no longer in your sin. Your identity is in Christ!

You have been bought by the blood of Christ and have been made alive in him (1 Corinthians 6:20, Ephesians 2:5). You are a child of God (John 1:12). You are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). You are the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). You have been set free from the slavery of sin (Galatians 5:1, Romans 6:18).

Why is this phrase a big deal? It’s a big deal because I am no longer a sinner; I have been made a saint. I am no longer enslaved to worldly desires, but have been given the mind of Christ. I am no longer dead, I am alive. My sin does not define me, Christ does! In the New Testament, the word “saint” or “saints” is used to describe the believing person, not the word “sinner.” So why do we use the word “sinner” to describe ourselves? Maybe it’s because we see the sin in our life and we cower in defeat rather than go to war.

We decide to identify ourselves with our sin rather than identify ourselves with our Savior.

Please do not hear me wrong. I am not saying that a believing Christian will never sin. I am saying it is wrong to identify ourselves in our sin rather than identify ourselves with Christ.

This is why the phrase is detrimental to a believer. If I see the word “sinner” and think to myself, “This is who I am” then I will be complacent in my sin rather than live in the grace of Christ who has set me free from sin. We do have victory (1 Corinthians 15:57). We do have freedom! We have everything we need to live a life of godliness (2 Peter 1:3). We must fix our eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2) rather than fixing our eyes on sin.

When we say we are a sinner, we refute the gospel as if the cross of Christ hasn't made us righteous.

I am not saying I am without sin (1 John 1:10), I am saying my identity is no longer in my sin.

Christ came to save sinners.

·         Romans 5:8 says, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Christ died for sinners in order to make them righteous. 

·         Romans 5:17 “For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.”

·         Romans 5:19 “For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.”

Maybe a more theologically correct way to say this phrase would be, “I was a sinner saved by grace.” But now I have been made into a saint! I have been graced with the imputed righteousness of Christ and have a holy standing before Almighty God because of the blood of Jesus!

Are there any other common phrases we use in the church that are not theologically sound?

I have made some pretty strong points. For those of you who are older and wiser than me and disagree, please let me know. If you disagree, show me scripture to support your thoughts, and we can have a good discussion.

Buried Staircase

Walking along the front of my yard, with the lake to my right and a modestly sized hill on my left, I noticed a rusted and weathered handrail which was attempting to hide itself among the foliage of the hillside. I had not noticed this railing before, and I approached for closer inspection. I took my left hand and placed it upon the worn metal and began to walk up the hill making sure to place my steps carefully to avoid the poison ivy which had found fertile soil to take root. The earth beneath my feet displayed no evidence of a staircase, but after further effort and scrutiny I found a faint glimpse of cement after digging the toe of my tennis shoes down into the matted leaves and soil while kicking aside the debris. The cumulative absence of work and care over the years had rendered the staircase not only invisible and buried beneath the earth, but also left it unemployed from its previous usefulness.

This is what struck me most. The previously useful staircase was now unnoticeable and was even the fertile ground for the repelling plant, poison ivy. The staircase which used to be the direct route from the top of the hill to the lakefront had not only melted into the hillside, but also drove people away because of the vile plants it grew upon its path.

We are told in scripture to be alert and sober-minded (1 Peter 1:15). To always be on guard against the enemy. The enemy wants to make us useless in furthering the kingdom of God. And not only does he want to make us useless, but he wants to keep the unsaved from being in contact with us. He desires that we would become fertile ground for worldly behavior and desires to grow that keep the unsaved away. He wants us to become a part of the world, and to fit in rather than being someone who lives a holy life. And not only that, but just as the staircase was buried under the earth, so Satan wants to put us in a grave under the earth.

·         John 10:10a The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.

·         1 Peter 5:8b Be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring ion, seeking someone to devour.

But within this battle, we can take be encouraged. For the battle is the Lords! The Lord will not give up on you. He will never leave you or forsake you.

·         Philippians 1:6 “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

·         1 John 5:4 “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - - our faith.”

·         2 Peter 1:3-4 “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.”

The buried staircase was a sobering reminder of the work I must put into my relationship with God. Not that I am saved by works, for we are saved by grace through faith. (Ephesians 2:8) But that I must not become complacent in my faith and forget to guard myself from the little bits of dirt and weeds that can be present in my life.

Lord, help us to be diligent in the pursuit of godliness and sanctification, that we would not become invisible to the world, but that we would be visible and have a Christ-like influence. I pray that we would not fit in with the world around us, but that we would live a holy life by the grace that God gives us. I pray that we would not be useless in the furthering of the kingdom of Christ.

Power in Christ

These are just some verses of encouragement. God is Almighty and All-powerful. God works within us with his own power, so we need not rely on our own strength, for the Lord is with us.

·         Ephesians 1:16-23 “I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.”

·         Colossians 2:12 “having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.”

The same power that brought Christ from the dead is working in us who believe.

·         Ephesians 3:7 “Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power.”

We are given grace and are able to follow through with our calling because of the working of his power.

·         Philippians 3:20-21 “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”

·         Colossians 1:29 “For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.”

Living for the Lord can be a struggle and hard work, but God gives us energy and is able to powerfully work in us.

Be encouraged. The Lord is powerful, and he is powerful enough to work in you and through you.