WE ARE SAINTS -- NOT SINNERS

WE ARE SAINTS – NOT SINNERS

BY DR. MERVYN ABREO

          There are no sinners in Christianity! Only saints!

          We all started off as sinners. And we attained sainthood, not because we stopped sinning, but because we accepted Christ in faith. And that status will not change, no matter what happens.

          Therefore the early Christians were addressed as saints by Paul and Peter.

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU THINK OF YOURSELF AS A SINNER?

          A teacher-- teaches. A singer -- sings. A hunter – hunts.

          A sinner – sins!

          Therefore you do not become a sinner when you sin. Rather you sin, because you are a sinner-or at least you think of yourself as one.

WHAT WE THINK, WE BECOME!

          In the movie ‘The Iron Lady’ Margaret Thatcher says:

          Watch your thoughts for they become words.

          Watch your words for they become actions.

          Watch your actions for they become habits.

          Watch your habits for they become your character.

          Watch your character for it becomes your identity.

          What we think, we become!!

          If you think of yourself as a sinner, you will continue sinning – losing the battle of self control, because sinning is what a sinner does.

          But if you think of yourself as a saint, (which is what you actually are), then you will enjoy a victorious Christian life.

          David said: As the old saying goes, ‘from evildoers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you. (1 Sam.24: 12, 13).

          He did not consider himself as an evildoer/sinner, and therefore it was natural that only good would flow out of him.

DOES COMMITTING A SIN MAKE ME A SINNER?

ABSOLUTELY NOT! Your status as a child of God will never change.

          Abraham, a sinner, was called righteous: ‘Consider Abraham: “he believed in God and it was credited to him as righteousness”. (Gal. 3:6).

           And you will continue remaining a saint, even when you commit acts of sin, because the blood of Jesus is continuously cleansing you.

          Therefore we are saints who sin occasionally!

HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT OUR STATUS AS A SAINT DOES NOT CHANGE?

          We are in a world bound by time and space- and God isn’t. And so as far as He is considered, once you become a saint, you remain a saint.  “For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons………….(Eph. 1:4,5)

 (For a better understanding read the articles: ‘Understanding time, space and matter’ and ‘pre-election’).

SIN VERSUS SINFUL ACTIONS/ SINFUL DEEDS:

          They are totally different, but most people confuse the two.

          The first is the SIN we are born with. This is because man, who was under the Lordship of Jesus, rejected Him and made Satan as their god.

‘the whole world is under the control of the evil one.’ (1Jh.5:19).

          Therefore, God came down on earth as Jesus Christ to destroy the works Satan and win back His kingdom which was rightfully His.

          ‘……..because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. (1Jh.3:8).

          And how was the devil sinning? By breaking the Ten Commandments? No! Because these are acts of sin. His sin was that of rejecting God.

          Jesus neutralized this SIN. John the Baptist proclaimed: ‘Look, the Lamb of God, Who takes away the SIN (not sins) of the world!’ (Jh. 1: 29).

          And so, all who accept Jesus and acknowledge Him as the Christ (God in the flesh), are saved and become saints. While those who reject Him, become liars!

          ‘Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ.’ (1Jh.2:22).

          John, in his Gospel, when he speaks about Satan, says: ‘He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.’ (Jh.8:44).

          Thus God says: ‘And this is His commandment: to believe in the Name of His Son, Jesus Christ…..’ (1Jh.3:23).

          Therefore we will never lose our status as saints. From time to time we do fall. But we rise up again and continue our walk with Christ.

          And therefore we are saints who sin occasionally!

...................................................

Dear friend,

          I look forward to getting your feedback. Do write in to me at:

                                         drmervynabreo@gmail.com 

………………………………………………………..