Lets Be Biblical

Ransomed

Jesus literally gave up His life to be tortured and tormented for the sins of the world....so that those who He payed for could be “made the righteousness of God”(2cor 5:21)  and “made holy and pure.”(1cor 1:30). Those who He poured out His blood and “forever completely cleansed and perfected.”(heb 10:14) Those who He now calls a “royal priests,a holy nation, God’s very own possession” (peter 2:9).

Then why is it that we as christians insisted on calling ourselves sinners and calling each other something different than scripture declares us to be. 
When we refer to those who have been purchased with precious blood, sinners. We undermine the work accomplished through the pouring out of our saviors blood.

Actions do not define Identity

Through out history there have been a number of children found who had been abandon or raised in the wild. One naked feral child when examined in the early 1800s was said to be “close to the state of a wild animal.” Others stories have been told of these wild children barking, some growling and all together acting like animals

This child is an animal.......

No....

He is a child!

These children found are humans that are acting like animals. No reasonable person would look at this child or children and say, “They are animals” and mean it in the literal sense. Who they are isn’t found in their actions, but it is found in their make up.

In much the same way our identity in Christ is not based off our actions. Our identity is based off of our union with Christ. Which is why the bible is full of statement of being"in Christ."

Scripture declares that when we believed we got translated into an entirely new kingdom(Col 1:13). A Kingdom of love and light.  It states we have been reborn(1 Pet 1:23), and made new creations in Christ(2 Cor 5:17). That we are "holy and beloved"(Col 3:12). Romans 6 says have been “set free from the power of sin” and also states are dead to sin...... yet we call those people sinners. We link an action to who they are........
My question to Christians is why?

Well the bible calls us sinner doesn’t it?

Lets take a look at the Corinthian church, the church with the sin issues. Surely Paul puts them in their place and calls them sinners or at least the person engaging in sin, right?

Nope, in fact the word that is commonly translated sinner......isn't even once written in 1 Corinthians or 2 Corinthians. 

If not sinners what does Paul call them or refer to them as?

Here are just a few things Paul calls those in Corinth;

“His own holy people. He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus” 1:2

“Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.” 1:30

“temple of God” 3:16

“temple of the Holy Spirit” 6:19

and are said, “to reign in God’s kingdom” 4:8

and that’s just a sampling……..

Lets uphold to biblical standards in our communion and communication with one another.

When reading the New Testament Biblical authors I see them using vastly different language than sinner in reference to those who Jesus has purchased.

Lets keep it biblical, speaking to one another with words seasoned with salt and imparting grace to the hearer. Instead of calling ourselves or others sinners here are some biblical alternative.

Saints(acts 26:10, Rom 8:27, 1 cor 6:1-2), Holy Brethren, Chosen People (1 pet 2:9), Holy People (Eph 5:5), Creative Work of God (eph2:10), Living Stones (1 pe 2:5), Royalty and Priests (1 pe 2:5, 2:9), Aroma of Christ (2 Co 2:15),  Sons of Light (Jn 12:35-36, 12:46, 1 thess 5:5) Heirs of God (rom 8:17, Gal 3:29, 4:7), called blameless (Eph 1:4,  Col 1:22) The Holy (eph 2:19-21, 5:3, 1 thess 3:13), Instruments for Noble Purposes (2 ti 2:21), Obedient children (1 pe 1:13-16),  Soldiers (2 tim 2:3-4) and Ambassadors of Christ ( 2 co 5:20). 

And again this is just a sampling of what we are called as Believers. 

You are a saint!!!

Holy Root, Holy Fruit

Holy Root, Holy Fruit.

The reason biblical writers give for abstaining from sin is that it isn’t who you are to sin. Paul in Romans 6 response to a question about continuing in sin was that, “you are dead.”

That’s Awesome!! The reason for not living in sin isn’t because it’s bad or because you reap what you sow or whatever other reason people claim. It is because, it’s not you. Sin is actually no longer a part of who you are.

Think about it, we are told to bear fruits of holiness in Romans 6:22. Hebrews 12:11 talks about bearing fruits of righteousness. This is because the Root is holy and righteous and we have been engrafted into this tree (Rom 11:17) . Only a holy tree produces holy fruit. We are holy and righteous because we have been reconciled and united to Him.

“Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.” – Heb 2:11

Wait a second....did you forget you were dead?

Paul starts Romans 6 with a question and answer of why we should not keep on sinning.

“Should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace?”

Let us pause right here…..

What would your answer be to someone about why we should not keep sinning?

One person might say, “ Because sin is evil and wrong”

Another, “It is destructive and will bring death in your life.”

Possibly someone else might chime in, “God is holy!”

Or maybe the response would be a combination of these answers.

Yet Paul’s answer is drastically different and profoundly empowering. He speaks to the truth that we are in union with Christ. This is the state that Colossians 3:3 calls “Your new life, which is your real life.”

Paul’s response:

“Certainly not! How can we who died to sin live in it any longer?”

Its almost as if its an absurd question to even think such a thought. He is adamant about  this as the following verses use language like, “Are you ignorant of the fact”

Wow! Talk about a man who lives with the reality of being crucified with Christ (Gal 2:20).

I personally love the way the Message puts this verse. No translation better hits on the truth we touched on in the last blog (Read Here) of sin being a location, a place that we were in, but are no longer.

“If we’ve left the country where sin is sovereign, how can we still live in our old house there? Or didn’t you realize we packed up and left there for good?”

The old sin dead self, that prison of sin is no more. Its been destroyed eternally. You got a whole new house in a whole new country.

“That is what happened in baptism. When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace—a new life in a new land!”

You see if you believed you were dead to sin and made alive to God (Eph 2:1). The question or possibility of remaining in sin wouldn’t be on the table.

I believe, Paul understood that who you are always sets you free from whom you aren’t. When we speak to who someone is in Christ we empower him or her to be holy, because they have been made holy. Identity precedes action.

This empowering through identity is not just in one part of the bible, but through out. Lets take a look.

Its who you are, so act like it!

Holy People

Ephesians 5:3 “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed,…….”

Here we see an appeal to not sin, but why?

Is it because you are God’s sinful people, prone to fail, and even the hint might cause you to fall away?

Nope! It shouldn’t be among you because you are God’s and you are holy people.

“because these are improper for God's holy people.” – Eph 5:3

Holy Priests, Living Stones

We see a similar type of empowerment of who you are in 1 Peter. Chapter 2 which starts off telling those reading and to us as well

“Rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.”

But why Peter?

Peter answers this in the following section by focusing on mixing both the worth of Jesus and Identity. 

He speaks to who we are:

“Living stones” v5

“A spiritual house” v5

“A holy priesthood” v5

“You are a chosen people”v9

“A royal priesthood” v9

“A holy nation” v9

“A people belonging to God” v9

People in His wonderful light V9

Gods Home

Again to the Corinthians Paul is faced with an issue of sexual immorality. He addresses them with a question focused on identity.

“Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in your midst?” – 1 Cor 3:16

He sets out to bring to remembrance who they are, because if they remember who they are they will act accordingly. Right believing produces right acting.

I have simply scratched the surface on this topic and these passages. I hope that you go and investigate some more on your own. Invite the Holy Spirit into your study time with the bible. The Holy Ghost does a wonderful job at guiding into all truth (John 16:13) and reveal hidden and deep things( 1 Cor 2:10). 

Jesus the Mass Murder

The cross was the most brutal and largest mass killing the world has ever known. When Jesus went to the cross He killed every sinner that ever will be with one giant swoop. Jesus didn't just die for humanity, He died as humanity(2 Cor 5:14).

Jesus killed the you that was a sinner!

Made Righteous

When we make being a sinner about an action of ours, we miss out on a powerful truth of the Gospel. This truth is that we have been made righteous in a way similar to the way that we were made a sinner. We were made sinners by the act of another and we are made righteous by the irreversible act of Jesus.

"Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. BUT because one other person obeyed, many will be made righteous." - Rom 5:19

Just as you were once were in a prison of sin. You now are in a prison of righteousness. Put in a mansion of righteousness, made a slave to righteousness. You can’t sin your way out of it, because you didn’t do anything to get in it. It’s a gift according to Romans 5:17.

You are not a sinner

Depending on how you were raised you might think "how dare you! we are all sinners!!!"

But humor me for a second.............let me ask you something.

Why were you ever a sinner?

Because I sinned... right?

Well....no, not exactly....actually not really at all.

In fact you sinned, because you were a sinner.

Huh? Isn’t that the same things?

No, actually it isn’t. If I jump in a pool and begin to swim am I a fish? How about a whale? A sea horse maybe?

Of course not! I am still a human and because I am a human, I can actually get out of the water and be completely fine. A fish on the other hand can’t do that. Fish are slaves to water. They can’t ever do anything about it, because by nature they are confined to the water.

The nature of something dictates what it does, but what something does, does not necessarily dictate what it is.

Taylor, you have a funny way of proving a point......I am not sure I am following?

Okay, well in Romans 7:17 it talks about sin being in you. Sin was apart of you, it was part of your nature much like the fish. Because it was your nature just like the fish you were confined to sin. Romans 5:6 states you were without strength, helpless powerless to save yourself.....much like a fish is when it comes to doing anything about living outside of water. Your confinement to sin by nature which is why you were designated a sinner.

But how did I get there? Isn't that what you are suppose to be answering?

Right, I think the answer is found in Romans 7: 14. It says you were, “sold under sin.”

If we read Romans 5 we see that we were sinners because of “one man’s offense many died”5:17 and “For by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners” 5:19

Yeah I learned that in bible school when I was like 8......I seriously read this whole blog for that?

But don’t you see we were never sinners because of something we did, but because of Adam. You were “by nature children of wrath” Ephesians says. You couldn't do anything about it much like a fish can’t do anything about being in water. It is subjected to and under the dominion and power of the water by its nature, but than Jesus killed the you that was a sinner! 

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live." - Gal 2:20

That old nature, the sinner no longer lives. So you once where a sinner, a slave of sin, "But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."- 1 Cor 6:11

Are you getting this?

This is great news! Because you are now no longer in Adam. You aren’t the old creation, the one who is stuck in the water with out hope. You now have been made a new creation that has lungs to breath outside of the water. You can always jump in the water if you so choose, but you are no more a sinner. It is not in your nature. It isn't who you are anymore. Jesus didn't just die for you, He died as you!!!! 
Now you are a Saint!

You no longer have a nature stuck in or even prone to sin(Col 2:11, Rom 6)

Did you miss the last blog? Freedom to refrain from sin in Christ CLICK HERE!

If you liked this you may also like past blogs:

Taking the Fight Out of the Dog. Click HERE

How you see God is the difference between victory or defeat. Click HERE

Getting a new thought may just change your life. Click HERE

Receive and Rest Click HERE

Having faith filled prayer, revealing the YES in Gods heart toward you  Click HERE

Scripture declares your qualified fully, want to see? Click HERE