“For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.”
— Hebrews 10:10
“This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” Then he says, “I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.” And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices.
— Hebrews 10:16-18
I wonder if we are part of the problem when it comes to growing people In the church. I have heard from the pulpit many times over that we are sinners. But if we have been forgiven by Jesus we are no longer labeled sinners but Children of God and a host of other amazing titles. Why do we keep insisting we are sinners? We may sin but that is not our purpose for living by. It has changed from who we are to something we are actively working to removed from our lives.
I see this as not different in calling a race of people hooligans who we expect never to have a place of importance in society. If we keep calling them this they will just assume this is who they are called to be. We know they can be so much more and this should treat them as such.
Does the consistent reminder that we are but sinners saved by grace lower our image of who we are in Christ? Does this work towards the lifestyle of, if I am still a sinner I might as well sin? What would happen to the church if we were to stop calling the children of God sinners and disciple them as they should be?
Some use this as to point out we were once sinners saved by grace, and this is true. But when you continually tell someone they are a sinner they feel less then, especially when they have made a heart change to follow Christ. So many believers who are young In the faith have walked away feeling as if they do not fit in and life would just be easier living the sinner life.
So are we Children of God or are we sinners? If we are children of God then let us start treating one another as such. Let’s start empowering our Children of God to be strong men and women of the faith.
Father, help us as your Children, forgiven and free, to stop labeling ourselves sinners. We have been given a new name, new life, new purpose. Yes we may sin, but we are living our lives in service to you. We are doing our earthly best to avoid temptation and sin. We ask for your help on this as we know on our own we will stumble on occasion, but as a loving father you still forgive us. Thank you for loving us! Amen
#foreveryone
50 Days of Pray 