Randy Green's Blog - Posts Tagged "false-doctrin"
Will the real sinner please stand up?
It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all [1 Timothy 1:15].
Those words came from the Apostle Paul. The question is, "Did Paul write them before he was saved or after? Paul's salvation experience occurred on the Damascus road (Acts 9). The above quoted words from Paul are from one of the final letters he wrote, before being martyred for preaching the Gospel.
In other words Paul wrote those words to Timothy toward the end of his life, long after he was born again. This is signifcant for Christians today because of false theology making the rounds on the Christian circuit.
Some folks asseverate that Christians are not "sinners" because Christ saved them. Others limit sinlessness to just some Christians who follow Christ more maturely. Supposedly such folks have reached "perfection" already.
Paul's words are from an Apostle of Jesus Christ, a right holy man if ever there was one (aside from Jesus). Still, even as the end of his life drew nigh, Paul recognized that he was still a "sinner". Indeed, he saw himself as the FOREMOST of sinners. In Philippians 3:12-14 Paul noted that he hadn't yet attained to Christ's goal for his life, but he continued to press onward to reach it.
Let us not grow a fat head and hard heart and be full of ourselves, dear Christians. Let us not be too righteous to accept correction. Let us instead recognize that we are indeed sinners still. Yes, we have been saved by grace through faith and are justified; but no, we are not yet glorified and in eternity with the Lord. Only then will be be fully perfected. Until then we must continue being sanctified, continue working out our own salvation with fear and trembling; for God is at work in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure (Philippians 1:12-13).
Those words came from the Apostle Paul. The question is, "Did Paul write them before he was saved or after? Paul's salvation experience occurred on the Damascus road (Acts 9). The above quoted words from Paul are from one of the final letters he wrote, before being martyred for preaching the Gospel.
In other words Paul wrote those words to Timothy toward the end of his life, long after he was born again. This is signifcant for Christians today because of false theology making the rounds on the Christian circuit.
Some folks asseverate that Christians are not "sinners" because Christ saved them. Others limit sinlessness to just some Christians who follow Christ more maturely. Supposedly such folks have reached "perfection" already.
Paul's words are from an Apostle of Jesus Christ, a right holy man if ever there was one (aside from Jesus). Still, even as the end of his life drew nigh, Paul recognized that he was still a "sinner". Indeed, he saw himself as the FOREMOST of sinners. In Philippians 3:12-14 Paul noted that he hadn't yet attained to Christ's goal for his life, but he continued to press onward to reach it.
Let us not grow a fat head and hard heart and be full of ourselves, dear Christians. Let us not be too righteous to accept correction. Let us instead recognize that we are indeed sinners still. Yes, we have been saved by grace through faith and are justified; but no, we are not yet glorified and in eternity with the Lord. Only then will be be fully perfected. Until then we must continue being sanctified, continue working out our own salvation with fear and trembling; for God is at work in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure (Philippians 1:12-13).
