Feb 07, 2011 God and Sinners
Originally posted on July 9, 2003
Talking about God is certainly an acceptable topic for a church. But talking about sinners is another matter. To do so seems so outdated. After all, aren’t we just wounded, or misguided, or in process? For many, “sinner” is such a judgmental word. Just using the word carries too much potential for offense.
At Grace, the last thing we want to do is offend people. After all, we’re in the business of winning people over to Christ and His call. One other thing is important as well; that we tell the truth. So, we have a commitment to be clear about important topics such as God, humanity, sin and salvation.
At Grace, we are talking about sinners, and actually using that word, for several reasons.
1. We are sinners. We know this because the Bible tells us so. If we are honest with ourselves, we will admit to knowing we are sinners from our own experience. This is not judgmental toward any one person or group of people, for the Bible tells us that all have sinned and come short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23).
2. God welcomes sinners. In Luke 15, we see the picture of a father who stands ready to welcome home a rebellious son. In the same way, God is the Father who welcomes sinners who repent of their sin to turn to Him in faith.
3. God has accomplished salvation for sinners. He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. Even as sinners, when we come to God through faith in Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
4. Acknowledging ourselves as sinners is a door to God. When we come to grips with our condition as sinners and our need of God’s gracious forgiveness, we are on the path to calling out to Him for salvation and deliverance from the guilt and power of sin.
5. Our guilty verdict can be changed. In Romans 4:5, God is called the one, “who justifies the ungodly.” Think of it. By faith, guilty sinners can be declared not guilty by God, in His sight. This is possible because Jesus was declared guilty in our place, for our sin, and was punished by crucifixion as our substitute.
With good news like this, it seems that declaring ourselves to be sinners is the best thing we can do. Jesus came to seek and to save sinners.
If you are looking for (1) a place to connect with people and (2) help connecting with God, we invite you worship with us at Grace Community Church. You will find information about our church and how to contact us on this web site.
Scott Patty, Pastor