Sinner or Saint, it Comes Down to a Choice?
Ultimately, the choice we make will be with us for all of eternity, so my recommendation is that you know the whole outcome of your choice before it's too late.
Romans 5:8-11 - "But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation."
“Sin” in the classical sense is a thoughtless act of selfishness that hurts others. "Sin" in the Biblical sense is to “miss the mark,” to “be without a share,” to be “mistaken,” to “miss or wander from the path of uprightness and honor, '' or to “do wrong,” and finally, being “separation from God, or apart from God.”
John 3:16-17 - “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him."
There is no doubt to the “Born Again Believer” that God loves them. They continually rejoice, proclaiming daily, “Abba, Father!” And, God hates sin. But, although God loves the “Sinner,” there is no doubt, God absolutely HATES Sin.
Psalms 26:5 - “I hate the assembly of evildoers, And I will not sit with the wicked.”
Sin has no place in God. God has no place in sin. This is absolute. Sin is “man” or “mankind” apart from God, away from His love.
Romans 5:8-11 - "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation."
Being removed from the love of God is sin and death, and “in sin” you will find every wickedness and every kind of evildoer. Anything done apart from God is sin.
Psalms 104:35 - "Let sinners be consumed from the earth And let the wicked be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Praise the Lord!"
God has a plan for “sin” and a separate plan for “the sinner.” Sin is anything outside of or apart from God. Sin is self-centeredness, selfishness, and even self-consideration of any kind.
1 Samuel 15:18 - "and the Lord sent you on a mission, and said, ‘Go and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are exterminated.’ "
Yes, every part of SELF is SIN. But, like I said, “God has a plan for sin and a plan for the sinner!” So, it might help you to pay attention!
Isaiah 1:28 - "But transgressors and sinners will be crushed together, And those who forsake the Lord will come to an end.”
God has brought a complete end to sin. He’s defeated sin entirely and absolutely. It is over. Sin is ash.
Burnt to a crisp and forever done away with through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, the cross, and more importantly, the resurrection.
1 Peter 2:24 - "and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed."
It is FINISHED, and it is DONE! Jesus did it all!
Romans 8:38-39 - "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Jesus did it all when God raised Him from the dead! We were with Christ when He was crucified, and we were buried with Him into His death, AND we were resurrected with Him to eternal life!
2 Corinthians 5:21 - "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."
Galatians 2:20 - "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me."
Make no mistake, sin will be destroyed! It's very clear, God hates sin but loves the sinner.
Psalms 37:9 - “For evildoers will be cut off, But those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land.”
The plan is to redeem the sinner and remove the sin, and therefore, they will stop the evil doing. But there is no doubt, those who refuse to receive the GRACE of God and declare Jesus as Lord and Savior will suffer; they will be cut off for all of eternity.
Ephesians 2:5 - "even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),"
God Will Honor Our Choice - Forever
God will honor those who hate him by granting their desire, which is separation. They want nothing to do with God or the Son of God, so in love, God does not oppose them. But they will live all of eternity with their choice. There is a plan of salvation for all man, and this plan is fulfilled for sinners and through sinners.
Matthew 26:45 - “Then He *came to the disciples and *said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.”
It is obvious that “sinners” are people who do not appreciate God. They don’t believe in Him or agree with Him, and they certainly do not listen to Him or follow Him. Sinners are people who do not believe in God and those who want to be independent of God. By their actions and behaviors, most sinners hate God. Doing “evil” is an act of hatred toward God. If a sinner hurts themselves or another person, it's an act of hatred toward God.
Psalms 22:16 - “For dogs have surrounded me; A band of evildoers has encompassed me; They pierced my hands and my feet.”
Satan is an adversary of both God and man. Satan hates God, and he especially hates man.
John 10:10 - "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."
Satan wanted to be apart from God, he wanted to be separated from God’s presence, His previsions, and His love to call his own shots.
1 Peter 5:8 - "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."
God granted satan his wish and banished him to hell. Hell is an eternal separation from God’s absolute goodness.
Psalms 27:2 - “When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.”
Some Sinners Absolutely Hate God and Those Who Believe
Everyone who considers themselves to be separated from God is a sinner. Those who do not believe in God are sinners also. And then some absolutely hate God, and they hate followers of Jesus too.
Isaiah 1:4 - “Alas, sinful nation, People weighed down with iniquity, Offspring of evildoers, Sons who act corruptly! They have abandoned the Lord, They have despised the Holy One of Israel, They have turned away from Him.”
Those who have denied God as their father have also rejected His Son, Jesus. Those who deny the Father and the Son will be cast out into eternal darkness. Many people have no problem with this, and they don’t care.
Psalms 1:1 - "How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!"
God allows everyone to make their personal choice without force or coercion. The choice is simple. It is to believe and follow Jesus or to go your own way forever apart from God. There is an expected end for all people, both Believers, and non-believers. One “end” is good, and the other is not.
Proverbs 13:22 - “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, And the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.”
We all die. But for the Believer, at the end of life on earth, we return to the Father, and we spend eternity with God, His Son, and the Holy Spirit, along with all the Saints in heaven. Those who reject Jesus and choose to go their separate ways, afterlife on earth are rewarded with their choice too, which is eternal separation from God.
Isaiah 13:9 - “Behold, the day of the Lord is coming, Cruel, with fury and burning anger, To make the land a desolation; And He will exterminate its sinners from it.
God has a plan and a purpose, and part of that plan is to punish and destroy sin forever. Unfortunately, anyone holding on to sin will go down with it.
Isaiah 33:14 - “Sinners in Zion are terrified; Trembling has seized the godless. “Who among us can live with the consuming fire? Who among us can live with continual burning?”
God will not be mocked. He allowed everyone to choose eternal life through Jesus, the Son of God. The choice is free, but the outcome is final and lasting for all concerned. Choose wisely.
Amos 9:10 - “All the sinners of My people will die by the sword, Those who say, ‘The calamity will not overtake or confront us.’ “
Jesus is the plan of salvation for ALL SINNERS. Jesus defeated SIN once and for all, FOR ALL! First, however, one must receive His free gift of salvation. Jesus provided salvation, and the way to salvation is completely paid for and provided. People either receive God’s gift in faith, or they reject it.
James 4:8 - "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded."
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About the Author:
Craig Rogers
Grace Coach
Craig Rogers has been a Christ-centered leader in the...
Craig Rogers has been a Christ-centered leader in the behavioral health industry for the past 25 plus years. Craig Rogers is an...
