For All Have Sinned

Last week, I wrote about the Christian concept of being “born again.” But what is the purpose of this spiritual rebirth? Why is it necessary? The reason is simple, but you won’t necessarily like it. The reason you have to be “born again” is because the YOU 1.0 is broken and you need a brand-new holy spirit-filled YOU 2.0. In biblical language, you are a sinner. The equivalent in modern terminology may be something like this: You are a failure.

Harsh, isn’t it? Examine your actions and your heart: certainly there are things to be proud of, but also things in your past or even your present which cause you enormous regret and shame. Maybe there’s a problem or action that you have been trying to overcome for YEARS with no success. To paraphrase the Apostle Paul, That which I hate I still do (Romans 7:15).

Don’t miss this important point: EVERYONE is a sinner. We’re all in this together, man. Some “holier-than-thou” people have the false impression that they are above others because of how well they are able to keep rules. But the Bible is clear: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The apostle Paul himself declared that he was a “wretched man” and the “chief of sinners.” Not just in the past either – note the present tense in his language; see Romans 7:24, 1 Timothy 1:15.

I’m not that bad! I never killed anybody!

Other people think that because they haven’t committed a major crime that they are guiltless. They may say, I’ve never killed anybody! But Jesus says to look beyond outward actions and go straight to the root of the problem: the heart. He says that if you’ve ever had hatred in your heart toward your brother, you’re as guilty as a murderer! (Matthew 5:21-22) Never committed adultery? Jesus says that if you’ve ever had lust in your heart, then you’ve already committed adultery in your heart! (Matthew 5:27-28).

The problem that people have is not with the outward actions. We can train a chimp to do certain actions and we can train ourselves from childhood to behave a certain way. But that doesn’t change the inclinations of the heart. You can appear perfect to the outside world, but inside be a completely different person. That is called hypocrisy, my friends. You may be fooling a lot of people, but you’re not fooling yourself, and you’re not fooling God.

So, should we just try harder to be good?

You could try, but it would be like cleaning the outside of the cup and leaving the inside dirty (Jesus hammers this point home powerfully in Matthew 23:25-28). Jesus says you would merely be like a well-polished tomb: outside you may appear clean, but inside you’re still full of dead men’s bones. Wow.

The biblical truth is that you can’t change your own heart. “Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.” (Jeremiah 13:23)

No amount of Oprah-endorsed self-help books will fix you in any meaningful way. It doesn’t matter how white your shirt is on a Sunday morning, that doesn’t change the brokenness inside. All I can do here is speak from my own experience: the old hatreds and the old lusts will linger and they will eat you from the inside out. You must be born again by kneeling before the Lord Jesus Christ and putting your life in his hands.

So, as “sinners,” should we feel guilty all the time?

The purpose of this concept is NOT to initiate a perpetual state of guilt in you. Some religious systems like you to feel perpetual guilt because it creates dependence upon the institution, demanding that you return to them week after week for forgiveness, offering special ceremonies that they tell you are essential for you to be forgiven. Wolf in sheep’s clothing alert! That is NOT what Jesus says. Special rituals done for forgiveness are called “ordinances,” which the Bible says were contrary to us and were nailed to Jesus’ cross! (Colossians 2:14). Rather, Jesus made ONE perfect sacrifice which is able to save us once for all. “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:14; see also verses 11-12)

The guilt we feel at the realization of our sin shows us in a powerful way our own dependence upon our creator. It is meant to get us to turn to God for help, to lead to repentance and conversion. After you are born again, the guilt is GONE! (I have felt this amazing grace for myself, as have millions of other born again Christians around the world. God will lead you as you come to him in repentance, and you will be washed by the renewing of the spirit). That doesn’t mean you will never feel guilt again; God continues to work on you after you’re born again, and that sometimes means convicting you for any old habits that remain. However, the good news is that there is no longer any condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). Now we can go boldly before the throne of grace because Jesus ever lives to make intercession for us (Hebrews 4:16; 7:25). But it all starts with a deep realization of your own sinfulness, your own spiritual helplessness, your own miniscule ratio before the divine.

Closing thoughts

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:8-9)

Maybe you can relate to the scenario presented in the Bible. Maybe there is something about your nature which is acceptable to the world but makes you feel damaged and hopeless. Maybe your efforts to change yourself have proven fruitless. Maybe you’re tired of appearing good to the world while knowing that you are much different in the secrecy of your private thoughts. We can’t just scrub at the outside of the cup; Jesus tells us we have to go to him for renewal from the inside out! You must be born again! See last week’s blog post for a discussion about what that means:  http://eph1-17.blogspot.ca/2013/07/born-again.html.

As always, thank you for reading. Next time I will conclude this little series on being “born again” by discussing the consequences of giving your life to God! Praise God for his amazing grace! God bless you.