If you are saved... are you still a sinner?

"But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." Romans 5:8 NLT

Last night, we finished up our Book study of my Pastor's book Graceology. I highly recommend it! You can buy it here: Graceology on Amazon

Chapter 15 is called "No Longer  A Sinner".

This sparked some great conversation in our group. We had already been digging into the Bible on another topic, so this just took us back in to research. I've been studying on it this morning too.

I said after we are saved, we are no longer sinners. One of my best friends said we all still sin, so we are still sinners.

We agree that we are righteous, through Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection. That's the ONLY way we are righteous. We can not do anything to make ourselves righteous.

However, we still sin.  I believe that God's Word explains that we are not still "sinners".  

Romans 5:9 NLT says, "And since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ, He will certainly save us from God's condemnation." 

Romans 5:18-19 NLT says, "Yes, Adam's one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ's one act of righteousness brings right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one person obeyed God, many will be made righteous."

I think we can all agree that Jesus makes us righteous. So when God looks at us, He sees Jesus. Therefore, we are not seen as "sinners".

Do we still sin? Yes. But being a "sinner" means you are not saved.

In Luke, we see another example of this, if we were still sinners, I don't think Jesus would have worded this this way: Chapter 6:32-34 NLT JESUS said this:

32 "If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even "sinners" love those who love them!

33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get any credit? Even "sinners" do that much.

34 And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get any credit? Even "sinners" will lend to other "sinners" for a full return."

I do not believe that Jesus would use this wording if it wasn't for the fact that believers are not classified as "sinners" anymore.

Yes, we sin. Yes, grace covers those sins. NO, that doesn't give us a license to sin.

As a believer, when we sin, we know when we are doing wrong. We don't ENJOY our sins anymore, for the lack of a better term. 

I just don't think we should call ourselves "sinners" if we are believers fully living for God and striving to be like Jesus everyday.

What's your take on all of this? I would love some discussion on this topic. 

God bless you today and always!