Still a Sinner or a New Creation?

                                     

                                               

The famous line heard in many churches sounds noble and humble, but it it Biblical?

 "I'm just a sinner, saved by grace!

It sounds humble in identity because it recognizes the person's origin in sin and the salvation they experienced by grace. But if you were a sinner and are now a sinner, what were you saved from? 

It is generally viewed that Yeshua's sacrifice saved us from:

1. fear of death 

2. the power of sin

3. the dominion of the Adversary

4. the temptations of this world

So, let's look at what the Apostolic Writers have to say on these matters:

Hebrews 2:14-16,18 (Literal translation using Bible Hub)

"Since, therefore, the children have partaken of blood and of flesh, He likewise also took part in the same things, so that through the death He might destroy the holding power of death, that is the Slanderer. 

And might set free those who through fear of death were to live all-subject to slavery...

In that He Himself has suffered, having been tempted, he is able to help those being tempted."

From this we learn that fear of death made us enslaved to sin. And though this verse doesn't mention sin, we have this one that does:

"And the goad of death is sin" 1 Corinthians 15:56a (Lit. trans. BH)

Sin is a little piece of death or as Paul puts it:

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23

Now concerning the world, it is now irrelevant:

"But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."  Galatians 6:14

Summing up so far, and exploring this so great of a redemption, we are no longer slaves to the Slanderer and what he says, or the death he had the keys to (Rev. 1:8), and the world is dead to us.

That is what He saved us FROM, now let's gaze at what He saved us TO:

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."  2 Corinthians 5:17

This is the new fact, the new reality. This is hinted at the Greek word for creation, which literally means "original formation". Nothing survives from before!

Also "become new" can be translated: emerged, accomplished, is done, is come to pass, is come!

Behold, all things have emerged!

Behold, all things are accomplished!

Behold, all things are done!

Behold, all things have come to pass!

It is finished! Our duty now is to see our identity as Yah sees it.  A done deal! 

This exposes the false doctrine of believers having two natures, or the old man. Here's his fate: 

"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." Romans 6:6