Paul’s Born Again Experience 2-25-26

Christians are Still Sinners and They Fall Short of God’s Glory? (Part Two)

Paul’s Born Again Experience

As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, 

“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

And he said,

“Who are You, Lord?”

Then the Lord said,

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads [pricks].”

 So, he, trembling and astonished, said,

“Lord, what do You want me to do?”

Then the Lord said to him, 

“Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one.  

Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, 

“Ananias. “And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” So, the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.”

Then Ananias answered,

“Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.  And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.  For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake” (Acts 9:3-16).

It was not that he was still a sinner because Paul was a chosen vessel, it was that he committed an atrocious act (horrifyingly wicked) against the church (God’s people).

It was Paul who wrote:

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap (Galatians 6:7). He reaped what he sowed just as everybody does.

One night during our Bible study, the teacher took us to this scripture that put the icing on the cake.  For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens (Hebrews 7:26).

Since Jesus is separate from sinners and we are in Him how can we be sinners? If you still think you are a sinner, you do not understand how this awesome Lord God feels about you. He is Love and Love sees the best in us. God loved us and He knew how our bodies would be subject to and affected by sin because we live in a sinful world. Yet God never saw us as sinners from His perspective.

From our perspective- For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [but]  being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,  to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:23-26).

When Paul wrote that scripture; All sinners fall short of God’s glory, he meant the whole world was guilty (past tense). Saints, identify yourself with Christ because you’re in Him and His Spirit is in you.

If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified (1 Peter 4:14). This means the Spirit who has glory or He is glorious (John McArthur footnotes).

Please STOP saying you are a SINNER. Do you know how that makes Jesus feel, after all He did to make you a SAINT. We are SAINTS!” (Romans 1:7, 1 Corinthians 1:2, 2 Corinthians 1:1, Ephesians 1:1, Philippians 1:1,  Colossians 1:2,  2 Thessalonians 1:10, Revelation 14:12). 

Somebody may say:

“What about the verse that says, “Cleanse your hands you sinners?”

The heading of the verse: 

Humility Cures Worldliness-

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded….  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up (James 4:7-10).

These verses mean they were acting like sinners. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:11).

Betty A. Burnett ~ burnettministries.org