A Proper Attitude Toward Sinners

Psalms 106:6, “We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.”

The Word of God teaches that all mankind are sinners. NO ONE is a shining example of what the rest of us should be like. Although it is possible to live above REPROACH, no one is capable of living above SIN. We are all dirty, rotten, guilty, sinners in God's eyes. James 2:10 teaches that committing even one sin makes us guilty of all sins, that is, even one sin is enough to send a person to the Lake of Fire forever and ever.

It matters not how big or little of a sinner you may think you are in your own eyes, the Bible warns that we are all filthy sinners, and all sinners go to Hell unless those sins are forgiven in Christ Jesus. Pastor Jack Hyles used to beautifully say... “First Baptist Church of Hammond will become a great church when we stop saying, 'He has sinned!' and 'She has sinned!' and we start saying, 'WE HAVE SINNED!'”

Thankfully Jesus paid the price for OUR SINS on the cross of Calvary's hill, or else we'd all go straight to Hell and get the eternal punishment in fire that we deserve. We have ALL SINNED and the only way of escape is through God's righteousness which is BY FAITH in Jesus Christ:

Romans 3:19-23, “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

Isn't that beautiful? The Bible speaks of the “righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ.” The Bible teaches that there is NO DIFFERENCE between one person verses another, for ALL HAVE SINNED. No one has arrived. No human being can boast of their own goodness and lack of wickedness. Everyone's sins are either known beforehand or afterwards at the judgment when we all stand before God and give account for our life...

1st Timothy 5:24-25, “Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after. Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.”

Like king David in the Bible, who was quick to judge others before he went into what is often called “deep sin” himself (2nd Samuel 12:5-6), we all tend to be very self-righteous and hard on others who sin. This is because most people don't know what it is like to suffer public shame for their sins, enduring total humiliation, being stigmatized, being shunned by a community for doing wrong, and even in some cases going to prison. When this happens to a Christian, their entire viewpoint forever changes (2nd Samuel 12:7; Psalms 119:67,71), bringing a new grasp of the abounding love, grace and mercy of God which has been provided to us all through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. You'll never fully fathom the depths of God's love and forgiveness until you've been brought low yourself as a big sinner, hitting rock bottom in the eyes of God and man.

“God will still use you, I don't care what you've done!” —Pastor Jack Hyles, “If Thou Should Mark Iniquities, Who Could Stand?”

I'll guarantee you that the adulterous women who was dragged by the Pharisees before the presence of the Lord in John 8:1-11 to be stoned, but was then pardoned by the Lord and released, never would have thereafter condemned anyone for their sins. In other words, if you ever come to the realization that you are a woeful sinner in the eyes of God, you'll never point a finger of condemnation at anyone again. It's not as easy to gossip when you're a known criminal or the biggest sinner in town.

The reality of the matter is that we are all horrible sinners and criminals to some degree. If you've ever deliberately drove 5-miles over the speed limit, you are a law-breaking criminal. The truth is that we are all deep sinners. There is no such thing as white sins, or little sins. There is no such thing as venial sins nor mortal sins (a false doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church). Not praying is just as wicked as murdering someone. Gossiping is just as sinful as homosexuality. All sin is horrible in God's eyes. We are all woeful sinners!

The Good Man Verses The Spiritual Man

(a beautiful life-changing MP3 sermon by Pastor Jack Hyles)

Perhaps you don't consider yourself a horrible sinner. If so, you're deceived. If you're in the habit of reading bad news in your local newspaper everyday, then you likely think you're not so bad compared to the horrible stories you read. Yet, as we just learned from James 2:10 and 1st Timothy 5:24-25, we are all guilty criminals in God's eyes. I love the following quote by Pastor Jack Hyles:

“If we could ever hate the sin in ourselves as much as we hate the sin in others, we might have some idea what His Book is all about.” —Pastor Jack Hyles (a quote from page 322 of the awesome biography of Dr. Hyles titled, “The Fundamental Man”)

Are You A Restorer Or Accuser Of Our Brethren?

Galatians 6:1-2, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”

The following helpful words are from chapter two of Pastor Jack Hyles excellent book titled, HOW TO TREAT DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHURCH MEMBERS:

8. The word, "bear," in Galatians 6:2 implies that we are to bear the guilt of the fallen and restored one. Then the word "burdens" in Galatians 6:2 teaches us that we are to enter into the yoke with them and to pull with them in order to help them to win the victory and gain strength. God is telling us here that when one sins, all have sinned. It would be a wonderful day for churches when every member takes the blame for the sin of one and realizes that the sin of one is really the sin of all.

SOURCE: Dr. Jack Hyles, chapter 2, Treatment Of The Fallen, from his classic book, HOW TO TREAT DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHURCH MEMBERS

Isn't that beautiful! When a fellow brother or sister in the Lord sins, we are supposed to enter into the yoke of burden with them, as if we had sinned our self, and help carry their sorrow, grief and shame. Instead of saying like the heathen world, “he has sinned” or “she has sinned,” we ought to say in meekness, humility and unconditional love, “WE HAVE SINNED.” Amen!

Notice that the Word of God defines a “hypocrite” as someone who considers another person as being a more rotten sinner than them self:

Matthew 7:1-5, “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.”

The truth is that judgmental people only do so because there is sin in their own life. For if a believer truly walks in harmony, in sweet fellowship, with the dear Savior, there is going to be a spirit of meekness and humility toward others who have gone into sin. God is in the ministry of restoration, not destruction:

Luke 9:51-56, “And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.”

Whereas we read in John 4:42 concerning another group of Samaritans who received the Lord, this particular group in Luke 9:51-56 didn't. The disciples were upset and asked Jesus if He was going to command them to pray down fire and brimstone to destroy the people for their unbelief. Jesus looked at them like they were insane and said He came to save sinners, not destroy them. Luke 19:10, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

How tragic it is that we destroy each other in our churches these days, ready to bring down the wrath of God upon our sisters and brothers with whom we disagree. Truly, the Christian army is the only army in the world that slays its wounded. Proverbs 10:12, “Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.” Galatians 5:15, “But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.” God hates gossip, backbiting and believers hurting one another. Jesus Christ Himself came as a humble servant, washing the stinking, dirty, feet of His disciples. The Lord commanded us to do the same to each other, caring for one another in love and sincerity of heart. The Bible says in Galatians 6:2 to “Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Everyone has burdens.”

My friend, whether you love or hate others is never put to the test more than when someone(s) sins. The Bible says that hatred stirreth up strifes; but love covers ALL SINS. That means what's in the past stays there. What HAPPENS at Grandma's house STAYS at grandma's house!!! If God forgave us, so also should we forgive others.

“If there's anybody in the Bible that God had disdain for, it was those that had disdain for other sinners!” —an awesome quote from the MP3 sermon by Dr. Jack Hyles titled, “If Thou Should Mark Iniquities, Who Could Stand?”

Those Sinful Christians!

The Godless world gnashes upon the righteous with their teeth the Bible says, meaning that the world hates Jesus Christ and anyone who is a born-again Christian (John 15:19). The heathen world scrutinize our every word and action, looking for something to discredit our testimony for the Lord. They are doing exactly what their spiritual father Satan does best, that is, accuse the brethren day-and-night before God.

When you're a Christian, the whole world is waiting for you to fall. As you just read in Matthew 7:1-5, the Bible warns about condemning others because of their sins. God is the only judge (James 4:12). That's not to say that we as Christian believers shouldn't take a Biblical stand against present-day wickedness, evil agendas and those who openly parade their sins in public. But rather, it means that past sins ought to be left buried where they are.

Proverbs 10:12, “Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.” The way of the Devil is to ACCUSE others. You're never more like the Devil himself than when you bring up the past sins of others to embarrass, discredit, hurt, assassinate their character or shame them. If the truth be told, you're just as much a guilty sinner as the next person. Satan is called “THE ACCUSER OF OUR BRETHREN”...

Revelation 12:10, “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.”

Let me ask you my friend, what is your attitude toward others who go into sin. Do you immediately condemn them? Do you go around gossiping to everyone, “Hey, did you hear about so-and-so? Can you believe what that person did?” Would you damn them to Hell if you had such power? Or do you pray for that person and say in your heart, “But for the grace of God, there go I.”

You ought to feel sorrow in your heart for that person and their loved ones, pondering that it could easily be you instead in that situation. It could be you going to prison. It could be you going through a divorce. It could be you losing your life because of sin. You ought to be thinking, “WE HAVE SINNED!” I read a wonderful Scripture in church tonight at our Wednesday evening Bible study from Psalms 106:6, “WE HAVE SINNED with our fathers, WE HAVE COMMIT INIQUITY, WE HAVE DONE WICKEDLY.”

Even the best of Christians are still sinners in the mortal flesh, prone to disobedience and anger. If we walk in the Spirit we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Albeit, we won't always choose to walk in the Spirit because we are still sinners by nature, until the Lord returns and gives us our glorified new body. Amen!

So I say to all my web visitors, whoever you may be... WE HAVE SINNED!!!

“The Devil will make you guilty about your past... You're not worthy to serve God, but neither is anybody else worthy to serve God, and so God's gotta have unworthy people serving Him... That's one reason why we should do everything we can to salvage people.” —a beautiful quote from the MP3 sermon by Dr. Jack Hyles titled, “If Thou Should Mark Iniquities, Who Could Stand?”

Every Christian Believer Has Jesus For Our Attorney In Heaven

1st John 2:1, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” The Greek word for “advocate” is parakletos and means “to run to one's side to help.” Hence, Jesus will be our defense attorney on Judgment Day in eternity. Christ Himself will speak on our behalf, because our sins have been cleansed away by His precious, literal, physical, blood.

Thankfully, Jesus offers to be our Advocate (Defense Attorney) . . . “And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” The word “advocate” coms from the Greek word parakletos and means “an intercessor.” Hence, Jesus Christ is our defense attorney who intercedes for us in God's divine court. This is only made possible by the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ:

1st Peter 1:18-19, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”

If it weren't for Christ's sacrifice, then divine justice would not be possible for mankind. The penalty for sin had to be paid. Either we had to spend eternity in the Lake of Fire, or else God's Son had to suffer in our place and suffer the wrath of God the Father, Who forsook His Son at Calvary. God only turns His back on Christ-rejecters Who die in their sins. They have chosen by their own unbelief to pay for their own sins. Jesus shed His physical blood for our sins at Calvary, to pay for our sins, thus enabling God the Father (the Prosecutor) to offer mankind complete justification. of debt.

Galatians 6:1-2, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” ... James 2:10, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”

Romans 4:5, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” WE HAVE ALL SINNED! But the Bible promises that God will count our faith in place of a righteous life. So no matter how evil, sinful, rotten and wicked you may be, God will still save you merely by your faith in the Gospel. That is, if you'll receive Christ's death, burial and resurrection as full-payment for your sins, then you'll be eternally and immediately saved. GOOD IS GOOD! GOD IS GOOD!! GOD IS SO GOOD!!!

“All you have to do is accept His gift of eternal life and you'll go to Heaven when you die!” —Pastor Jack Hyles, an awesome quote from the helpful sermon titled: “I Find No Fault In This Man!”