We Have Sinned

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.”

I love this Bible passage. I love it because it means that we are not alone when we sin.  It means that when we do wrong and some hypocrite (or hypocrites) condemn us in their pride and self-righteousness, they are really condemning themselves according to Matthew 7:1-5. ...

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.”

So you see, according to the inspired Holy Bible, the person who condemns another sinner is the worst of the two in God's sight. “Boy, can you believe what so and so did?” Yeah, and you're right down in the hogpen of sin with him according to the Bible. Do you really think God is impressed with you because you sin less than your neighbour? Nom the Lord is not impressed with your own righteousness (Isaiah 64:6).

So, then what pleases God. Ah, I'm so glad that you asked. The only righteous thing that I could ever do is faith, no more. It is by faith in Jesus Christ that we are saved. Galatians 3:26, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” I didn't see any mention of repenting of your sins, becoming a Christ follower, inviting Jesus into your life or getting water baptized. Faith in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is sufficient to be saved. The “gospel” is Jesus' death on the cross, burial and bodily resurrection three days later (1st Corinthians 15:1-6). Whosoever BELIEVES (relies upon, trusts) this GOOD NEWS is saved.

Also, many people misunderstand Jesus' command in Matthew 7:1 to “judge not,” thinking that all judging is wrong. But did you know we are actually commanded in the Holy Bible to judge others? It's true! John 7:24, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” Since we cannot peer into someone's soul to see their intentions, we are not capable of fairly judging them.

So, we must use God's wisdom to pray for the person. Jobs 16:21, “O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!”

We are biblical commanded to separate from unruly brethren. 1st Corinthians 5:11, “But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.” Be careful who you choose as friends. The Bible commands us not to keep close association with other professed Christians who choose to live in defiance against God's Word, not even to eat a meal together.

Galatians 6:1, “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.” We don't see this type of “meekness” (i.e., gentleness with humility) in today's ungodly neo-evangelical churches, like the pathetic Family Baptist Church, Campus Church at Pensacola Christian College and Smyrna Baptist Churches in Pensacola, from which all three corrupt religious groups I have been kicked out of since 2022. They are illegitimate groups because they all preach a perverted plan of salvation which includes turning away from your sinful bad habits as a prerequisite to getting saved, which is WORKS!

To me the message of 1st Timothy 5:24 is very clear, which is simply that there are only two types of redeemed sinners: 1) Sins are known publicly, 2) Sins are unknown publicly. But regardless of which group you fit into, your are still a dirty sinner. If you are saved, then you are no longer deemed a guilty sinner in God's eyes; the Lord only sees Christ's imputed righteousness on your heavenly record. The sins that we still commit as believers on a moment by moment daily basis is a matter of fellowship, sanctification and rewards, and has no affect upon God's promise of eternal life “to them that believe” (1st Corinthians 1:21b).

I love King David's proper attitude toward sin in Psalms 106:6, “We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.” Pastor Jack Hyles once beautifully said in a sermon that the 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.” Amen preacher! Amen!

When we reach that level of spiritual maturity as a child of God, we stop looking down on other sinners who we perceive to be worse sinners than we are; and we start viewing ourselves as still being a wretched sinner. This is why the Apostle Paul exclaimed in Romans 7:24, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Paul didn't say, “O wretched man that I was.” No, he said, “O wretched man that I am.” A good man doesn't do the wicked things that he used to do, and he tends to look down his long Pharisaical nose upon those who still do; but the spiritual man realized that he is still a wicked sinner, so that he humbly says, “There but for the grace of God go I.”

Pastor Jack Hyles preached an entire precious MP3 sermon about this truth titled: “The Good Man Versus The Spiritual Man.” Which are you dear reader? I want to be the spiritual man who loves and prays for other sinners who seem to be worse than I am, rather than condemn them because I foolishly think I am more self-righteous than they. I have said this truth often, that the ONLY thing which makes me any less sinful or more righteous than the vilest sinner upon earth is the precious blood of Jesus Christ that washed away all my sins in 1979 when I trusted Jesus as my personal Savior as a 12 year old boy (1st Peter 1:18-23).

Like other honest saints of God, I am a recovering Pharisee. I used to have a haughty spirit in my youth that I wasn't as sinful as other people, but in time I came to realize decades later that I am actually the worst sinner than I know. I say that because I know myself better than anyone else. And if you are right with God dear reader, then you also view yourself as being THE WORST CHRISTIAN.

I humbly believe this is why when the fearful woman who was caught “in the very act” of adultery was dragged to Jesus' feet by her accusers, and Jesus simply stopped down to write something in the dirt, the Bible says that the oldest accusers left first, then the younger. You see, as you grow older dear sinner you start realizing how horrible, sinful and hypocritical you truly are. I have never been as aware of how sinful I am, as I am today at age 58.

Lord willing, on March 5th, 2026, I will turn 59 years old. It is difficult for me to grasp how quickly the years have passed. I was born in 1967. My wife Alice is 64 and I thank God for her. We are just two sinners struggling day by day to live for Christ in this miserable world of sin, hatred and corruption. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

I keep my sanity by learning and playing the 5-string banjo, which is my passion in recent years. I also love the pedal steel guitar, lap steel, older country music and Hawaiian steel guitar music. I mostly use the C6th with added 7th tuning (C, Bb, C, E, G, A, C, E) to play Hawaiian music, hence the name of my music website, 'SteelC6th.'

Everybody needs a traditional hobby to keep their mind focused on something good. Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Whether it be gardening, painting, astronomy, sewing, cooking, sports, chemistry, wood working, making musical instruments or Bible study, I encourage everyone to have a few hobbies. This is biblically right and good in the Lord's sight.

I think Philippians 4:8 is so important for every saint of God. I receive innumerable emails each year from discouraged saints of God, who think on the wrong things and it hurts them. As I often do, when I see countless panhandlers bumming in public for handouts, I cannot help but wonder how their minds ever became so broken. Nobody just ends up on the street homeless, there was s slow process of wicked thinking.

There are ways for homeless individuals to find stability, such as access to affordable housing, supportive services, and programs aimed at reintegrating them into society. Solutions often involve collaboration between government agencies, nonprofits, churches and community organizations to provide necessary resources and support.

The big problem is that their minds are so broken they reject available help (part 2), opting to remain homeless and continue with their substance abuse addiction. I wish President Trump would implement a nationwide community program to end homelessness in the United States. I think he is doing the right thing to deport as many illegal immigrants as possible, who have stolen millions of U.S. jobs. I disagree.

Dear reader, I wrote this blog with the sincere prayer and hope that you would leave here with a new attitude, if you didn't have one already. It is my hope that from now on you won't look down on convicted criminals and the worst of sinners with self-righteous disdain; but rather, with the humbly biblical attitude that if it weren't for the grace of God, that could be you.

Luke 18:10-14, “Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

We have sinned! Get that into your brain dear friend, “WE HAVE SINNED!” Not you, not her, not him, but “we.” By doing so you will develop a new found compassion for all sinners.

“You can't love anybody, until you love everybody!” —Pastor Jack Hyles, “The Test Of Spiritual Maturity”

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.” I cherish verse 25 about doing good works. Just like our sins, our good works aren't always known publicly.

The public doesn't see the 50,000 hours plus that I've invested since 2002 into my website and blog ministry, literally labouring day and night for Jesus Christ (Mark 9:41). A full reward is awaiting me in Heaven because our “works do follow” us as saints (Revelation 13:14; 1st Corinthians 3:7-8; Matthew 6:19-21; John 9:4). Hebrews 6:10, “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.”