Jesus once told a parable to a group of people who trusted in themselves (Luke 18:9-14).  We usually call it, “The Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican.”  The Pharisee in the parable is spiritually delusional due to his overwhelming arrogance.  Praying to God, he said, “I thank thee that I am not as other men are…”  He gave a list of sinners that he was glad not to be like, but it is clear that he did not view himself as a sinner at all.

If you want to know if you are a sinner, I can help you with that.  You are!  I can say that without knowing you, your background, lifestyle, or anything about you, because we are all sinners.  Paul put it simply.

Romans 3:23 (KJV)
²³  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Jesus is the only man who ever lived sinlessly.  The rest of us are sinners.  Now, what kind of sinner you are is an open question.  To know that I would need to know a little about you because there are different kinds.  What kind of sinners are there?

There are unbelieving sinners who are lost.  By unbelieving I mean those who have not believed that Jesus is the Son of God.  Jesus said, “…unless you believe that I am He you will die in your sins” (John 8:24).  There is nothing worse than to die a lost sinner.  At that point, a person’s destiny is sealed and his fate unchangeable.  Hell will be his eternal home.  Do not let that be you.  Receive Jesus as your Savior before it is too late.  The evidence is undeniable.  His resurrection from the dead proves forever that He is the Christ, the Son of the living God (Rom. 1:4).

There are believing sinners who are lost.  The believing sinner who is lost is the one who has not obeyed the gospel.  This person has most likely been mislead by false teachers into believing that one is saved by faith alone.  Do not believe something the Bible never says.  The only time the words faith and alone appear together in scripture is when it specifically tells us that a person is not justified by faith alone (James 2:24).  If you are a believing sinner who is still lost, obey the gospel by repenting and being baptized (Acts 2:38).  Only then will you be saved by God’s grace (Ephesians 2:8-9).  At that point, your sins will be washed away by the blood of Christ (Acts 22:16), and you will be acquitted in heaven’s court.  You can save yourself (Acts 2:40), not by any meritorious work, but by your faith and obedience to God.

There are believing sinners who are saved.  These are the ones who have first obeyed the gospel (Romans 1:16), and then have continued to be faithful to the Lord by living according to the high standard of God’s Word (Acts 2:42).  These are not perfect people.  Remember, we are all sinners (meaning, we all sin from time to time).  If you deny this, you will be putting yourself in a perilous position.  John said, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8).  However, while not perfect, the saved sinner maintains his fellowship with the Father by walking in the light, which involves repenting and asking God for forgiveness  whenever we sin (ver. 7; Acts 8:22).

Yes, you are a sinner, and so am I.  The only question is what kind of sinners are we?  Do not be a practicing sinner, for then the Word of God is not in you, and you will be lost (1 John 3:4-9).  Be a sinner who has been redeemed by the blood of Christ and is practicing righteousness (ver. 7).  If that is the kind of sinner you are, don’t worry because you are heading toward heaven.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.