Turn with me to Romans 1, Romans 1. Romans 1, I'm going to read one verse for now. Verse 7 of Romans 1. Romans 1, verse 7. To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called saints, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Now I wanna read one more, if you'll turn over to 1 Corinthians, one more verse. 1 Corinthians. And it sounds something similar, but. 1 Corinthians one and verse two. 1 Corinthians 1 verse 2.

Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours. My title this morning is Sinners Called Saints. And there's a phrase in both of those verses that I want to look at today, and that phrase is called saints. Some might say it says called to be saints, but those words are put in there, called saints, if you look at it in the King James Version anyway. But it reads better without those words, and there's no reason to add those. The word saint means sacred. You could say separate from common condition and use, or you can say holy. The word for called means appointed. So these that Paul are talking about are those that are appointed holy. So they are called saints. Saints called by God, separated unto his work by him, for him, and through him.

And I was got on this because I was reading a thread on Facebook where some were talking about how they are now a saint and no longer a sinner. It reminds me of that comment Earl used to say, and I won't get it exactly right, but it's something like this. God winds them up like a clock and then now they just tick on their own. It's not true.

Here we read specifically, 1 Corinthians 1, 2 says, sanctified in Christ Jesus. And in Romans, we also read in verse six, the called of Jesus Christ. That's why they're called saints, because in him we have no common use, we are for his use. He uses us as he sees fit, and these called saints are glad to have it so. he directs our steps.

Even if that sometimes means if he is pleased to let us stray to teach us a lesson. As has been said before many times here, if he takes his restraint from us just a little bit, we will start a downward spiral. We will begin to get full of pride and God will leave us to ourselves to correct us.

To show us we are not capable on our own to do anything. Jesus Christ tells us, without me you can do nothing. I know I've said that in a lot of my messages. And he means it. If we do anything that is righteous, it is him working in us, and we do not really know what those are. I can't name them for you. We know what some of those are, they're mentioned in scripture, but I can't tell that I'd do that without this flesh. But that's not what we look to. We do not look to our works. And we certainly do want to do good works.

It says even in these verses, in verse six, among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ. He calls us saints and it's based on what he has done, not what we do or what we will do. It is his calling us this, and even the apostle says he was called by Christ a saint. Who is an apostle? That's the way you can say it. What is it that manifests that they are called saints?

It says, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours. It is not those who now do righteousness and no longer commit sin in and of themselves. The fact that we, in almost every book of the apostles, we are exhorted or rebuked to not do certain things and to do other things means we are prone to do the wrong thing.

And we do. We are called saints because we look to Jesus Christ. We're not looking at or what we do or not do. We look to him and what he has done, and we look to him to guide us in our walk by his spirit. And I gotta correct something. We're called saints because he causes us to look to him. So let me correct that right now. We will fall, but he will pick us up.

We're even told by the Apostle Paul in Romans 6-11, likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. We count to be so, and how do we do this? Do we do this looking at our works to see if they manifest we no longer sin? That verse in Romans 6-11 tells us how we reckon this to be so.

It says, dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. The only way we can count it so is because of what he has done and not what we do, even after we've been saved. Turn over with me to Romans 4, Romans 4, just a few pages over from where we started. I want to read the first eight verses. Romans 4, verse 1.

What shall we say then that Abraham our father as pertaining to the flesh hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof the glory, but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works. saying, blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. If you look to or think you have some righteousness of your own, even after you were saved, then you are deceived.

The faith of Jesus Christ is counted for righteousness, not our works. His faith, which is a gift of God, He gives this faith when and however He's pleased to give it. But He gives this to us and it's the only way we will believe. And we cannot do this on our own. But when we do, when we believe, He counts that faith for righteousness because Jesus Christ finished the work. He authored and He completed faith and that faith He gives to us if He's pleased to do so, that we might believe Him. And if he does, we do believe. We do not look to our works in any way. If we do, it's nothing but self-righteousness. What did we just read right there in Romans 4?

Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. If you're going about your life trying to work for salvation, that is, to get it, or you are working after you have been saved, thinking God has made it so that you do not sin, and that you count your works as righteousness, your reward is reckoned of debt and not of grace. And that will be your reward. Works go toward the debt we owe. And if you think you have anything to do That is, if you think you have anything, it has anything to do with your salvation.

But those called saints by Christ look to him who saved them and keeps them, and by his righteousness we are healed. So I wanna look at sinners and saints. So sinners. There's no doubt that every single one of us born of Adam, and that leaves us, none of us out, that's all of us, because we are all the posterity of Adam. But because of Adam, we've all sinned and we do sin, Romans 5, 12. Wherefore, as by one man, sin entered into the world and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. Like it or not, that's what God said. So it's true.

Every single one of us is a sinner, and every single one of us has broke the law of God. because scripture also says sin is the transgression of the law. And if you're looking for a definition of sin, right there it is, the transgression of the law. Transgressing or going against the law of God. The law is holy, just, and good, and it does exactly what it was designed to do. It is a glorious condemnation of death. If you transgress the law of God, you shall die.

God be thanked. We read about sinners in his word, though. Here's one verse, very familiar to you, I'm sure. But God commendeth his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Even though we were of those who transgressed his law that brought with it death before him, He set together or introduced, He commended His love toward us, those for who He did this for. That love was manifested by Jesus Christ being made flesh, made under the law, that He might redeem them that were under the law.

Those He came to do this for were and are nothing but sinners. I know some might think they are now a saint and no longer a sinner. but they make or prove themselves to be neither when they do this. They say they do not sin, so they are not a sinner. But they are neither a saint, because if we say we have no sin or we have not sinned, we make God a liar. And that's from 1 John. Now those who say they are no longer a sinner but now a saint, they have said there in 1 John that he's not talking to believers but unbelievers, that's what they say.

They are wrong. God's Word is only to believers. They are the only ones who will believe it and see it. Unbelievers do not believe, else they would not be called unbelievers. We know what the Scripture says, the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God.

First Corinthians 2.14, but the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him. Neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. A natural man is an unbeliever, because the gospel is foolishness unto him, and he cannot know these spiritual things.

He must first be made spiritual. And being made spiritual is being made a believer, a saint. And that's what the word of God teaches. Once a man or a woman has been given sight to see and ears to hear and a heart to perceive, and God puts his word in front of them, however he does that, they will believe it. They will believe it, maybe not understand, but they will ask for understanding from God. So God's word is to a believer, and it says there in 1 John, it says that their joy might be full.

We are reminded of what Christ has done so that our calm delight, which is what that word means, will rest in Jesus Christ, so that we will not think our works have any righteousness to them. But we have another one from the Apostle Paul himself, and if you would, turn over to 1 Timothy 1, 1 Timothy 1. First Timothy 1, just one verse. First Timothy 1, verse 15.

This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. This is a believable statement and it's worthy of all acceptance. And what he did is acceptable to God. And if we are a believer, it is also acceptable to us. But this is what the verse says is acceptable. Christ Jesus came into the world, made flesh, made under the law to save sinners. He did that.

Do you think Paul believed that? He was telling others this, I'm certain Paul believed this. But listen what he goes on to say, of whom? So that of whom is going back to the nearest antecedent, and I don't know English that well, but I can look it up. What Paul is saying he is a part of is this group of sinners. He is of these sinners that Jesus Christ came into the world to save. But that's not all he says.

He says, of whom I am. He is talking about himself, and I think that's clear when he says I. But this word am is what they call present indicative. Simply put, what he is saying is absolutely truth, and it's true right now at this very moment that he's saying it. And it's right now for us true. It's true now and it continues to be true. I am chief, he says.

Paul is telling us if you want to see what a sinner is, you can look at him and see one. He says, I am presently, even as he's telling those he wrote this to, right at this very moment, being a believer, he says, I am a sinner. Sinners who are Jesus, or who Jesus Christ came into the world to save. And as Art Neuenschwander used to say, it's the only kind of people he saves. Thank God there are others who can say in glory in the very same thing that Christ saved sinners of whom I am presently chief. So we are sinners, but sinners such as this are also called saints.

So next, saints. Jesus Christ said he is the way. That means the progress is what it means. So if you have any progress, it is not that you will have that progress, you know, helping him out. You know, him winding us up and then we tick on our own. No, he is your progress, your way.

He is the truth, not tells us the truth, although he does do that as well, but he is the truth. If someone is telling us the truth, they are telling us of Jesus Christ. Search the scripture, for in them you think you have eternal life, but they are they which testify of me, he says. That's what Jesus Christ says. But he also says he is the life. If I have any life, it is in him. He is the life, I have no life. I sustain no part of life myself, because He is my life.

Christ in me, the hope of glory is what the scripture says. If I have become such a saint that I am no longer a sinner, I am neither one. Because Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, and that's what we are. Christ calls us saints based off of what he did.

I don't want God to see my works or to accept me based on my works, none of my works at any time, because those works are reckoned of debt, which my works could never pay the debt of sin I owe. If I think that I'm going to be able to stand before God and say, look at all these wonderful works that I did in your name, You all know what we'll hear. We just heard this not too long ago. Depart from me ye that work iniquity. I never knew you.

But if you're one of those sinners that he calls a saint, and you are resting in the finished work that he has done, he will say unto you, well done, my good and faithful servant. Because it will be his finished work that he is looking at. His works are full of grace and truth. A saint is one used of God. He does with us as he is pleased. Do I look to sow sin in my life? No, I don't. But I do sin. But I also know that because he is righteous and I am in him, then I am righteous, even as he is righteous.

Romans 10, one through four, we read, brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved. For I bear them record, they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes. If you're going about to establish your own righteousness, that is, if you continue in or abide in your works to have anything to do with your salvation, then you have not submitted yourself to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the righteousness of God and not your works, not your law works. None of your debt-ridden works will even come close to Christ, who is our righteousness.

That's what we should be preaching to all others who will hear it and believe it. What does it go on to say? Romans 10, five through eight. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, that the man which doeth those things shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise.

Say not in thy heart who shall sin unto heaven. That is to bring Christ down from above. or who shall descend into the deep? That is, to bring up Christ again from the dead. But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart.

That is the word of faith which we preach. We proclaim a work already done and accomplished, and that work was accepted of God. To those he done this for, those he has gifted them with his gift of faith, He calls them saints. That is a saint, the one who rests in the work of Christ for salvation. His work sustaining us even though we continue to commit those sins he died for. I know those of this world, as religious as they might be or as moral as they might be, they think they have a righteousness that they can boast in before God.

They will not say it that way, but when you look at what you do as what makes you a saint, then you are looking in the wrong place. You are giving credit where credit is not due. The only thing that's there is debt. What does Paul say, the apostle to the Gentiles in Philippians 3, 7 through 9? But what things were gained to me, those I counted lost for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but done, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. That passage tells us all we need to know about where our righteousness comes from and where it can be found.

It is not found in what we do. It is found in what he has done. His faith, being faithful to willingly go to the cross, and he satisfied the law. And I did not say he obeyed the law, although he most certainly did. I said he satisfied the law. Because the law says, he that sinneth shall surely die. We've all sinned against God because God said we have. But Jesus Christ, willing to be his people's substitute, was made a curse and sin for his people. For that, he satisfied the law by giving up the ghost. He died in his people's stead. That is righteousness right there. obeying the law completely, yet being made the very thing he despised.

This work by God himself made those free for whom he did this for, free to serve him. Being found in him is where we are righteous. If we are in him, he calls us saints when he's pleased to call us out. He's the one who has been made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Only by Him are we in Him, 1 Corinthians 1 30, but of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God has made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. And here is the reason, verse 31 of 1 Corinthians 1, that according as it is written, he that gloryeth, let him glory in the Lord. You want to think you're a saint and not a sinner?

Sinners are the only one he calls saints, and that based on what he's done. He calls them this because he bought and paid for his own. It's what he came here to do, specifically what the word of God is all about, what Jesus Christ did. So he calls them his. He calls them saints that are sinners saved by grace.

The child of God is against God all the time in and of ourselves. We sin and don't even know we've sinned. And we also sin when we know we're sinning. Brothers and sisters, in Christ's sin, here is what scripture says in Matthew 18, 21. Then came Peter to him and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Tell seven times. Now you might say that that's just against my brother, it's not against God, but listen to what God says in his word in Matthew 18, six. But who shall offend one of these little ones who believe in me?

It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Sinning against one another is sinning against the God of grace who saved his people. We do sin, we sin against one another, and we sin against God. If we are not a sinner, we are not a saint.

Because the grace of God sent Jesus Christ into the world to save sinners. Thank God for his grace in saving those who oppose themselves. Thank God for his faithfulness to take the penalty of sin away. Thank God for calling his saints to himself. and thank God for keeping his saints until he returns. The only ones that can be called saints are sinners, because he's done the work to make it so, amen.

Dear old God, cause us to see you, dear Lord. There's so much there, dear Lord, and we know very little. I know very little, dear Lord, but just cause me to see you, dear Lord, Just stick with that, dear Lord, because that is the best remedy. You are the best remedy. You are the only remedy. Sorry, that was... You are the only remedy, dear Lord. Remember us and cause us to look to you. All these things we ask in Christ's name. Amen.