Once a person repents and places their trust in Jesus for salvation, the New Testament no longer identifies them primarily as a “sinner,” but rather as a “saint,” a “new creation,” and a “child of God.” While the capacity to sin remains, the believer’s identity changes completely in Christ. Let’s examine this biblically and theologically.

Our Identity Before Salvation: Sinners Under Wrath

Before salvation, all people are described in Scripture as:

Sinners by nature and by action: “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” — Romans 3:23

Children of wrath: “By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.” — Ephesians 2:3

Enemies of God: “For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies…” — Romans 5:10

Our Identity After Salvation: Saints, Not Sinners

Once we repent and believe in Jesus, we are:

Justified (declared righteous): “Since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God…” — Romans 5:1

Born again: “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” — 2 Corinthians 5:17

Called saints (holy ones), not sinners. Paul never writes his letters to “sinners at Ephesus” or “sinners at Corinth.” He writes:

“To the saints in Ephesus…” — Ephesians 1:1

“To the church of God in Corinth… called to be his holy people…” — 1 Corinthians 1:2

This change in identity reflects a new position before God. We are no longer defined by our sinful past but by Christ’s righteousness.

But We Still Sin: Identity vs. Behavior

Although our new nature is righteous in Christ, believers still wrestle with the flesh:

Paul writes: “I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.” — Romans 7:15

John confirms an ongoing struggle with sin: “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.” — 1 John 1:8

This ongoing battle with sin does not change our position as saints in Christ. We are not “sinners trying to be saints,” but saints who sometimes still sin.

Righteousness Imputed by Christ

Believers are declared righteous not by their own efforts but by Christ’s righteousness: “God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” — 2 Corinthians 5:21

This imputed righteousness defines our identity before God.

Our Identity Before And After Jesus

Calling a believer a “sinner” after salvation misrepresents what Christ has accomplished.

It suggests that our old identity still defines us. The correct biblical designation is:

• “Forgiven”
• “Redeemed”
• “Righteous”
• “Adopted”
• “Holy”
• “Saints” (Greek: hagios)

We are no longer called “sinners” by identity after we have repented and trusted in Christ. Though we still battle with sin in our mortal bodies, our eternal identity is in Christ—as saints, holy and beloved of God.

“There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” — Romans 8:1

• There is No Salvation, Without Repentance
• The Fundamentals Of Salvation: Gods Responsibility; Our Responsibility
• Why Does God Require Sorrow Over Our Sins And Repentance Before He Will Forgive Us And Give Us Eternal Life?

Categories: Robert Clifton Robinson