Both Saint
and Sinner 

How can those who are justified in Christ not be sinners and yet be sinners at the same time? For the Scripture asserts both conditions about the person who is justified. John writes in 1 John 1:8, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” He also writes in 1 John 5:18, “We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin.” He says the same in 1 John 3:9, “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning.”

In other words, John is saying that believers don’t sin. But if they were to claim they had no sin, they would be lying. We can see a similar difficulty in the book of Job. God, who cannot lie, says Job is a man of integrity in Job 1:8. Yet Job confesses later in Job 9:20 and other passages that he is a sinner. In Job 7:21 he says, “Why do you not pardon my offenses and forgive my sins?”Job must be telling the truth, because if he were lying to God, God wouldn’t call him a righteous person. So Job is at the same time righteous and sinful.

If we look at faith, God’s laws are fulfilled, sin is destroyed, and no law is left. But if we look at our sinful nature, there is nothing good. Therefore, we must always remember that all of us who are righteous through faith are still sinners.

Luther, Martin; Galvin, James C. (2009-05-26). Faith Alone: A Daily Devotional (p. 164). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

A Christian is righteous and a sinner at the same time—both a friend and an enemy of God. The philosophers will not admit this paradox because they don’t accept the right way of becoming justified. That’s why they demand that people keep on doing good works until they don’t feel sin anymore. This teaching has caused many people to become very distraught, because they have strived as much as they could to become completely righteous but could never achieve it. Even among those who spread this godless teaching, countless numbers of them have fallen into despair in their hour of death.

This would have happened to me if Christ hadn’t mercifully looked upon me and freed me from this error. In contrast, we teach and comfort troubled sinners this way: Dear brothers and sisters, it’s impossible for you to become so righteous in this life that you won’t feel sin anymore. It’s impossible for your body to become as bright and spotless as the sun. Though you still have wrinkles and spots, in spite of this, you are holy. But you may wonder, “How can I be holy since I sin and feel sinful?”

Recognizing and feeling your sin is good. Thank God, and don’t despair. It’s a step toward health whenever a sick person recognizes his disease. “But how can I be freed from sin?” you wonder. Run to Christ, the Physician who heals the brokenhearted (Psalm 147:3). He makes sinners holy.

Source: Luther, Martin; Galvin, James C. (2009-05-26). Faith Alone: A Daily Devotional (p. 25). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.