Church Words: Saint and Sinner

Welcome back to our blog series, Church Words, where we take a closer look at the language we often use as Christians—words that are woven into the fabric of our faith but may be misunderstood or misused. You might feel like you should know what these words mean, and so you feel uncomfortable asking about them in a Bible class. Or maybe you are just beginning your study on Christianity, and you are unfamiliar with any of the language that Christians use. Either way, I hope this series is helpful to you!

*We have already covered the concepts of "Church", "Faith", "Grace", and "Holy". I really enjoyed working on those posts, and if you would like to read them then please click on them to follow the links. All of them will be referred to in this post, in their Biblical context.

-"The Church"

-"Faith" -"Grace" -"Holy"

Introduction

We’ve all heard it: “I’m just a sinner saved by grace.” It’s a phrase tucked neatly into sermons, songs, and casual Christian conversation. And it’s not untrue—grace is the foundation of our faith. But somewhere along the way, we, as followers of Christ, have started labeling ourselves in a way the Bible does not.

What if I told you the New Testament doesn’t regularly refer to believers as “sinners”? In fact, it tends to use another word—a richer, more identity-shaping word.

Saint.

I know what you must be visualizing right now. That word probably brings up images of halos, cathedrals, and maybe even a stained-glass version of someone who lived a few centuries ago. People who a certain demographic has "venerated" to the point of "special status". But in the Bible? It’s a word used to describe ordinary Christians. People like you and me.

So, let’s dig in. What does the Bible—especially Paul’s letters—say about “saints” and “sinners”? And why does it matter today?

Let’s Start with “Sinner”

The word “sinner” is used in Scripture, but most often it’s used in reference to people outside the faith, or to describe our former selves before Christ. Take a look at a few examples:

• Romans 5:8: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

• 1 Timothy 1:15: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.”
  

Paul’s words here in 1 Timothy sometimes get pulled out as proof that we’re all still sinners. But it’s worth noting that Paul is reflecting on his past—his former life as a persecutor of the church (see v. 13). The tone is one of awe: “Can you believe He saved even me?”

Throughout the New Testament, when “sinner” is used, it usually refers to those who are lost or in rebellion against God (Luke 5:32, Galatians 2:15, or James 4:8). So while we all sin—and continue to battle with sin—it’s not the primary label God gives us once we are in Christ.

Now Let’s Talk “Saint”

This is where things get exciting. The word translated “saint” in the New Testament is the Greek word hagios, meaning “holy one.” It doesn’t mean perfect. It means set apart—devoted to God.

Paul loved this word.

Let’s look at how often and how naturally he used it to describe believers:

• Romans 1:7 – “To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints...”

• 1 Corinthians 1:2 – “To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints...”

• Ephesians 1:1 – “To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus.”

• Philippians 1:1 – “To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi...”

• Colossians 1:2 – “To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae...”

• Philemon 1:5 – “...because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints.”
  

That’s just the introduction of his letters! Paul didn’t call these early Christians “sinners saved by grace.” He called them saints—holy ones.

And remember: these were real people. The Corinthians, for example, were dealing with some serious issues—divisions, immorality, and confusion about spiritual gifts. But Paul still opened his letter by calling them saints. Not because they had it all together, but because of what Christ had done for them.

So… Which One Am I?

Here’s where the rubber meets the road.

Are you a sinner?

Well, kind of. You sin. I sin. Even Paul admitted in Romans 7 that he wrestled with doing the things he didn’t want to do. The Christian life isn’t sin-free. But are you a sinner?

Not anymore.

Not in identity.

If you’re in Christ, you’re a saint. That’s who you are. That’s how God sees you. Not based on your track record, but based on the righteousness of Jesus.

This is a shift from behavior-based identity to grace-based identity. And it changes everything.

Why This Matters Today

Let’s get practical. Why should we care what we call ourselves?

Identity Shapes Behavior

If I believe I’m just a sinner, I might feel stuck. I might excuse sin with a shrug: “Well, that’s just who I am.” But if I believe I’m a saint—a holy one—I’m more likely to live like it.

Paul seemed to think so. Ephesians 5:3 says:

“But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.”

In other words, live like who you are.

The Enemy Loves False Labels

One of the enemy’s oldest tricks is mislabeling God’s people. If he can keep us thinking we’re still slaves to sin, we’ll never walk in the freedom Christ gave us.

Romans 6:6 says, “We know that our old self was crucified with him... so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.”

You're not a prisoner anymore. Don’t wear the uniform of one.

The Church Needs to Recover This

When the Church sees itself as a community of saints—not sinless people, but set-apart people—we become more powerful witnesses to the world. Not self-righteous. Just secure in who we are.

The more we embrace our true identity in Christ, the more love, grace, and holiness will flow from us.

What Would Change If We Really Believed This?

Imagine if believers across the world stopped thinking of themselves as broken-down sinners barely hanging on—and instead embraced the truth that we are God’s saints, loved, called, and equipped to live holy lives by His Spirit.

• We’d confess sin, not out of shame, but out of confidence in grace.

• We’d battle temptation, not expecting to lose, but expecting victory.

• We’d encourage one another as saints—not as victims of sin, but as overcomers in Christ.

• We’d approach God as beloved children, not guilty outcasts.
  

This isn’t positive thinking. It’s biblical thinking.

A Quick Word of Caution

Does this mean we pretend we don’t sin? Absolutely not. 1 John 1:8 reminds us: “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves.”

But we also don’t camp out in shame. We walk in the light, confess our sin, receive grace, and keep going—not because we’re sinners groveling, but because we’re saints growing.

Final Thoughts

Language matters. It shapes how we see God, ourselves, and our purpose.

Paul wasn’t just tossing around flowery words when he called believers “saints.” He was speaking to a reality that’s still true for us today. You may not feel like a saint every day. But if you’re in Christ, that’s exactly who you are.

So maybe it’s time to retire the “I’m just a sinner” slogan. Not because it’s entirely wrong—but because it’s incomplete.

You’re a saint. A child of God. Set apart. Called to live holy, joyful, grace-filled lives.

Let’s start calling ourselves what God already does.

Want to dig deeper? Read Ephesians Chapter 1 this week. Circle every word that speaks to your identity in Christ. You might be surprised how often you see “saint,” “holy,” “blameless,” and “beloved.”

Instead of believing the lies that Satan tries to convince you of, let God’s words rewrite the labels you’ve been living under.

You’re not who you used to be.

And that’s really, really good news.