So does this mean that we’ll probably be damned if we think we’re a sinner (whether we sin in actuality or not), but saved if we think we’re not a sinner (even if, in actuality, we sin)?
The sin nature that came about from Adam's fall is what God has put to death on the Cross for our salvation in Christ; because due to that sin, the entire race of man was not able to stand before God, who being Holy, would destroy His creation by fire. By fire because every Spiritual body, must first posses a grain body (fleshly body). That means that our fleshly body must become a Spiritual body after we die. See 1 Corinthians 15:40-44. God's original plan was that we were to be Spiritual Sons like Him, but like every order of things according to God and how His creation works, a glorified body (Spiritual body) had to be like a grain of wheat (fleshly body). This is also explained in John 12:23-25, when Jesus explains that His hour had come, where the Son of Man would be glorified. He said that, "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit (glorified Spiritual body).
So, due to Adam's sin, the Tree of Life, which would have caused that change from flesh to Spirit, and caused man to live forever, Geneses 3:23-24, was guarded and man was put out of the garden so that the change would not happen. If that change would have happened then, there would have been corrupted sinful Spiritual beings living forever, and would have been immediately destroyed/burned with no hope of salvation. Either that, or Satan would have had more allies! You see the problem?
So that's the
sin that was taken care of by Christ. God needed to put man out of the garden, then take care of the problem of His Righteous Requirement to destroy man, His creation, who now has
sin in it. So, to save man, His Son Jesus became our sacrifice. Jesus needed to save the fleshly man by shedding his blood in the likeness of
sinful flesh, to destroy/condemn sin, Romans 8:3-4, so that when fleshly man (grain) dies, and turns to a Spiritual man, there would be no sin in him, and then He would now not be destroyed by His Creator. The requirement is that we accept Christ, and walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, Romans 8:5. That's why in Christ we are not
sinners.
So, that's the
sin that we no longer have in Christ. It's completely covered in Christ. Because Christ died for the world, and for those that believe Him, that sin is completely covered; God plants a new nature, the earnest of the Spirit, 2 Corinthians 1:22, in those who believe on His Son, and that nature cannot sin because God's seed has been implanted, 1 John 3:9. So it's God's nature that's Holy and cannot
sin that has been given to the believer. God is now satisfied with His creation in what Jesus has done, and does not impute the sin against those that believe on Him.
That's why we must be careful and not say we are sinners!
So when we do acts that are considered sinful, we know that we are under grace (grace of forgiveness in Christ), and we are truly working towards being transformed and having our minds renewed according to the Holy Spirit, Romans 12:2 .
I hope this helps!
