Bible Verses About Sinners

What does the Bible say about sinners?

Scripture makes it clear that sin is the transgression of the law of God. It’s missing the mark and falling short of God’s standard. A sinner is someone that violates the divine law. The sin is the crime.

However, the sinner is the criminal. Let’s look to see what the Bible has to say about sinners.

Christian quotes about sinners

“A church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints.”

“You are no saint,’ says the devil. Well, if I am not, I am a sinner, and Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. Sink or swim, I go to Him; other hope, I have none.” Charles Spurgeon

“My evidence that I am saved does not lie in the fact that I preach, or that I do this or that. All my hope lies in this: that Jesus Christ came to save sinners. I am a sinner, I trust Him, then He came to save me, and I am saved.” Charles Spurgeon

“We are not sinners because we sin. We sin because we are sinners.” R.C. Sproul

Are we born sinners according to the Bible?

The Bible makes it clear that we are all born sinners. By nature, we are sinful with sinful desires. Every man and every woman has inherited the sin of Adam. This is why Scripture teaches us that by nature we are children of wrath.

1. Psalm 51:5 “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.”

2. Ephesians 2:3 “Among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.”

3. Romans 5:19 “For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.”

4. Romans 7:14 “We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin.”

5. Psalm 58:3 “The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray from birth, speaking lies.”

6. Romans 3:11 “There is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.”

Does God answer the prayers of sinners?

There are many different parts to this question. If you are asking does God answer the prayers of unbelievers, then it depends. I believe for the most part no, but God does answer prayers according to His will and He does answer an unbeliever’s prayer for forgiveness. The Lord can choose to answer any prayer that He sees fit. However, if you are asking does God answer Christians who are living in unrepentant sin, then the answer is no. Unless the prayer is for forgiveness or repentance.

7. John 9:31 “We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will.”

8. Psalm 66:18 “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.”

9. Proverbs 1:28-29 28 “Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me, 29 since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord.”

10. Isaiah 59:2 “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.”

Sinners deserve hell

I believe most preachers downplay the horrors of hell. Just like heaven is far greater than we can ever imagine, hell is far more horrific and terrifying than we can ever imagine. I’ve heard people say things like “I’m going to enjoy hell.” If only they knew what they were saying. If they knew they would fall on their faces right now and beg for mercy. They would yell, scream, and plead for mercy.

Hell is an eternal place of torment. Scripture says it’s a place of unquenchable fire. There is no rest in hell! It’s a place where you will feel guilt and condemnation for eternity and there will be nothing to remove it. It’s a place of outer darkness, eternal suffering, a place of constant crying, screaming, and gnashing of teeth. There is no sleep. There is no rest. What’s even scarier is that most people will one day find themselves in hell.

When a man does a crime, he must be punished. The issue is not only that you have committed a crime. The issue is also who the crime was committed against. Sinning against a holy God, the Creator of the universe results in a far more severe punishment. We’ve all sinned against a holy God. Therefore, we all deserve hell. However, there is good news. You don’t have to go to hell.

11. Revelation 21:8 “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

12. Revelation 20:15 “And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

13. Matthew 13:42 “And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

14. 2 Thessalonians 1:8 “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

15. Isaiah 33:14 “Sinners in Zion are terrified; Trembling has seized the godless “Who among us can live with the consuming fire? Who among us can live with continual burning?”

Jesus came to save sinners

If men were righteous, then there would be no need for the blood of Christ. However, there are none who are righteous. All have fallen short of God’s standard. Those who trust in their righteousness don’t need the righteousness of Christ. Christ came to call sinners. Jesus came to call those who are conscious of their sins and those who see their need for a Savior. Through the blood of Christ sinners are saved and are set free.

How amazing is our God! That He would come down in the form of man to live the life that we couldn’t and die the death that we deserve. Jesus satisfied the requirements of the Father and He took our place on the cross. He died, He was buried, and He was resurrected for our sins.

The gospel becomes so real and intimate when you realize that Jesus didn’t just come to save us. He came specifically to save you. He knows you by name and He came to save you. Believe His death, burial, and resurrection on your behalf. Believe that all your sins have been atoned for. Believe that He has taken away your hell.

16. Mark 2:17 “On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

17. Luke 5:32 “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

18. 1 Timothy 1:15 “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners–of whom I am the worst.”

19. Luke 18:10-14 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ 13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ 14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Humility Bible verses)

20. Romans 5:8-10 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!”

21. 1 John 3:5 “You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin.”

Are Christians sinners?

The answer to this question is yes and no. We all have sinned and we all have inherited a sin nature. However, when you put your trust in Christ you will be a new creation born again of the Holy Spirit. No longer are you seen as a sinner, but you are seen as a saint. When God looks at those in Christ He sees the perfect work of His Son and He rejoices. Being born again of the Holy Spirit does not mean that we do not struggle with sin. However, we will have new desires and affections and we will no longer desire to live in sin. We will not make a practice of it. Am I still a sinner? Yes! However, is that my identity? No! My worth is found in Christ not my performance and in Christ I am seen as spotless.

22. 1 John 1:8, “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”

23. 1 Corinthians 1:2 “To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours.”

24. 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

25. 1 John 3:9-10 “No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.”

Bonus

James 4:8 “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”