Devotionals

Why Didn't Jesus, Paul, or the Apostles Call Them Sinners or Hypocrites?

by Michael Edwards 
07/23/26
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In the New Covenant, after the cross, many believers were still entangled in sin. Look at the church in Corinth. Paul addressed divisions, immorality, lawsuits among believers, and disorder in the gatherings. He listed sins that disqualified church members from serving as elders and deacons (1 Timothy 3; Titus 1). Peter denied the Lord three times. Paul spoke of immature, carnal Christians who should have been able to handle the solid food of the Word yet remained stuck on the milk, even after years of believing (1 Corinthians 3:1-3).

Why were these people never labeled “sinners” or “hypocrites” by Jesus, Paul, or the other apostles? The only clear charge of hypocrisy appears in Galatians 2, when Peter withdrew from Gentile believers the moment certain men from James arrived. The issue was not that Peter had been living like a Gentile free from the Mosaic Law. The issue was that he suddenly acted like a legalistic Jew and compelled the Gentiles to do the same. His hypocrisy was a return to the old separation, not the presence of ordinary failure.

The reason is simple and glorious. These were saved people. They were already called saints, holy ones, and the righteous in Christ solely because of their faith in the finished work of Jesus. Christians have never been perfect in the flesh and never will be while we remain in these bodies. Yet in the Spirit, God already sees us as perfect and complete in His Son.

Romans 5:8 declares the decisive change in status: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” The phrase “while we were still sinners” points to a past condition that ended at the cross for everyone who believes. Once we trusted the gospel, God no longer relates to us as sinners under wrath. He relates to us as sons and daughters.

Stop looking to your crucified and dead flesh for righteousness. You will never find it there. We walk by faith, not by sight—not by what we see in the mirror or feel in our emotions. Take your eyes and your trust off the flesh that still houses the fallen nature inherited from Adam. Believe what God says is true about you in Christ. You are righteous, redeemed, forgiven, justified, sanctified, a child of God, a co-heir with Christ, a citizen of heaven, and complete in Him (Colossians 2:10; Romans 8:17; Philippians 3:20).

You are under grace and not under law so that sin will no longer have dominion over you (Romans 6:14). Trust God. He loves you. He died for you. Rejoice—you already possess eternal life in Christ.

Should we sin? No. Will we sin yes. We are commandmend by Jesus to love God, love others as he loves us and to believe the gospel. JUst live one day at a time and do the next right thing. But always and forever, look only to Jesus for your righteousness, trust Him alone. not your own tainted goodness. 

Many more New Covenant Bible Studies HERE. Jesus poured out His blood for the New Covenant of grace and truth, replacing the Old Covenant law of Moses. Believers are exclusively under the New Covenant, the last will and testament of Jesus that began after the cross. (Luke 22:20 NASB)