Am I Still a Sinner?
Julian Adams • December 4, 2018
Let me be honest, for much of my Christian life I had a secret fear of the Holy Spirit. Partly because back in the day, we used words like ‘the Holy-Ghost!’ (a horrifying thought for a young boy!), and partly because I had heard so many hellfire and brimstone sermons. I remember being taught that if I do not listen to the Holy Spirit, I might end up like Ananias and Sapphira! I would imagine myself suddenly dying in the midst of worship because of my hidden sins! The teachings of those days were so full of legalism. I never understood that the Holy Spirit is so very kind, gentle and he loves to tell me of who I am, not who I was! Now, you might ask me, ‘Are you saying that the Holy Spirit does not convict us of our sin?’. And yes! That’s exactly what I am saying. He now convicts me of who I am in light of the cross. I can already picture some religious cows getting ready for the abattoir of grace! “You mean I get to sin when I want without consequences and the Holy Spirit will just stand by and watch?” Of course not. If your predisposition is to see how much sin you can get away with, something is very wrong! The Spirit of grace, who is the Holy Spirit, is not about what we can get away with, but what we get to enjoy because of our new found right-standing with the Father! He teaches us to say ‘no’ to sin because children of God do not act that way. He reminds us of who we are! Paul did the same thing. He spoke of who we are in order to help us realise we can, and will, overcome sin. In the church at Corinth, there was so much glory and sin in one place, Paul lists the sins of the past, and then he says ‘And such were some of you. But
you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.’ (1Corinthians 6:11) Thank God for the word ‘but‘! We’d all be dead in the water without that word. At the cross, Jesus said ‘It is finished’, this was not a statement related to our pardoning of sin, this had to do with an invasion of new creation upon an old earth that needs to be redeemed. I’m a new creation! You see, at the cross and through the resurrection, a new day dawned, a day of new life. And because Jesus was resurrected, we were resurrected. Just as the Father was pleased after the creation and rested, so, when Jesus had paid the price for the new creation, he could cry out, ‘it is finished’. Because from then on, new life would be breaking out on an old earth, redeeming people and nations and tribes all over the world. In this, the promise made to Abraham before the law would now be fulfilled not because of the law but because the mark of this new creation is a believing people. A faith-filled people! The sum of Paul’s argument is that you were once a people marked by the circumcision of the flesh, but now your identity as the new creation is characterised by your faith! It’s not your right law-keeping or even your lawbreaking that sets you apart, but it is faith! So what does this mean then? My identity is now irrevocably changed. I am a son. Nothing can undo that.
The cross is not the end point of our salvation, and it was not for Jesus. Our very life is now hidden with Him on high. The end point is the glorious duty of delighting in the Father forever and ever! I was dead to God, but now this union has produced a oneness with him that can’t be undone! It’s exciting! And what’s more exciting is that the primary reason for this union is the pleasure of knowing Him and being known by Him. Calvin said this: ‘Engrafted into the death of Christ, we derive a secret energy from it. As the shoot does from the root. It is divine energy that flows through you ‘for it is God who works in you both to will and to do his good pleasure’ (Phil 2:13). By the Spirit of God we remember who we really are in Christ.
If you want to grow in the prophetic, it doesn’t begin with what you say. It begins with what you see. The prophetic is rooted in perception. Not just natural insight, but spiritual awareness—what Scripture calls “the eyes of your heart.” Paul prayed that the church in Ephesus would have their hearts enlightened so they could truly see what God was doing. “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you…” (Ephesians 1:18) God isn’t distant or withholding. But if we’re going to hear Him clearly, we have to see differently. We need Heaven’s perspective. And that means learning to quiet the noise, tune into His voice, and let Him train our inner vision. You don’t need to wait for a dramatic vision or audible voice. Often, God speaks through a nudge. A mental picture. A scripture that lingers. A sense of burden or joy that feels holy. These are the first signs that your spiritual eyesight is awakening. But it takes time. It takes attention. It takes trust. Just like physical muscles grow with use, your spiritual senses grow as you spend time with Him—not just talking, but listening. Not just asking for answers, but asking for His perspective. You were never meant to live according to what the world says is true. You were meant to live by every word that flows from the mouth of God. A Prayer for This Week: “Lord, open the eyes of my heart. Teach me to see what You see—not just in others, but in myself, in my circumstances, in the world around me. Give me clarity and confidence to trust Your perspective more than my own. Amen.” This week, pay attention to what you notice. The way you see is often the way He speaks.
In this live session, Sean Smith and Julian Adams share their prophetic perspectives on 2025, offering honest reflections on what they sense God is doing across the earth. With hope and expectancy, they discuss the spiritual landscape ahead and how we can prepare for what’s to come.
We are living in a world of dramatic change. The relentless pace of development often leaves us breathless and exhausted. The demand for innovative ways of communicating, inventing, and staying ahead of cultural trends can feel daunting and demoralizing. It can push us into a space where we find ourselves trying to copy rather than be authentic, to imitate rather than create. This pressure can lead us to believe that we need to be more creative, and that our individual stories do not matter. But nothing could be further from the truth. Your story, no matter how small, matters and is powerful. One of the remarkable aspects of ancient manuscripts, like the Bible, is that they tell the stories of individuals whose lives may seem small and insignificant. Yet, God chose to make their lives a memorial of what He could do with a life that the world deems insignificant. The incredible power of the gospel is that it changes lives one at a time. God is as interested in the individual story as He is in redeeming the cosmos. The aim of the gospel is not just dealing with personal sin; it is about restoring individuals to a relationship with a kind Father. In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis beautifully said, "The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God." Justification addresses our standing before God, but our adoption invites us into a relationship with the Father. It allows us to partake of who He is and to live in a place of deep joy from who He is. Romans 3:23 reminds us that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Many of us forget that the work of salvation has turned this verse around. Through Jesus, we have been restored to the glory of God. One description of the word "glory" refers to the divine quality, the unspoken manifestation of God, and splendor. It is the revelation of God's intrinsic worth and beauty. Do you see that? We have been restored to His divine quality, splendor, and beauty. In a world where it can be easy to feel like just another face in the crowd, remember that your story is significant. Your experiences, your journey, and your voice matter. Embrace the unique narrative God has given you and let it shine. You are not just a spectator; you are a vital participant in God's grand story. Your authenticity, creativity, and individuality are valuable. As you navigate the rapid changes of our world, hold on to the truth that your story has power and purpose. God sees you, knows you, and has a plan for your life that is uniquely yours. Let us celebrate the beauty and significance of each individual story, knowing that together, we contribute to a tapestry of divine splendor and glory.