Those who insist that babies are not sinners paint themselves in a corner when they have to consider the fact that Jesus came to die to save sinners. Because if you think about it carefully, according to that theory Jesus didn’t die to save babies until they reach the age of accountability or until they become sinners. The Bible teaches so clearly that sinners need a Savior, a Redeemer and salvation. Do the sinless inhabitants of other worlds need a Savior from sin? Now if babies are not sinners, they need not a Savior. Now that sounds pretty weird even to the proponents of “babies are not sinners”, so they have to insist that Jesus had to save the babies from the “state of sin” even though they have no “sin” whatsoever.
“This [is] a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. ” (1 Tim 1:15)
“It was to save sinners that Christ left His home in heaven and came to earth to suffer and to die. For this He toiled and agonized and prayed, until, heartbroken and deserted by those He came to save, He poured out His life on Calvary.” {SL 82.1}
“God loves the children of Brother D, but they are in fearful danger of feeling whole, and in no need of a physician. Trusting in their own righteousness will never save them. They must feel the need of a Saviour. Christ came to save sinners. Said Jesus: “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” The Pharisees, who felt that they were righteous, and who trusted in their good works, felt no need of a Saviour. They felt that they were well enough off without Christ.” {4T 42.2}
” The heart of Christ is constantly drawn out in sympathy towards fallen man. While upon earth, his only mission was to save sinners; although He had a deep abhorrence of sin, He manifested the tenderest compassion towards the sinner. When the repenting sinner, conscious of guilt and unworthiness, comes to Christ, realising that he is deserving of punishment, but relying on the love and mercy of Christ, the pardoning love of God will be revealed to him, and joyful gratitude will spring up in his heart for the infinite compassion and love of his Saviour. The provision made for him in the counsels of heaven before the foundation of the world, that Christ should take upon Him the penalty of his transgression, and impute to him his righteousness, will overwhelm him with amazement, and call forth from his lips songs of gratitude and adoration.” {Messenger, April 12, 1893 par. 4}
“The human family have all transgressed the law of God, and as transgressors of the law, man is hopelessly ruined; for he is the enemy of God, without strength to do any good thing. “The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Romans 8:7). Looking into the moral mirror–God’s holy law–man sees himself a sinner, and is convicted of his state of evil, his hopeless doom under the just penalty of the law. But he has not been left in a state of hopeless distress in which sin has plunged him; for it was to save the transgressor from ruin that He who was equal with God offered up His life on Calvary. “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). ” {1SM 321.2}
” The wickedness that fills our world is the result of Adam’s refusal to take God’s word as supreme. He disobeyed, and fell under the temptation of the enemy. “Sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” God declared, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” And, apart from the plan of redemption, human beings are doomed to death. “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.“ But Christ gave his life to save the sinner from the death sentence. He died that we might live. To those who receive him he gives power that enables them to separate from that which, unless they return to their loyalty, will place them where they must be condemned and punished. {RH, March 15, 1906 par. 6}
“ Christ is the sinner’s only hope. By his death he brought salvation within the reach of all. Through his grace all may become loyal subjects of God’s kingdom. Only by his sacrifice could salvation be brought within man’s reach. This sacrifice has made it possible for men and women to fulfil the conditions laid down in the councils of heaven. {RH, March 15, 1906 par. 7}
“All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God,” and for this reason the Lord has provided a remedy for sin: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not; whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.” The true test of religious experience is here given. He that abideth in Christ is perfected in the love of God, and his purposes, thoughts, words, and actions are in harmony with the will of God expressed in the commandments of his law. There is nothing in the heart of the man who abides in Christ that is at war with any precept of God’s law. Where the Spirit of Christ is in the heart, the character of Christ will be revealed, and there will be manifested gentleness under provocation, and patience under trial. “Little children, let no man deceive you; he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.” Righteousness can be defined only by God’s great moral standard, the Ten Commandments. There is no other rule by which to measure character. “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning.” It was the refusal of Satan to obey the commandments of God that brought sin and apostasy into the universe. “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” {ST, June 20, 1895 par. 6}
“For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son; much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned; . . . Therefore, as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of One the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous.” {ST, June 28, 1899 par. 9}
“It is plainly written on the unrenewed heart and on a fallen world, All seek their own. Selfishness is the great law of our degenerate nature. Selfishness occupies the place in the soul where Christ should sit enthroned. But the Lord requires perfect obedience; and if we truly desire to serve him, there will be no question in our minds as to whether we shall obey his requirements or seek our own temporal interests.” {ST, June 2, 1887 par. 2}
The law of God condemns all selfishness, all pride of heart, every species of dishonesty, every secret or open transgression. The natural heart is not inclined to love its precepts, or obey its requirements. “It is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” But genuine faith in Christ converts the heart, works a change in its attitude to the law, until it delights in the law of God. The man who manifests enmity to the law has not submitted to the converting power of God. It is the keeping of the commandments that proves the sincerity of our professions of love. Says John, “This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments; and his commandments are not grievous.” {ST, March 30, 1888 par. 6}
The law of God is as holy as He is holy, as perfect as He is perfect. It presents to men the righteousness of God. It is impossible for man, of himself, to keep this law; for the nature of man is depraved, deformed, and wholly unlike the character of God. The works of the selfish heart are “as an unclean thing;” and “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” Isaiah 64:6. {MB 54.1}
It was impossible for the sinner to keep the law of God, which was holy, just, and good; but this impossibility was removed by the impartation of the righteousness of Christ to the repenting, believing soul. The life and death of Christ in behalf of sinful man were for the purpose of restoring the sinner to God’s favor, through imparting to him the righteousness that would meet the claims of the law, and find acceptance with the Father. {ST, June 20, 1895 par. 8}
The law stands firm, and justice sternly points the sinner to its holy precepts. It is not the province of the law to save the sinner, but to condemn, not to pardon, but to convict. It can not be changed to meet man in his fallen condition. Then how is God’s justice to be satisfied and His favor obtained? Not by works; “for by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight.” In his own strength the sinner can not meet the demands of God. He must go for help to the One who paid the ransom for him. It is impossible for him of himself to keep the law. But Christ can give him strength to do this. The Saviour came to this world and in human flesh lived a life of perfect obedience, that the sinner might stand before God justified and accepted. {ST, July 31, 1901 par. 9}
The foundation of our hope in Christ is the fact that we recognize ourselves as sinners in need of restoration and redemption. It is because we are sinners that we have courage to claim Him as our Saviour. {HP 291.3}
The hope we have in Christ is because we are sinners. We have a right to claim a Saviour. {TM 264.2}
Christ is the end of law for righteousness to everyone who believeth. In ourselves we are sinners; but in Christ we are righteous. Having made us righteous through the imputed righteousness of Christ, God pronounces us just, and treats us as just. He looks upon us as His dear children. Christ works against the power of sin, and where sin abounded, grace much more abounds. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:1, 2). {NL 25.1}
Without the shedding of the blood of Christ there could be no remission of sin, no imputation of the righteousness of Christ to the believing sinner. Christ endured the penalty of sin in his own body on the cross, and fulfilled all righteousness. The merit of the righteousness of Christ is the only ground upon which the sinner may hope for a title to eternal life; for Christ hath given himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God, as a sweet-smelling savor. An infinite price was paid for man’s redemption, not that he might be saved in his sins, not to make void the law of God. Paul says: “Do we then make void the law of God through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the law.” For though “by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight,” yet the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ, is witnessed by the law and the prophets. {ST, June 18, 1894 par. 6}
Christ knew that no one could obey the law in his own strength. He desired to lead the lawyer to clearer and more critical research that he might find the truth. Only by accepting the virtue and grace of Christ can we keep the law. Belief in the propitiation for sin enables fallen man to love God with his whole heart and his neighbor as himself. {COL 378.1}
You cannot keep the law. No. It is impossible for man of himself to keep the law. He cannot do it. But what can he do? Lay hold by living faith of the righteousness of Jesus Christ, and present to the Father the righteousness of Christ; and the fragrance of His character is brought into his life. Here Satan is dethroned; he is emptied out of the house, and the vacuum is supplied by the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Christ sits enthroned in the human soul. Christ never wars against Christ. {1SAT 241.2}
These quotes apply to all the members of the human family, equally to a hundred year old grandpa or a baby.
That’s why we’re all transgressors of the law.
In ourselves we cannot keep the law which means we are sinners.
We’re all under the condemnation of the law because we cannot of ourselves give what it requires.
Only by partaking of the divine nature and by the righteousness of Christ and through the merits of His blood can we keep the law and escape its condemnation.
This is what someone wrote to us insisting that the two: “state of sin” and “sin” are different.
“That is; the difference between “the State of sin” and “sin” the transgression of the law.
Could you tell me in your own words, your understanding of these two?”
So this was the answer we gave him.
The State of sin = The state of the transgression of the law
Because sin is the transgression of the law.
It’s like 1+1=2 , and that simple, why can’t some get it? If even the babies are in the “state of sin” as they even admit, that means they are in the “state of the transgression of the law”.
“The sinner does not have a desire to please God; therefore can have no pleasing sense of his approbation.
He does not enjoy his state of sin and worldly pleasure without trouble. He feels deeply the ills of this mortal life.
O yes, at times he is fearfully troubled. He fears God, but does not love him. {RH, April 28, 1859 par. 1}
- Answer :The sinner does not enjoy his state of sin
“How many today follow in his steps. In the light of God’s law, selfish men see their evil characters,
but fail to make the required reformation, and go on from one state of sin to another. {RH, March 17, 1891 par. 2}
- Answer: Selfish men go on from one state of sin to another.
” When Jesus came to this world, he found it in a deplorable state of sin and rebellion.
He did not move far away from this rebellious multitude, but he came and dwelt among them.
Because iniquity abounded, he came close to man in sympathy and tender, pitying love.
{RH, September 29, 1891 par. 13}
- Answer: state of sin is deplorable state
” Christ in God and God in Christ. All this was to take men and women
and bring them up from a state of sin, disobedience, and transgression to favor with God.
Man with Christ and Christ with God; the life and the obedience hid with Christ in God,
that when He who is our life shall appear, we may appear with Him in glory. {2SAT 106.1}
- Answer:Mission of the heavenly Father and Christ was to take men and women and bring them up from a state of sin
“They were informed that they would have to lose their Eden home.
They had yielded to Satan’s deception and believed the word of Satan, that God would lie.
By their transgression they had opened a way for Satan to gain access to them more readily,
and it was not safe for them to remain in the garden of Eden, lest in their state of sin,
they gain access to the tree of life, and perpetuate a life of sin.
They entreated to be permitted to remain, although they acknowledged that they had forfeited all right to blissful Eden.
They promised that they would in the future yield to God implicit obedience. They were informed that in their fall from innocence to guilt,
they gained no strength but great weakness. They had not preserved their integrity while they were in a state of holy, happy innocence,
and they would have far less strength to remain true and loyal in a state of conscious guilt. They were filled with keenest anguish and remorse.
They now realized that the penalty of sin was death.” {1SP 44.1}
- state of sin= life of sin
- state of sin= from innocence to guilt
- state of sin= no strength but great weakness
- state of sin= in a state of conscious guilt
” Some of the youth in—–are in a hardened state of sin; they are coarse, uncourteous, rough, and rebellious.
{4T 624.3}
If someone is in the state of sin he is a sinner.
But Jesus came to give us His divine nature(His Spirit) so we don’t have to stay in the state of sin.
We can receive his divine nature by faith and be in a state of grace moment by moment in spite of our old decaying body.
2Co 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
“God will accept only those who are determined to aim high. He places every human agent under obligation to do his best.
Moral perfection is required of all. Never should we lower the standard of righteousness in order to accommodate inherited or cultivated tendencies to wrong-doing.
We need to understand that imperfection of character is sin.
All righteous attributes of character dwell in God as a perfect, harmonious whole, and every one who receives Christ as a personal Saviour is privileged to possess these attributes. {COL 330.2}