Saints are Sinners
Scripture Reading: Psalm 147; Daniel 9-10; Revelation 4
While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my plea before the LORD my God for the holy hill of my God…
When I think about who I would consider good and godly men in the Bible, Daniel has to be on that list. He was consistently faithful over decades under difficult circumstances. He had multiple opportunities to compromise and he didn’t.
If there was ever someone we should strive to copy, it would be someone like Daniel.
In chapter nine we are getting close to the end of Daniel’s storied life. He is older and experienced. His soul has been shaped by good habits and godly living. He has been a man of righteousness and a man of prayer.
In this text we find him, again, in prayer. What stands out to me, and why I wanted to emphasize his godliness here, is in writing about what he was praying he says he was confessing his sin. He doesn’t get into details about what sins he had in mind. But he was confessing some specific sin(s).
Daniel was a saint. Daniel was a sinner.
Luther described this with the Latin phrase, “Simul Justus et Peccator.” Simultaneously justified and yet a sinner.
That is our present state as saints in this world. We are justified by Christ, but no matter how long we live and how much we grow in Christ and walk in the Spirit, we are yet a sinner.
John encourages us by reminding us that, “If we confess our sin, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Today, when you pray, be sure and take some time to confess your sins to the Lord.
