When we talk about God and the Bible some words more commonly used two thousand years ago just don’t translate. Our relationship with our Creator is often described as sinner and the Almighty. You don’t expect to have a relationship with anyone when using such non-personal terms to describe the friendship. Does God really only care about protecting their own character for egotistical reasons when finding our behaviors offensive?
Referring to all people as sinners suggests God is only worried about their own reputation.
Is this really the kind of Parent God is? Loving parents, when a child does something wrong, don’t care only how they are hurt. Sin is sin because it hurts the sinner and those they are in relationships with. That is why it hurts God. God wants nothing more than a relationship so we might consider how we are hurting ourselves and others. Loving parents care less about how their child’s actions make them look as much as the pain for the child resulting from not following their guidance.
We know who the real sinners are.
God’s anger isn’t against those who understand self-centeredness is wrong. Some people in the Bible sacrificed their children to appease their supposed gods. Some people in the Bible didn’t care who they hurt in their lust for power or pleasure. Such people are evildoers or sinners if you prefer. Such people need to fear the wrath of all until accepting that the world doesn’t revolve around them.
I don’t want to replace sinners with mistakers.
We sometimes don’t intentionally mean for our words to hurt others. I may write something that deeply offends someone. I wouldn’t necessarily go out of my way to offend them individually in person. I struggle to say I am sorry when my words unintentionally hurt others but maybe I need to get over it. Then, some know what they are doing is hurting others. Such actions aren’t mistakes. Those are willful. We refuse help to avoid change. God never gives up on us but those aren’t mistakes.
So, how do we refer to those who aren’t evil but are hurting themselves and others they have relationships with?
I am not sure but let’s save the label sinners for evildoers. Does God really refer to us as sinners under their breathe when we regret our actions, when we struggle to change habitual patterns that are not in our best interest? God isn’t interested in condemning you. God simply wants to come along aside and support and encourage you to consider if God’s guidance is in your best interests.
What God May Really Be Like - Misbeliefs About God 