Every person on earth sins, probably every day. It is a common misunderstanding among unbelievers that one must be very “good” to be a Christian. The truth is that there is not a single good person on earth. ”There is none that doeth good, no, not one (Psalm 14:3). Many people will not attend church because they realize they are sinners. Satan has convinced them that if they drink a little beer or wine they are not fit for church. Drinking wine was common in Jesus’ day; in fact, He even made wine from water and He drank wine. That’s why they could accuse him falsely of being a wine bibber. The Bible does not condemn the consumption of alcohol, but only drunkenness.

Many preachers have, in effect, tried to add to the Word of God by condemning any use of alcohol. They have thus sinned. And this is the reason many people will not come to church, they believe they are unworthy because of their alcohol use. The truth is that every church member is an unworthy sinner. Church has been accurately described as a “hospital for sinners.”

Satan has been very successful at deceiving the world with so many lies. One is that a person must be “good” and sin-free in order to see heaven. This is not possible; but people don’t know this. They don’t know that no one on earth is worthy. Everyone on earth sins.

Christians should indeed try their best to avoid sinning. They have been set free from the bondage of sin and do not actually have to sin. Non-Christians are still enslaved to sin and have to sin. They have no choice in the matter, as Christians do. Paul admonished Christians not to grieve or quench the Holy Spirit of God (Ephesians 4:30). Christian sinning grieves the Heavenly Father and hurts our fellowship with Him. But a Christian’s sin never threatens his salvation. He will still go to heaven for sure. “Once saved, always saved.” A Christian’s sin grieves God, but it is still covered by the blood of God’s Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ. Many preachers will disagree with this doctrine in spite of its being clearly laid out in Scripture. Some even preach that a Christian can lose his salvation. This is heresy and a lie of Satan to discourage people.

The reason the Gospel is such good news is that salvation is free to all who believe in Christ, and it is irrevocable. This Gospel is also a great comfort for every Christian, especially when a Christian sins. He knows he won’t lose his salvation. James said, “Resist the devil and he will depart from you.” Of course the devil will return to tempt you again and again. That is why we Christians need to grow in grace. We are to cooperate with God as He sanctifies us, as He makes us more like Christ. We grow through prayer, Bible study, and fellowship with other Christians, through church attendance.