I am the "Chief of all Sinners"

Paul, the apostle, was well aware of his sin post conversion. I, too, am well aware of my sin and want all my readers to know that I am not holy in and of myself nor do my works contribute to my merit before God. Not the case. I am a incorrigible sinner and need the cross more and more every day. Praise God for His mercy and grace!

Here are the words of the apostle followed by a comment on a philosophical post that I felt had theological implications concerning our sinful nature.

For your prayerful consideration....

1 Timothy 1King James Version (KJV) Verses 1-17

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;
Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.
Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;
Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.
But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;
Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;
Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
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.
Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

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We all fall short, friend. Rom 3:23. I am a liar because I have lied. I am a thief because I have stolen. I am an adulterer because I have lusted. I am the "chief of all sinners" and not there is not anything righteous (in a absolute sense) that dwelleth in my members.

But there is good news to those it has been granted to believe. (By default, we exist in a position of enmity due to the imputed sin of Adam, which I believe as well to be foreordained via divine determinism)
Imputing a righteousness alien to the sinner is how a just God justifies the ungodly. There are indeed metaphysical implications to this.

Romans 4:1-5New International Version (NIV)
Abraham Justified by Faith
4 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? 2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. 3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”[a]
4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. Christ's death and the sinner being baptized into His death. That, alone, is my righteousness before Holy. Nothing more and nothing less. This is "scandelous" to the world of false religion because fallen man has a innate desire to want to establish a righteousness of His own.