How often do we (the people in the church) think of sinners as only those people who are not believers and are outside the church? I don't think Jesus makes the same distinction. He's interested in repentance - turning from sin - and there are sinners everywhere. In fact, the Pharisees, the ultimate insiders, were a group of people Jesus was constantly challenging to change and they wouldn't. But tax collectors and sinners, when Jesus challenged them, they changed - they repented. It doesn't matter where we categorize ourselves, if Jesus is calling us to change our thoughts or behaviors he's also calling us sinners - and he's right. Let's not argue about it, let's just respond with repentance.

Luke 5:30-32