The Apostle Paul writes to a young Pastor named Timothy that, "Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners". And Paul uses his own life as an example, calling himself "the worst of them all". And he said that God had mercy on him, so that Jesus could use him as an example of his great patience with even the worst of sinners.
I LOVE this passage of Scripture, because I can relate to it. Honestly, I have a hard time relating to people who claim to have it all figured out and all cleaned up. I always have. For more than half my life: Jesus, God, the Bible all seemed irrelevant to me, because I thought it was all about being a goody two-shoes, and doing everything right. I was so aware of every rotten thing I ever did, that I didn't see myself as a person God could possibly be interested in. I didn't really "fit the mold" of church-going, right-living, decent-minded people.
Then someone told me that God loving me had nothing to do with anything I had ever done, or ever would do. That Jesus came to the world for the express purpose of saving self-centered, self-serving, self-absorbed, depraved people just like me. And then someone told me the story of Paul, and what he said about himself. And I remember thinking, "If God loved Paul, He could probably love me, too".
Then someone told me that God loving me had nothing to do with anything I had ever done, or ever would do. That Jesus came to the world for the express purpose of saving self-centered, self-serving, self-absorbed, depraved people just like me. And then someone told me the story of Paul, and what he said about himself. And I remember thinking, "If God loved Paul, He could probably love me, too".
I can relate to Paul. Even his name change: from Saul. I was known by another name before I surrendered my life and my will to God, and asked Jesus to be my forgiver and leader. I haven't been known by that name - or by the lifestyle that characterized that name - since. But I have continued to make mistakes, and I continue to fall short of God's glorious standard. Thank God for His mercy and His grace! The Bible says that it's new every morning. I can relate to that, because I know how much I need it.
There's a lot I don't know about a lot of things, but I do know this: I NEED JESUS EVERY DAY, and so do you. I also know that if we think we don't, we're likely to be just the kind of Christian that other sinners look at and think, "I'm not good enough to be like them". What a pity that would be.
There's a lot I don't know about a lot of things, but I do know this: I NEED JESUS EVERY DAY, and so do you. I also know that if we think we don't, we're likely to be just the kind of Christian that other sinners look at and think, "I'm not good enough to be like them". What a pity that would be.
Listen...it's SO IMPORTANT that other people (family, friends, neighbors, co-workers) have a chance to know that God's grace and mercy are for them, REGARDLESS of what they've done. I am absolutely POSITIVE that one of the biggest roadblocks for people coming to Christ is that they think they're just not "good enough". No one ever was good enough. No one but Jesus.
Jesus came to save sinners. Our job is to let people know.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Your comments are welcome. Please keep them on point. Offensive comments, or those with a bent towards personal attack will not be published, and the commentator will be flogged.