God’s Uses Imperfect People To Accomplish His Perfect Will – Are You Willing?

There are two common mistakes made by Christians.  1) It is a mistake for me to look at my forgiven past and conclude that God has no use for me in the kingdom.  2) It is also a mistake for me to use my forgiven past as an excuse to continue in sin.

The reason that God included the stories about sinners becoming saints – the unusable becoming useful is that He wants us to know that there is hope for us – hope for even me.  Of all of the things that God could have revealed to us in His Word – He chose those things that you read about in the Bible.  Everything has its purpose.  No words are wasted.  God paints a picture of human nature without Him and the transformed life with Him. He reveals that He can take what is broken and rejected and use it for His glory and our good.

Like many of the people who served God in the Bible, we have things in our past that we regret.  That we are ashamed of.  Perhaps that we are convinced preclude any possibility that we are “really” acceptable and even useful to a holy God.  There is not one person born on this earth who is untouched by sin.  We are born into it.  But … praise God … we have been born again by the Spirit (John 3) and are covered by the blood of Jesus.  (2 Corinthians 5:17) “Old things are passed away and all things have become new.” We are jars of clay – cracked pots – imperfect on the outside but made perfect on the inside. (Matthew 23:25-26) "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.” 

So since your past is forgiven – your future is full of possibilities and opportunities to serve God and be a light to those around you.  But there is a danger.  We can believe that because we have been forgiven – the fact that we continue to sin is “OK” with God.  He will always forgive us – so no worries.  When you stop pursuing God – associating with other Christians who are pursuing Him – praying – worshipping – reading the Word – yielding to the Spirit’s leading – you will suffer spiritual atrophy.  You will drift away – you might find yourself worse off than before.  Like the frog in the pot your goose will be cooked. Paul – in Romans addressed this. (Romans 6:1-2) “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?  By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?”  

And so, my friends, consider where you are today.  If you need to – confess your sins to the Father – find forgiveness – turn your life back to Him and let your life be a beacon of light that points others to Jesus. And if you are already doing that – shine on to the praise of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  CHARLEY