Then I Met Jesus

“And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” – 1 Corinthians 6:11

Paul had just described the behavior of lost people to the Corinthian Church. People who were dominated by their sinful nature – without hope – defiant toward their Creator God. Doing what they pleased – the way they pleased.  Thinking all the while that the way they lived was normal and right.  He pointed out that even though the people who comprised the church in Corinth were born again, they, themselves, had once lived the same way – until they met Jesus along the way. I am certain Paul could see himself in his own words – even as he penned them. It is what I thought about as I read those verses about myself.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

When I describe what my life was like before my salvation,  my children cannot imagine it.  Since they were either born after or were too young to remember, they have never seen the “old me”. But I know it all too well.  I would drink until I was stupefied – cussed freely and often – but careful to not use some words around women and children – smoked two packs of cigarettes a day and lived for the day and my pleasure. No my children would not believe it – I can hardly believe it.  But then I met Jesus along the way and my life changed forever. I don’t even want to image what my life would have been like if I had remained the same.

I am sharing this because I want to encourage you to look back on your life. Some of you met Jesus – were born again and had lived very little of your old nature – but many of you, like me were adults or new adults when you were saved by faith. You know what your sin nature is capable of – and perhaps live with regrets for some of the things you did and said and thought during those days. And, like me, today you rejoice in knowing that what you could not do – God did do and redeemed you from your sin – adopted you – and began to make all things new in you by the power of His Spirit and your obedience to the Spirit.

So why did Paul write those words to the Corinthians? He had to remind them of the hazards of living in a place where the predominate number of people were not born again. To warn them that they would be tempted to embrace a sinful lifestyle and exchange the Truth of God for a lie.  The lie being that sin was not sin. Nothing has really changed has it.  Oh, what man has been able to create out of what was already created changed with innovation and technological advances, but the heart of man and how that is manifested has not changed. To quote King Solomon.

“That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which it may be said, ‘See, this is new’? It has already been in ancient times before us. There is no remembrance of former things, Nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come By those who will come after.” – Ecclesiastes 1:9-11

To say that someone is a Progressive is actually to say that their thinking and doing is regressive.  “There is nothing new under the sun.” A rose is still a rose under any other name and sin is still sin no matter how you package it and try to sell it.  

Take some time today to think about how your life has changed “Since Jesus Came Into Your Heart”. Rejoice in your salvation and the hope that is in you. 

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone