“I have written you in my letter not to
associate with sexually immoral people -- not at all meaning the people of this
world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this
world. But now I am writing you that you
must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually
immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. What business is it of mine to judge those
outside the church? Are you not to judge
those inside? God will judge those
outside. ‘Expel the wicked man from
among you.’” (1 Corinthians 5:9-13)
It sure seems like there are many people who
are so trapped by sin that they are beyond salvation. But that is a wrong impression! God is in the life-transformation business. He’s already demonstrated His ability to
change lives by what He has done in the lives of those who are His children.
Take the Apostle Paul -- a persecutor of the
church, breathing threats against Christians, throwing some in jail, perhaps
even murdering some. If anyone was
beyond God’s grace Paul was. But God
transformed Paul!
Or Mary Magdalene -- a prostitute! It’s hard to believe that God can take
someone that far into sin and turn her life around, but that’s just what He did
with Mary!
And Zacchaeus -- a thief and swindler. He was so trapped by greed that he was
willing to hurt his own countrymen in order to line his pockets. But talk about a radical transformation --
God turned a greedy thief into a generous giver.
And your story and my story -- they contain
sins, too. Maybe our sins weren’t quite
as open and obvious as Paul’s, Mary’s, and Zacchaeus’s -- or maybe they were --
but all of us were trapped in sin. And
God has radically changed our lives, and He keeps on working to change them
more!
So, don’t give up on the people around
you. They may seem beyond God’s grace,
but they aren’t. Be patient with
them. Share with them as God provides
the opportunities. Don’t give up on
them. Expect that God can change even
them -- like He did you!
His, by Grace,
Steve
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