A lot of us believe that we are not good enough for God, that what ever we have done cannot and will not be forgiven. That there is no way that God could love someone like us. This applies to Christians and Non Christians. Lets see in the Bible what kind of people God used.
Our first example: Acts 7:57-8:3 (a disciple named Stephen was being stoned to death)
57At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.
8:1And Saul was there, giving approval to his death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.
Now here is a person that I would say was definitely a "bad" person, do you think God can use him?
Yes he can.
Jesus came to him as he was traveling (Acts 9:1-9) and Paul, at that time named Saul, followed the call of God.
After Sauls conversion. God wants to send a guy named Ananias to Saul to pray with him. Read the following verse and see what God has in mind for Paul: Acts 9:13-15 "Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name." 15 But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.
Do you see what God did in Paul's life? He called him, Paul followed him and God was able to use him for an important mission. God forgave him for everything he had ever done. Do you hear God calling?
Our second example 2: King David 2nd Sam 11:2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, 3and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, "Isn't this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" 4Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her.
2nd Sam 11:14 In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. 15In it he wrote, "Put Uriah in the front line where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die."
2nd Sam 11:27 After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the LORD.
Now do you think anyone could do anything much worse? David committed adultery, had the husband murdered and then married the woman.
I don't believe there is anything worse that you could have done.
In 2nd Samuel 12:1-12 Nathan points out David's sin and tells him what the consequences are going to be.
2nd Sam 12:13 Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan replied, "The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. 14But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the LORD show utter contempt, the son born to you will die."
David has remorse and repents. Notice one thing, David was forgiven, but there where still consequences for his actions. Some things stay with us, but God still helps us deal with them.
What does God think of David after this?
Read the following excerpt from when Paul was talking to the Israelites and some Gentiles about what God had said:
Acts 13:22 After removing Saul, he made David their king. He testified concerning him: `I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.'
Conclusion:
There is no sin you could have committed that is worse then what Paul and David have done. God had no problem forgiving them and I know he will also forgive you. Our biggest problem usually is not that God cannot forgive us, but the fact that we cannot forgive ourselves. Please trust God and ask for forgiveness for whatever you may have done and he will forgive you and change your life.
There is nothing you could have done, that God cannot forgive you for.
Just ask….
