Today on "Word Wednesdays" I want to talk about a point that was mentioned in our sermon this past week at church that has really stuck with me. I have heard several people say "they aren't good enough to be a Christian," or "they're too bad," or "they've done too many bad things." Even I am guilty of letting Satan try to convince me that when I sin Jesus won't love me anymore. I know that's a lie, and I am thankful that He forgives us of all of our sins past, present, and future. However, the point that was mentioned this week had to do with Paul (formerly Saul).
For those of you who don't know, Saul was one of the biggest enemies to Christianity. He went around hunting down Christians and killing them. Then, God changed his heart, and he became a Believer. It was truly a miraculous story! Read it if you haven't (Acts 9, ESV). He went from condemning any Christian he could find to writing most of the New Testament! Praise God!
Here's the point I'm trying to make though. In Acts 23:1 (ESV), Paul spoke to the council and said, ""Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day." How could Paul say this? He went around killing people. He was a huge enemy to Christianity before God saved him. How could he have a good conscience knowing what he had done in the past?
He was able to say this because of Jesus. He was bragging on Jesus and what He had done for us on the Cross. Paul knew that all of his sins were washed away, and he knew that now God had given him a new heart. If Paul is able to say that he has a good conscience, why can't we? God sees all sin. However, when we have Jesus as a Savior, He doesn't see us as the filthy mess that we are anymore. He sees us as a new creation living to glorify Him.
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