Too Bad, So Sad...

In the last post, I started getting into things which may be misunderstood or plain out unknown by some people.  Today, we shall continue in this realm.

Among the reasons why a person may choose (yes, it is a choice) not to turn to God, a couple of these involve the word “too”.  Specifically, things they have done are “too bad” and/or it is “too late”.  If you, or someone you know, fit into one or both of these categories, hopefully we may help to provide a bit of peace for them.

Let’s start with the first, and probably the most common, misconception:  “I have done things which are too bad and cannot be forgiven.”

"... all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" ~ Romans 3:23

Note the word “all” in this passage of scripture.  All have sinned.  All fall short.  It does not say some or even most, but all.

But, you may say, my sin is really bad.  You do not know the things I have done.  True, I do not know everything you have done any more than you know all that I have done.  I do know a few things though.  For instance, I know that "... the wages of sin is death..." ~ Romans 6:23.  I know it does not say some sin or sins, but rather, the implication is that all sin is deadly.  You see, it is not God who says one sin is really bad while another is just this light little thing barely worth noting (murder versus a lie, for instance).  That is something that we, as people, do and can sometimes be culturally influenced.  God is not influenced by our culture.

Why don’t we continue with Romans chapter 3 for a moment:  "and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus" ~ Romans 3:24.  Again, as we noted above, we see the word “all” in this verse as well.  We also must take note of the words “freely” and “grace”.  The last one is of particular interest.  You see, none of us, no matter what we have or have not done, deserve salvation.  Grace means we do not get what we deserve.  Grace means that no matter what you have done, in Christ, there is life for you as well.

What if you are getting along in years though?  Isn’t it too late for you?  Not even close.  In Matthew chapter 20, verses 1 through 15, we read the story of an owner hiring people to work at his vineyard.  In the parable, the ones who are hired first are hired for a set daily wage.  Workers hired later on, are also hired for the same daily wage.  At the end of the day, everyone gets the same pay.  Now while some of you may argue that that arrangement does not seem fair, it is fair that each got what was promised them.  The point of it is this, even if you are 97 years old and have lived a life worthy of a Hollywood movie, you can – and will, if you ask for it – receive the same salvation as someone who accepted Christ when they were 15.  The difference, however, is in the life lived - being free and connected to God for many years, or only a few months.  So waiting until the end is not the best idea if you have the chance when you are younger, especially since none of us knows if we will make it to our next birthday, let alone one 20 years in the future.

Earlier, I mentioned that I do not know what you have done any more than you know about me.

If you had to list someone who was unforgiveable, it is not too hard for anyone to guess that someone who was, let’s say, into Satanism or witchcraft would be pretty high on that list, right.  Most would even say that those people were beyond the reaches of God’s grace and forgiveness and that God would much rather kill them, than accept and save them.  Those people would be dead wrong.  How do I know?  I know because if they were right, then I would be dead.

"... God does not show favoritism" ~ Romans 2:11

If I am alive and free and saved by the grace of God through faith in what Jesus has done for me, then trust me on this:  you can be too.  You are not too bad or too old or too anything.  Not now, nor have you ever been.  Life is but a prayer away.