Worthy or Unworthy? Remember Pauline.

I'd like to ask everyone to remember a lady named Pauline in your prayers this week.

While we (my SoulFlight bandmates and I) were out playing in Erie, PA this past weekend we had a lady (Pauline) rededicate her life to Christ during our concert. One of our sound crew was able to take her aside and pray with her while we finished our set and later I was able to speak with her and pray with her again.

One of the things that Pauline said she struggled with most is that she felt "unworthy" to be a Christian. She felt she didn't have everything all together like my band and I did. (I laughed inside at that one.) I grabbed my Bible and shared with her the following verses and message.

I told her that first of all none of us were "worthy" in and of ourselves (not even SoulFlight LOL ). Nobody is any more "worthy" to be a Christian that anyone else. God's word tells us, in John 3:3, that none of us will go to heaven unless we're born again because, as Romans 3:23 says, we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (That fact alone should make us all want to fall on our faces and cry "unclean" like the lepors of the Old Testament.) Thankfully, God loved us so much that He sent His only son to die in our place and take the penalty we all deserve. Romans 5:8 says "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." When we repent of our sins, accept Christ as our Savior and put our faith in Him we take on His righteousness, His blamelessness, and His "worthiness". Romans 3:22 says "This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe." Our faith in Him, His cleansing blood, and His promises are what makes us worthy. John 1:12 tells us that all who have received Him and believe in His name, He gives the right to become children of God. Galatians 3:26-27 adds to that by saying "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." So our unworthiness is replaced by His worthiness through our faith in Him. And it is not something we can obtain on our own through our own efforts. It is a gift from God and all we have to do is accept it, receive it, and stand on it. Romans 6:23 tells us "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Ephesians 2:8-9 says plainly "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."

Have you felt unworthy in the past? Are you feeling unworthy now? Do you know someone who is feeling unworthy? Remember the message in God's word (and remember Pauline in your prayers). It is not our worthiness we need to worry about because our worthiness will never get any of us into heaven. It is only Christ's worthiness that He gives to us freely when we accept Him as our Savior. I will stand on that worthiness alone and claim to be a child of God. I am worthy because He is worthy. And if God considers us worthy because He sees His son's worthiness in us, then we ought to have a desire to live our lives as pleasing sacrifices to Him, worthy of His love and the price He paid to purchase us.