God Calls Us Just As We Are

1 Corinthians (below) explains that God calls us just as we are. God doesn't call the wise, the wealthy, or the powerful, he calls the foolish, the poor, and the weak. Without God there is no wisdom. wealth, or power. The world has its own versions of these things, but it's not eternal. We are very little, selfish creatures without God. What's amazing about this is that God knows how humans are and, yet, he still calls us to be his people.

26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus,who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness,holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”  1 Corinthians 1:26-31

One of my favorite hymns, "Just As I Am", has a verse that says,

"Just as I am - Thou wilt receive,Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve; Because Thy promise I believe,"

This verse is hits the nail on the head, God will receive, welcome, pardon, cleanse, and relieve us just as we are. God understands that we all have pasts. Some Christians have been to prison, some have committed sins that don't send you to prison, some have cheated on their spouse, some were prostitutes, and some were greedy. These are our lives before Christ: sinful. Jesus died to save us from our sins and to give us eternal life. It doesn't matter to God what you have done in the past. As long as you call on Him and confess your sinful condition, He will wash away your sins. God calls us as we are.

It's reassuring to know that God accepts us as we are and still loves us. He created you the way you are, so he knows how you come. The books of Revelation and Isaiah speak on this subject:

"The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life." Revelation 22:17

"“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."  Isaiah 1:18 

An example of Jesus accepting someone as they are and forgiving them can be found in John 8:1-11. In this passage the Pharisees brought before Jesus a woman who had been caught in adultery and they asked Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” Jesus replied by writing on the ground, "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” At this point everyone left, which left only the woman and Jesus. He asked her if anyone had condemned her and she said they hadn't. Jesus told the woman, “Then neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Jesus made two points here: come as you are and leave your life of sin. Both of these points are equally important. I've addressed the former, so I'll address the latter.

 The church today sometimes misunderstands and teaches incorrectly the message of Jesus accepting us as we are. Grace is not a pass to keep living the way you did before. You can't continue living a life of sin and expect Jesus to excuse your behavior. Jesus didn't tell the adulterous woman that it was fine to continue her illicit affair, He told her she was forgiven and to leave your life of sin. She was still a sinner, since she was a human, but she could stop living a life of sin. Jesus accepts our sinful condition and saves us with the expectation that we will give our lives over to Him instead of sin.

The Bible does shed light on this subject, here are a few examples:

"You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love." Galatians 5:13

"For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you." 1 Peter 4:3-4

"Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy." Romans 13:13

In the future, remember that your past sins don't keep you from Christ unless you don't ask His forgiveness. God loves us no matter what, but be careful not to mistake His unconditional love for "freedom to indulge the flesh." Think of how a great an example we as Christians could set if we would behave decently all of the time.