Answers

By   •   November 13, 2014   •   Topics:

Q:

How bad do you have to be before God won't have anything to do with you? I've lived a pretty wild life and I'm in jail now. Two men on my block have become Christians and are urging me to do the same, but I honestly can't believe God could ever forgive me.


A:

God has promised to forgive anyone — without exception — who truly repents of their sin and by faith commits their life to Jesus Christ. The Bible is clear: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Acts 2:21).

You’ve probably heard of the Apostle Paul, whom some have called the greatest Christian who ever lived. But do you know his story? He grew up convinced that Jesus was a liar and a fraud, and that His followers were both deceived and dangerous to society. Paul even received permission from the authorities to arrest and persecute any Christians he found, even to the point of death.

How could God ever forgive someone like that? But He did — and God not only forgave Paul, but also sent him into the world to tell others about the new life Christ offers to all who put their trust in Him. Later Paul wrote, “I … do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God” (1 Corinthians 15:9).

If God could forgive Paul, He can certainly forgive you. And He will, as you turn in faith to Him, confessing your sins and opening your heart and life to Jesus Christ. God has touched the lives of your two block mates; let Him touch your life, as well. The Bible says, “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

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