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Let the Past be the Past

I've made some mistakes, and done some things I really wish I hadn't done in my past, maybe even this weekend.  How do I become a good person?  How do I get right with God? 

Does this sound like you, or someone you know today?  Please allow me to offer a brief answer, and some encouragement.

There was a man in the Bible named Saul.  He was persecuting and even killing Christians.  I'm sure most of us aren't that bad, hope not anyway.  But when he had an encounter with Jesus Christ, his whole life changed direction.  He went from attacking Christians, to spreading the Word of Christ.  How does that happen? 

It's a miracle, a gift of salvation.  Saul, who then became known as Paul, was justified before God immediately upon his conversion.  He had not yet done anything good for the Lord, but he had placed his faith in Him.  "Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified." - Galations 2:16

I can't work my way to heaven, you can't work your way to heaven, none of us can get right with God alone.  There's only one way to be justified and that is by placing your faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  Once you do that, he will begin a process of sanctification, which is basically a fancy church word for becoming more like Christ. 

I didn't change from who I was to who I am overnight, and you most likely won't either, it's a process.  But don't give up or have too little hope.  This guy Saul, who became Paul, wrote much of the New Testament and spread God's Word immensely during his time.  What can the Lord do through you?  Will you attend a church or talk to a believer today who can introduce you to this man we know as Jesus?

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