Can God Still Use Me Even after I've Sinned?

“Help, I Messed Up!”

I don't know any other way to say it. I messed up! I blew it! I'm guilty! No excuses! I let a situation get to me that shouldn't have and I responded in a very childish and inexcusable way. In the heat of the moment, I instinctively tried to defend myself against what I had considered to be a personal attack on my integrity. The truth of the matter, however, was that I completely misjudged the motives of the others involved and subjected them undeservedly to my vitriol. Besides disrespecting and demeaning them, I also made a complete fool of myself.

Following my mess-up, I spent several days agonizing about how a professed 'follower of Christ,' one who wears His name, could have behaved in such an ungodly and selfish manner. More important than trying to figure out how or why it happened, however, was to determine what I could do to ensure that it never happened again. Ironically, this incident brought to mind a blog which I had written not too long before this titled, 'The Importance of Well-Chosen Words.' I almost felt mocked by my own words. I wish I had remembered it before this incident and had followed my own advice.

Following my meltdown, I spent hours in prayer, asking God to forgive me and to show me the root of the sin that triggered my inappropriate reaction. As I prayed, the Holy Spirit gently, but firmly guided my mind back to several incidents from my childhood in which I had been denigrated and made to feel that I didn't matter. Evidently, it happened enough times that though I knew the Truth—that I am created in God's image, that He has a blueprint for my life, and that He loved me enough to send His only Son to die for my sins—those feelings of insignificance remained, ready to surface at the least provocation. I continued praying, asking God to remind me to bring “every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5) and to replace each negative or untrue thought with the Truth of His Word.

It necessarily takes time for us to work through all the unresolved issues from our past, but it must be done for our sake as well as for the sake of others. No one should have to endure the kind of abuse I meted out on undeserving individuals, unintentional though it was. I wasn't aware of the unresolved issues in my life until I began searching my heart following the incident. Count on the devil, however, to find your weakness and exploit it when you are trying your best to serve the Lord. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not blaming the devil for my bad behavior. I was totally responsible. I’m just saying that it irks Satan no end when we honestly desire to serve the Lord and he will do everything in his power to stop us or at least render us less effective.

I will, no doubt, be learning from this experience for quite some time, but here are some of the things I've learned so far:

1.    I must admit when I'm wrong.

Nothing takes the impetus out of an apology like trying to offer justification (excuses) for why we wronged someone else. The fact of the matter was that I offended others! Trying to rationalize or justify my wrong behavior would only have made the situation worse. Following egregious sin is necessary to humble ourselves to get right with God and others. This doesn’t guarantee instant exoneration, but in time, God will restore us. God’s forgiveness was given at the cross, but our maturation takes time.

“So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and in his good time he will honor you” (1 Peter 5:6 NLT).

2.    I must confess my sin to God.

I had to realize and acknowledge that all sin is against God. In this case, I sinned against others, and it was important and right to ask their forgiveness. Before I could ask their forgiveness, however, I needed to acknowledge that I’d offended holy and righteous God and ask His forgiveness first. King David set the example for us following conviction of his sin with Bathsheba. Once we’ve settled the matter with Holy God and gotten our hearts right, we are in a much better frame of mind to ask forgiveness of those we’ve offended.

“Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just” (Psalm 51:4 NLT).

3.    I must confess my sin to those I’ve wronged.

I had barely ceased my tirade before the Holy Spirit’s conviction struck me right in the heart! I knew instantly that I needed to confess my sin to God and to those whom I had offended. Confession exposes sin to God’s light which neutralizes it and makes it less likely to reoccur. Confession is different from apology. We should always confess first to show that our hearts and attitudes are right before God. Confession doesn’t allow for excuses, and only when we’ve confessed our sin will our apologies ring true.

Sometimes it behooves us to confess our sins to other believers whom we can trust and who will pray for us and hold us accountable. Accountability is one of the best ways to keep from sinning. Having others pray earnestly for us can give us the power to avoid sinning in the future.

“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results” (James 5:16 NLT).

4.    I must never let down my guard.

I was in the midst of preparing to serve and honor the Lord when I was blindsided by the enemy! I shouldn’t have been surprised. The devil likes to attack us when we're least expecting it, which is often when we’re attempting to serve the Lord. Think about what threatens him the most. He knows that he can’t steal our salvation, so the best he can do is seek to render us ineffective in doing God’s work.

What made this whole episode most egregious to me is the fact that it occurred at church with other believers in a situation where I was genuinely trying to serve the Lord. When God is (or should be) our primary focus, Satan gets jealous and will do everything in his power to distract us. I don't find him messing with me much when I'm involved in mundane things, but the moment I set forth to serve, honor, and glorify God, he throws his worst at me. We can never let down our guard. We must always remain aware and vigilant against the devil’s schemes.

“For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).

5.    I must embrace godly sorrow as necessary and beneficial.

I quickly realized and admitted my sin and was instantly forgiven, but I still suffered a godly sorrow because of what I had done. Godly sorry is necessary, but temporary. It reminds us of the consequences of our sin which helps us to be less likely to sin again in the same area. Godly sorry helps turn us away from sin and back to God.

“For God can use sorrow in our lives to help us turn away from sin and seek salvation. We will never regret that kind of sorrow. But sorrow without repentance is the kind that results in death” (2 Corinthians 7:10 NLT).

6.    I must acknowledge and received God’s forgiveness!

It’s human nature to feel that we are undeserving of God’s forgiveness and to want to do penance for our sins. It's an insult to the Lord Jesus, however, for us even to entertain such a notion. Self-pity is ungodly and only makes the situation worse. Godly sorrow isn’t feeling sorry for ourselves. It’s silly and useless to wallow in self-pity once we’ve been forgiven. Any guilt we feel after we’ve been forgiven is 'false guilt' because true guilt, the result of sin, is dealt with completely through confession and repentance. I had to realize and admit that there was absolutely nothing I could add to Christ's completed work on the cross to earn forgiveness for my sin to be able to fully receive God’s forgiveness.

"But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong" (1 John 1:9 NLT).

7.    I must move on, once I’ve been forgiven.

According to Scripture, once I'd repented and sought forgiveness from those I’d offended, I was free to receive God's forgiveness and cleansing and move on. It wouldn’t have honored or glorified God to continue beating myself up and rejecting His perfect sacrifice for my sin. It’s dishonoring to God to ignore His Word and heap condemnation on ourselves when He’s made it clear that we have been justified.

“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1 NLT).

I have to admit that even after I had dealt with matters following this incident, I was a bit fearful that I might somehow inadvertently commit the same sin again. God dealt with my fear by reminding me of the following truths:

"He has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of self-control" (2 Timothy 1:7 NLT).

“As we know Jesus better, his divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life” (2 Peter 1:3a NLT).

"I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:13 NLT).

Next time you mess up (and there will be a next time), remember that there is no sin so big or so horrible that God will not forgive if you confess it to Him and repent of it. And also remember that you are in good company. Moses, King David, the Apostle Paul, and Simon Peter all sinned egregiously against God, but not only did God forgive them; He also restored them, strengthened them, and used them mightily for His glory. By the same token, God can still use us ever after we’ve messed up.

“So receiving God's promise is not up to us. We can't get it by choosing it or working hard for it. God will show mercy to anyone he chooses” (Roman 9:16 NLT).

How Can I Know the Bible Is True?

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).

According to John 1:1 above, God’s Word is more than just words printed on pages. Logos (logos) in Greek, rendered word in English, can literally be translated as “the sayings of God.” In the Greek language, logos implied two distinct meanings: 1.) “the word conceived,” and 2.) “the word uttered.” In the verse above, we see logos beginning with capital letters. This is an indication of personification, which in this case, represents the Person of Jesus Christ. In this sense, the first phrase above “in the beginning was the Word” indicates that the Word (Jesus Christ) already existed. This gives credence to the eternality of God and the fact that Jesus is God and was with Him at Creation. These points alone guarantee the veracity of Scripture.

The Authenticity of Scripture

From a purely material perspective, there is more evidence to support the authenticity of Scripture than there is for any other literary work in existence. Over 24,000 manuscript copies of the New Testament still exist from Greek, Latin, and earlier sources. Some of these were written within 20 or 30 years of the original autographs. Each of these manuscript copies has been subjected to the same historical analysis and physical examination as all other literary manuscripts, and all have been compared for consistency. After all of this careful examination and analysis, the entirety of these manuscripts has been found to contain less than one percent textual error. This is fewer errors than have been found in any ten other manuscripts that have been examined using the same criteria. No other single document even comes close.

By comparison, the second oldest and most well-documented manuscript is Homer’s The Illiad. Only 643 manuscript portions of it exist and they contain a combined total of over five percent textual error. Few consider this percentage to have any significant impact on the accuracy or meaning of the text. Considering that the New Testament is historically the oldest and most accurate literary work ever written, it stands to reason that it can be considered authentic.

The Historicity of Scripture

The Bible is historical in general, though it contains poetry and parables, and it provides historical and geographical data that can be substantiated through other sources. Those named in Scripture were real people who lived in places that can be found on maps today. Many historical figures mentioned in Scripture can be identified in other historical literature. As a matter of fact, much of the ancient history that is still in print today was based on the Old Testament historical accounts. Much of what we find in Scripture has been verified by archeology. Events and accounts mentioned in the Bible have been confirmed through other sciences such as biology, geology, and astronomy. As Dr. Henry M. Morris, founder of the Institute for Creation Research, once said, “There exists today not one unquestionable find of archaeology that proves the Bible to be in error at any point.”[1]

Much of Scripture was written as eyewitness testimony of events that took place in history.

“1 Most honorable Theophilus: Many people have written accounts about the events that took place among us. 2 They used as their source material the reports circulating among us from the early disciples and other eyewitnesses of what God has done in fulfillment of his promises. 3 Having carefully investigated all of these accounts from the beginning, I have decided to write a careful summary for you, 4 to reassure you of the truth of all you were taught” (Luke 1:1-4).

In the very first verses of the Gospel of Luke, we find him authenticating his writings by telling his readers by what means he gathered and compiled them. In verse three, he declares specifically that he “carefully investigated” everything he was about to write. In other places in Scripture, we find the authors giving forensic explanations of times, places, and reasons for what they are writing. Another example is the Apostle Paul, who wrote many of his epistles while in prison.

“1 This letter is from Paul, in prison for preaching the Good News about Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy. It is written to Philemon, our much loved co-worker, 2 and to our sister Apphia and to Archippus, a fellow soldier of the cross. I am also writing to the church that meets in your house” (Philemon 1:1-2).

The Veracity of Scripture

In addition to its verifiable historical accuracy, the Bible contains a significant number of fulfilled prophecies. There are around 2,500 prophecies in Scripture, the vast majority of which have been fulfilled precisely as foretold. The mathematical odds of  a person or persons making this number of predictions and having every one of them be fulfilled in this way is beyond the realm of possibility, much less comprehension. One would have to surmise that fulfillment of this many prophecies is miraculous and could only be accomplished by a supernatural being. The Bible makes clear that this supernatural being is God.

Of all books ever written, the Bible has transformed more lives than any other book. There are countless accounts of transformed lives in Scripture, but many thousands, perhaps millions more from those who have been transformed from having read it. Only a book that is God-breathed could have this kind of impact on mankind.

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right” (2 Timothy 3:16).

God’s Word is Truth. Jesus, Himself declared this in his prayer to God in the Gospel of John 17:17.

“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:17 NKJV).

Since Jesus is an historical person and given what claims He made about Himself, either we can take Him at His Word and believe what He said, or we have to write Him off as one of the worst liars or the most evil individuals in history.

“A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell.”[2]

As with any evidence, we each must consider the evidence for the authenticity, the historicity, and the prophetic accuracy of Scripture and make a determination of whether or not we will choose to believe it.

Why Should I Believe the Bible?

The Bible claims to be the inspired Word of God. It tells us about creation and the Creator, the origin of life, the history of nations and languages, and most especially about the life and death of Jesus Christ. If these accounts are true, then the Bible is the single most significant book ever written. Obviously, we cannot substantiate everything written in Scripture, but a lack of evidence is not evidence of a lack of authenticity. I have never seen a Northern Hairy Nose Wombat before, but that does not prove that there are no Northern Hairy Nose Wombats in existence. Given the best evidence available, we each have to make up our own mind whether or not we will believe the Bible.

The writers of Scripture make numerous claims that the Bible is God’s Word. Paul wrote to Timothy that “all Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16 NIV). Jesus confessed to His Father that “Your Word is Truth” (John 17:17 NKJV). The apostle Peter wrote that “prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21 ESV). Peter’s description indicates that the writing of Scripture was directed by the Holy Spirit. This indicates that the Bible is the literal word of God which gives it not only His stamp of approval, but also His authority.

To determine whether or not to believe anything that is written one needs to examine all the evidence, internal and external, concerning its authenticity. The Bible is no different. Its unique message, its authoritative narrative, and its accuracy in the areas of history and prophecy should cause the reader to at least consider that it is valid. The ultimate test for its veracity, however, is its capacity to change lives.

Another consideration for the authenticity of Scripture is the unity of its message. The Bible was written over a period of approximately 1,550 years, by at least 40 different writers from disparate backgrounds, on three different continents, in a variety of environments, and in three different languages. Despite all this, there is a consistency and harmony in Scripture that defies all odds.

A careful reading of Scripture will unveil passages that have since been confirmed by science. Matthew Maury, a 17^th century oceanographer, saw in Psalm 8:8 a mention of “paths of the seas.” Being a believer in the veracity of Scripture, he assumed that there must actually be paths in the seas and he began searching for them. His research led to the discoveries of specific ocean currents (the Gulf Stream being one of them) that became shipping channels and are still in use today.

Sir Isaac Newton, perhaps the most influential scientist of all time, believed from reading Scripture that God ruled over and held together the entire solar system as it says in Colossians 1:17. Dr. Henry M. Morris, the Father of the Modern Creation Science Movement, so strongly believed in the inerrancy and infallibility of Scripture, that he set out to prove that science affirms Scripture, particularly concerning the Great Flood of Noah. Dr. Morris and Dr. John Whitcomb collaborated to write the book, The Genesis Flood. To this day, this book is considered by most to be the “founding document of the creationist movement.”[3]

Finally, when tested, the veracity of Scripture is proved true every time and in every area. Though the Bible is true in many historical and scientific areas, its most significant area is in the realm of the spiritual. The Bible tells us “For all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard” (Romans 3:23), and that the “wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). If these things are to be believed, then we realize that we desperately need a Savior. Thankfully, the Bible also tells us that “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8), and that “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Believing and responding to these verses could be the difference between heaven and hell.

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[1] Morris, The Bible and Modern Science, 95

[2] Lewis, C. S., Mere Christianity, London: Collins, 1952, pp. 54 – 56.

[3] Morris, H. M., Thinking God’s Thoughts after Him, Dallas: ICR, 2009, p. 17.

How Can I Know That God Is Real?

Is there conclusive evidence to prove that God exists?

This is a question commonly asked by those who choose not to believe in God to challenge those who do. According to their irrational thinking, if there is no conclusive evidence that God exists, then there can be no God. The problem with this flawed reasoning, however, is that a lack of conclusive evidence cannot prove whether or not anything exists. To be absolutely certain that God does not exist one would have to know everything that can be known. Since no one knows everything, a reasonable atheist must admit that even without definitive proof, God could possibly exist. When all available evidence is considered, it indicates that not only does God exist, but that He is currently and actively involved with His creation. According to Scripture, those who say that God does not exist are fools!

“Only fools say in their hearts, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; no one does good!” (Psalm 14:1)

The truth is that God does exist. He Himself declared this to Moses.

“God replied, ‘I AM THE ONE WHO ALWAYS IS. Just tell them, I AM has sent me to you.’” (Exodus 3:14).

The Hebrew verb hayah (hayah) translated “I AM” in the above verse literally means “to be” or “to exist.” It is in the present progressive tense, which indicates continuing action. God’s reply to Moses above indicates not only that He is but that He always has been and always will be. This is evidence of God’s eternal nature. God’s declaration that “I AM” indicates that He is self-existent and that no one created Him.

Other evidence for God is that He is knowable and wants to be known.

“Your Name, O LORD, endures forever; Your fame, O LORD, is known to every generation” (Psalm 135:13).

“If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me. I will be found by you,” says the LORD” (Jeremiah 29:13-14a).

“That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death;…” (Philippians 3:10).

God does not play hide and seek with His children. He wants to be found by us and known by us. Most of all He wants to have an intimate relationship with each of us. For this to happen, we must put forth every effort to get to know Him.
 
To truly know Him, we must first learn about Him. We can learn about God through His attributes. An attribute is whatever God has in any way revealed about Himself in His Word. Attributes are not merely qualities which God possesses, but actual revelations of His character.

Here are some things that can be known about God:

• He is self-existent; He exists totally in and of Himself. (Exodus 3:14)
• He is not like anyone or anything else. (Exodus 15:11)
• He is infinite, and therefore incomprehensible in nature! (Romans 11:33-36)
• He is omniscient (all-knowing), omnipotent (all-powerful), and omnipresent (everywhere all the time). (1 John 3:20; Matthew 19:26; Psalm 139:7-10)
• He is transcendent (beyond all comprehension). (Hebrews 1:7)
• He is sovereign and rules over everything and everyone. (Isaiah 45:7; Colossians 1:16)
• He can be known only through revelation by the Holy Spirit! (1 Corinthians 2:10, 14)
• He can be understood through His attributes and through His Son. (John 1:14; Colossians 2:9)
• He fills heaven and earth: He dwells outside of time and space. (1 Kings 8:27; Jeremiah 23:24)
• He is a Spirit and must be worshipped in spirit and truth (2 Corinthians 3:17; John 4:24;)

It is important for us to know God, because our concept of Him affects every area of our lives:

• What we value
• How we act and think
• Our attitude toward ourselves and others
• And, ultimately, the degree of success we will attain in life

We can never progress beyond our concept of Who God is! The better we know God, the more effectively we can live for, serve, and glorify Him.

God’s Word tells us that He knows everything about us.

“O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me” (Psalm 139:1b).

Since God knows everything about us, should we not also take the time to get to know all that can be known about Him?

Evidences for God’s Existence

We can know that God exists because He has revealed Himself to us through three distinct means:

1. Through His creation
2. Through His Word, and
3. Through the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ.

God Reveals Himself through His Creation.

“From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities -- his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God.” (Romans 1:20).

The most obvious evidence for God is His creation. Anyone can look around and see God’s handiwork. There is design in virtually every aspect of nature, and when we see design it follows that there must be a Designer. No one looks at a precision engineered sports car and believes that it is the result of some random spontaneous process. We do not admire a beautiful painting and attribute it to an explosion in a paint factory. God’s creation provides magnificent physical evidence that there is a Creator.

“The heavens tell of the glory of God. The skies display His marvelous craftsmanship” (Psalm 19:1).

God Reveals Himself through His Word.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…” (Genesis 1:1).

God reveals Himself from the very first verse in Scripture. He was there before the beginning and He will be there after the end.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega – the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the One Who is, Who always was, and Who is still to come, the Almighty One.” (Revelation 1:8)

According to God’s Word, there is:

• None before Him (Isaiah 43:10)
• None above Him (Psalm 95:3; 96:4; 97:9)
• None beside Him (Deuteronomy 4:35; Isaiah 44:6)
• None like Him (Exodus 9:14; Deuteronomy 33:26; 2 Samuel 7:22; Isaiah 46:5,9; Jeremiah 10:6)
• None good but Him (Matthew 19:17)

Based on attributes listed in His Word, God is:

• Compassionate (2 Kings 13:23 )
• Eternal (Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalm 90:2; Revelation 4:8-10)
• Faithful (1 Corinthians 10:13; 1 Peter 4:19)
• Glorious (Exodus 15:11; Psalm 145:5)
• Good (Psalm 25:8; 119:68)
• Gracious (Exodus 34:6; Psalm 116:5)
• Holy (Psalm 99:9; Isaiah 5:16)
• Immortal (1 Timothy 1:17; 6:16)
• Immutable (absolute) (Psalm 102:26-27; James 1:17)
• Incorruptible (Romans 1:23)
• Invisible (Job 23:8, 9; John 1:18; 5:37; 1 Timothy 1:17)
• Jealous (Job 24:19; Nahum 1:2)
• Just (Deuteronomy 32:4; Isaiah 45:21)
• Light (Isaiah 60:19; James 1:17; 1 John 1:5)
• Long-suffering (Numbers 14:18; Micah 7:1)
• Love (1 John 4:8, 16)
• Merciful (Exodus 34:6-7; Psalm 86:5)
• Most High (Psalm 33:18; Acts 7:48)
• Only-wise (Romans 16:27; 1 Timothy 1:17)
• Perfect (Matthew 5:48)
• Righteous (Ezekiel 9:15; Psalm 145:17)
• True (Jeremiah 10:10; John 17:3)
• Unsearchable (Job 11:7; 37:23; Psalm 145:3; Isaiah 40:28; Romans 11:33)
• Upright (Psalm 25:8; 92:15)

God Reveals Himself through the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ.

“For in Christ the fullness of God lives in a human body,…” (Colossians 2:9)

Scripture makes clear in the above declaration and in the verse below that there is no spiritual distinction between Jesus, the Son and God, the Father.

“The Father and I are One" (John 10:30).

Jesus stated emphatically that He was inextricably connected to His Father, God.

“But I do nothing without consulting the Father. I judge as I am told. And my judgment is absolutely just, because it is according to the will of God who sent me; it is not merely my own” (John 5:30).

Just as Jesus always followed His Father’s leading, so should we.

“Follow God's example in everything you do, because you are his dear children” (Ephesians 5:1).

That God exists is self-evident. He can be seen in everything He created. Everyone knows that God exists. He does not need to prove Himself to anyone.
So how is it that so many people claim that there is no God? The passage below describes the process by which rebellious individuals (v. 18), who instinctively know that God exists (v. 19), reject Him (v. 21), and choose instead to believe lies (v. 25). According to Scripture, these people are fools (v. 22) who have no excuse for not knowing God (v. 20).

“18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who push the truth away from themselves. 19 For the truth about God is known to them instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts. 20 From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities -- his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God. 21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. The result was that their minds became dark and confused. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became utter fools instead, 23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people, or birds and animals and snakes. 24 So God let them go ahead and do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other's bodies. 25 Instead of believing what they knew was the truth about God, they deliberately chose to believe lies. So they worshiped the things God made but not the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever" (Romans 1:18-25).

There is no question that God exists. There is more than ample evidence to support that He exists. If God is Who He says He is, then His Word is Truth. If His Word is Truth, then we have only two choices in this life and two concerning the next.

In this life we can choose to live for Him or strive against Him.

“Anyone who isn't helping me opposes me, and anyone who isn't working with me is actually working against me” (Matthew 12:30).

“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money" (Matthew 6:24).

Concerning the next life we can choose to spend it in either heaven or hell.

“And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life” (Matthew 25:46).

“For all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard” (Romans 3:23)
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23)

Beyond the shadow of a doubt God exists! The question is how will you respond to Him?

What If I've Already Messed Up?

Virtually every time I speak to young people about purity, someone will ask the question (usually anonymously), “What if I’ve already messed up?” I am happy to report that there is good news for those who have committed sexual sins but who wish to be made pure and whole once again! God’s forgiveness covers all sin for all time, and He alone can and will restore a person’s spiritual purity. If you have any doubts, read David’s confession from Psalm 51 below.

“1For the choir director: A psalm of David, regarding the time Nathan the prophet came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

“Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. 2Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. 3For I recognize my shameful deeds – they haunt me day and night. 4Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. 5For I was born a sinner – yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. 6But you desire honesty from the heart, so you can teach me to be wise in my inmost being.

 “7Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me – now let me rejoice. 9Don't keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. 10Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me. 11Do not banish me from your presence, and don't take your Holy Spirit from me. 12Restore to me again the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. 13Then I will teach your ways to sinners, and they will return to you.

“14Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness. 15Unseal my lips, O Lord, that I may praise you. 16You would not be pleased with sacrifices, or I would bring them. If I brought you a burnt offering, you would not accept it. 17The sacrifice you want is a broken spirit. A broken and repentant heart, O God, you will not despise. 18Look with favor on Zion and help her; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. 19Then you will be pleased with worthy sacrifices and with our whole burnt offerings; and bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar” (Psalm 51 NLT).

The first step to being restored is to appeal to God for mercy and cleansing (vv. 1b-2).

“Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. 2Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin.”

It is only because of God’s unfailing love and compassion for us that we can receive forgiveness at all. He promises us that “…if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong” (1 John 1:9 NLT). Appealing to God’s mercy is acknowledging that we take Him at His word.

The second step toward restoration is to admit your sins to God (v. 3) and to repent of them. To repent means to first acknowledge sin and then choose against it; literally to do an “about face” and to walk in the opposite direction. In verse three, David acknowledged his sin:

“For I recognize my shameful deeds – they haunt me day and night.”

He did not try to rationalize, minimize, or neutralize his sin. He looked it square in the face and admitted to himself and to God that it was shameful.

The next step toward restoration is to agree with God that all sin is against Him and that His judgment again us is just. In verse four, David admits this to God.

“Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just.”

All sin is against God, no matter who else might be involved, and our sin offends Him. Others may forgive us for offenses we have committed against them, but only God can forgive our offenses toward Him.

Next, as David did in verse six, we must ask God for wisdom to help us to avoid sin.

“But you desire honesty from the heart, so you can teach me to be wise in my inmost being.”

To be restored, the sinner must accept, by faith, God’s ability and willingness to forgive and cleanse all sin. In the following verses David confesses his faith in God to restore him in every area of his life.

“⁷Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. ⁸Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me – now let me rejoice. ⁹Don't keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. ¹⁰Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me.”

Next we must accept God’s Presence in our lives to restore our joy and make us willing to obey Him.

“¹¹Do not banish me from your presence, and don't take your Holy Spirit from me. ¹²Restore to me again the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.”

It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that we can resist temptation and live a sinless life. David learned this the hard way. It the above verses he begs God to not take His Holy Spirit from him. Thankfully for us, as believers we have God’s Spirit living within us as our guarantee that we belong to Him. And according to His Word, “As we know Jesus better, his divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. He has called us to receive his own glory and goodness!” (2 Peter 1:3 NLT).

Finally, once we have been forgiven and restored, we must admonish others to forsake their sin and turn to God. David committed to do this in verse 13.

“Then I will teach your ways to sinners, and they will return to you.”

One of the best things you can do in response to your own failures is to help others to avoid the stumbling blocks that tripped you up.

There is life after sin, no matter how egregious, and one’s purity can be restored in God’s eyes.

It is important to note that all sin has consequences, but some sins produce lasting consequences which cannot be undone. In David’s case, a son was born as a result of his immoral relationship with Bathsheba. He later lost four of his sons and was betrayed by another. The price of sin can be very high, indeed. God forgave David and cleansed him of all his sins, but he still suffered its consequences over the remainder of his life.

Sin left unchecked and unconfessed in a Christian’s life produces guilt and shame which ultimately lead to confusion and a feeling of purposelessness. Sin can block our ability to hear God’s voice and to know His purpose for our lives. Allowing sin to continue will ultimately keep us from fulfilling God’s plan and cause us to lose our rewards.

The good news, however, is that God is bigger than our sins! He will use even our failures for our good, to help us to grow as Christians.

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (Romans 8:28 NLT)

God never does anything halfway. Whatever He does, He does completely. When we mess up and genuinely ask God to forgive us, He not only forgives us, but He also cleanses us of every wrong so that we may once again stand righteous before Him.

God can and will restore our purity, just as He did David’s, if we admit to Him that we have sinned against Him and genuinely desire to be made right. Through the shed blood of Jesus, we can be made as pure as the new driven snow in God’s sight. God’s forgiveness is like a pardon, only better. Through Christ He offers propitiation, which is the complete removal or expiation of our sin. God promises to remove our guilt, not just cover it up.

No sin can be undone, but once it has been admitted to God and forgiven, the best way to minimize Satan’s ability to use it against you is to learn from it and to help others to learn from it as well. Confessed and forgiven sin becomes a part of your testimony and can be used to keep Satan at bay. His accusations are no longer true against a believer who has fully appropriated forgiveness and cleansing from sin. When he tries to remind us of past sins, we refer him to our Advocate, Jesus Christ, Whose shed blood has literally covered (blotted out) any record of those sins.

God wants to know that our hearts are broken by our recognition and acknowledgement of the sin in our lives. True repentance means turning our back sin, and vowing to God that by His grace and with His strength we will cease sinning. God will always hear a genuine admission of guilt, and He will always restore a broken and repentant heart.

Even if you have messed up, there is good news and hope for you! God is not only our Creator; He is also our Restorer. He restores broken vessels, replaces ashes with beauty, and gives joy in place of mourning and provides praise in the place of despair.

“To all who mourn in Israel, he will give beauty for ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of despair. For the LORD has planted them like strong and graceful oaks for his own glory” (Isaiah 61:3 NLT).

There is no sin that you have committed that is so egregious that God cannot forgive it. Nothing you have done could possibly have thwarted God’s perfect plan for your precious life. It is never too late to start fresh. If you really want to receive God’s forgiveness and have your purity restored, follow these seven steps that David followed in Psalm 51.

1.  Appeal to God for mercy and cleansing (vv. 1b-2).
2. Admit your sins to God (v. 3).
3. Agree with God that you have sinned against Him and that His judgment against you is just (vv. 3-4).
4. Ask God for wisdom (v. 6).
5. Allow God to purify you, allow you to rejoice, remove your guilt, cleanse your heart, and renew your spirit (vv. 7-10).
6. Accept God’s Presence in your life to restore your joy and make you willing to obey Him (vv.11-12).
7. Admonish others to forsake their sin and turn to God (v. 13).

“19For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, 20and by him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of his blood on the cross. 21This includes you who were once so far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions, 22yet now he has brought you back as his friends. He has done this through his death on the cross in his own human body. As a result, he has brought you into the very presence of God, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault” (Colossians 1:19-22 NLT).