Jesus's Character Can Change Even the Worst of Criminals
Paul's story is a prime example of how God turned a violent man into a Gentle Giant for Jesus
We all have sin struggles.
Maybe your sin struggles look different than mine but all of us struggle with something.
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23
But God’s love is so BIG that He doesn’t require us to change anything about ourselves before coming to Him because He came to seek after us first.
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5;8)
We love Him because He first loved us. (1John 4:19)
And even when we trip and fall into a sin struggle, He is still there to pick us back up again.
For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity. (Proverbs 24:16)
Even Paul struggled with his own sin struggle.
For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.
As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.
I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. (Romans 7:15-18)
I asked myself, what might have been Paul’s sin struggle?
And the Holy Spirit said he was persecuting and killing Christ’s church.
He might have battled with his temper and might have had to keep his mouth shut or even refrain from saying too much in certain situations when he thought others might have said something stupid in his presence.
Remember when Paul had to confront Peter for rejecting the Gentiles in front of the Jews? (Galatians 2:11-21)
Yet, he is still the guy that wrote 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. Love is patient and love is kind….
So, how could such a ruthless serial killer later write a love letter if it weren’t for God’s compassion and mercy in his life to preach the Gospel of Jesus to the Gentiles? How could such a scary man have such a deep change of heart if it weren’t for Jesus’s character working in his heart?
Paul said,
although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14 And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life(1 Timothy 1:15-16)
As a child, I learned that we as people can’t change anyone when we talk to them about Jesus. Many religious people have a tendency to want to try to convert people to Jesus and make strict rules about their appearance or behavior when coming to church and nonbelievers and even some believers feel discouraged when religious folk tries to change people who are hurting inside and just struggle with their own sinful nature.
At this point of our ministering to others, if we see someone struggling who won’t budge we can only pray for that person and that the Holy Spirit works in their life to change them.
If God through Jesus Christ could touch Paul’s hardened heart who was one of the most violent men in history to soften his heart and turn him into a gentle giant what makes you think He can’t do it for that someone you are praying for.
We love Him because He First Loved us. (1 John 4:19)
Nothing is impossible with God. (Luke 1:37)
and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. (1 John 3:22–23)