A Most Important Message

The Bible has two fascinating stories that I believe really drive home the message of the Gospel.  The two examples are separated by 1000 years, and they are not told in any relation to each other.

The message is "It does not matter who you WERE, or what you HAVE DONE, but it matters who you ARE and what you DO."

The first story is that of King David.  The lowly shepherd that was chosen to be King over Israel but the LORD.  When he was a youth he slayed the mighty Goliath by placing his faith in the Lord.  He was able to learn the ways of the Royal Court, and formed a great friendship with Jonathon, son of King Saul.  Their story of friendship is one of the greatest in written history.  As King he united all of Israel, and began to gather the materials needed to build the Temple at Jerusalem.  Every endeavor he sought he was successful.  He was a man after the Heart of the Lord.

But he committed a grievous sin in sending the husband of Bathsheba to the front lines with the intent of having him killed so he could be with her.  For this, he lost is station with the Lord.  We know from modern revelation, and the psalms that eventually he will be redeemed, but he will not be exalted.

The second story is that of Saul, or Paul.  Shortly after the death of Christ, this man was a Pharisee, and had a very keen desire to help squash this new movement of believers in Jesus.  In fact, he was known to hold the coat of the people stoning Christians so they could more easily perform their tasks.  He was well known as being an enemy of Christ. He played a part in the stoning of Stephen the Apostle.

Not through anything he had earned, but in the Grace of God, he beheld a vision of Jesus Christ.  This literally transformed him to the point he changed his name from Saul to Paul.  He would become one of the biggest preachers of Christ's name, and as fortune would have it, he is one of the principle writers of what we would later know as the New Testament. 

We have a story of a man who was nearly perfect who fell from Grace and the story of a man who couldn't kill Christians fast enough but was able to be saved.  Why?  What was the difference?

Jesus taught a parable of two sons.  Their father had asked them to come help him in the field, one said I will and never showed.  The other said no, but later changed his mind and arrived to help his father.  Which one will receive salvation?

I find these stories to be of hope and a warning.  It does not matter what one has done in their life.  Jesus can change you, transform you, make you perfect in Him.  But once he has done so, and you reject Him, it will be better that you had never known Him.