Free From My Past

Yesterday morning I was listening to Chris Valloton speaking about getting rid of regrets, and it was a really good complement to some of what our pastor  taught on this past Sunday.  I shared it with a friend last evening, and shared a few things out of it last night, as we were talking about vulnerability and shame in our home group. I think the verses that he shared out of Romans 8, about Paul not including the past was significant.  In the previous writings, I had always pointed out that the only thing not on the list was our own selves, and that we can separate ourselves from God's love, and I think he nailed it by identifying it as our own regret and shame over our past.

Here are the verses from Paul's letter to the Romans 8:31-35,37-39 NIV:

[31] "What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? [32] He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all---how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? [33] Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. [34] Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died---more than that, who was raised to life---is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us." 

[35] "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? [37] No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. [38] For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, [39] neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

In these verses Paul specifically mentions "neither the present nor the future", but specifically doesn't mention the past.  Again, its not like the past can actually separate us from God's love, for Jesus paid for all our sins, past, present and future.  What matters is how WE handle our past.  All of us have sinned, have things we have done that are wrong, and even in some cases terrible.  Paul, the author of these verses, was an instigator in the persecution of Christians, and some think he was involved in 1000+ deaths (according to Chris V.), and yet his encouragement of how to deal with one's past was written in his letter to the Philippians 3:12-14 NIV:

[12] "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. [13] Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, [14] I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

Paul was clearly one who could have had significant regrets, and one would think his past would have disqualified him from being an Apostle, and yet Christ specifically chose him, and broke into his life in a miraculous way, and from that day onward Paul was a changed man, one could say even a new creation.  Paul became the strongest voice for the Gospel of Grace, recognizing that nothing he did earned him the salvation and redemption that Christ gifted to him.  Paul was very aware of the gift that had been given to him, as he wrote in his letter to 1 Timothy 1:12-17 NIV:

[12] "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. [13] Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. [14] The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus." 

[15] "Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners---of whom I am the worst. [16] But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. [17] Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen."

What a great testament to the redemptive power, the mercy, love and compassion of Jesus!  Even if you killed 1000+ Christians, or something even worse, there is forgiveness and redemption available to you, in Christ Jesus.  If your sins are far less terrible, like unbelief, or denying Christ Jesus, or pornography, or sexual immorality, or anger, or greed, or stealing, or saying bad things, or gossip or slander, or seeing something bad and doing nothing to stop it, or any of a thousand other sins, THERE is forgiveness, redemption, mercy, compassion and love available for you!  Christ still sees in you His purpose and plans and beautiful creation!  Despite his best efforts, Paul was unable to disqualify himself from Christ's redemptive love, and neither can any of us! 

Perhaps it is something that was done to you, or happened to you that you feel has damaged you beyond hope, beyond Christ's ability to heal and restore.  Maybe you see yourself as damaged goods, unworthy, undependable and broken.  Again, when Christ Jesus looks at you He see you as His beautiful creation, one has survived the fire. Going back to Paul's writing from Romans, "Who (or what) shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?"  There is hope for the wounded, damaged, broken and hurting!  In Him is mercy, love and compassion, and He still chooses you!

The enemy works overtime to convince us otherwise.  He tries to get us to agree with his accusations, to disqualify ourselves, as having done something too terrible or stupid for Christ to ever trust us again!  He is the accuser.  As Paul wrote in Romans 8:33-34a: Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one."   This is the TRUTH, anything else is a lie from the pit of hell.   

This morning I am so encouraged that my past sin and idiocy is incapable of separating me the Love of Christ Jesus!  I am convinced that is I release my past, cut the ropes of regret, and cast off the shame, that I am free of all that previously bound me, in Christ Jesus!  He does not condemn me, why should I agree with my accuser?  If Christ Jesus is my defender and the judge, why in the world would I ever listen to and agree with the accuser?

Thank You Lord for Your redemptive work in my life!  Thank You for setting me free from my past!

Amen and Amen!