I can remember sitting in the Catholic Church as a child. I had always wondered why, at Communion time, some people remained seated or kneeled in a very pious and pious position, while others shuffled forward to receive the bread and wine. As time went on, and the time between my confessions grew too long (in my own opinion) and the types of sins I was capable of getting “worse” (again, in my own opinion), I found that, I, also, he would refrain from receiving communion because, in my opinion, I was simply unworthy.
Unworthy? Over time, the Lord has allowed me my share of ministry opportunities for Catholics. Here are some examples:
CASE #1: I met a nice Catholic woman in her 40s who told me she hadn’t received Communion in 10 years. Why? Because she had divorced and she felt unworthy.
CASE #2: Another Catholic woman, a single mother, confessed to me that not only did she not skip communion, but she felt worthy even to enter through the doors of the church. Why? She had also been divorced.
CASE #3: At a coffee shop Bible study, a young Baptist college student introduced me to a friend, a lovely Catholic girl he had met at school. She was very vocal during Bible Study, eager to read the verses, and had a lot to add to the discussion. Later, he asked me to pray for her. She wanted to be a nun, she said, but she also had a strong desire to raise children.
CASE #4: A Catholic woman had become pregnant as a teenager and gave the baby up for adoption. She later married another man and was unable to have children. She wondered if she wasn’t being punished for her past sin.
CASE #5: A devout Catholic man had an affair many years ago. In repentance, he turned to his religious practices and became downright professional; a dedicated model of the perfect Catholic man. By appearances, a pillar of faith; internally, like Samson, he was in thrall to those looters.
WHO SAID YOU WERE NAKED?
Across denominational lines, the Church has declared to all people that they are separated from God, that they are guilty, and that He is angry with them. We go so far as to preach that unless they attend church on our prescribed day, at the time prescribed in our particular denomination, they will remain separate from Him. Heaven forbid that any of the attendees sin, at least sin such that way that others can notice (out-of-wedlock pregnancy, divorce, you know…one of the “big shots”). with letters” from now until Judgment Day, as they say.
Do you remember what God said to Adam after he and his wife ate from the tree? God saw that they had covered themselves with fig leaves, and when Adam said that they had covered themselves because they were naked, God replied, “Who told you that you were naked?”
We must answer that same basic question: “Who told you that you sinned?”
Our responses may include:
“My shepherd”.
“Church.”
“My parents.”
How about “The Devil”? You see there is NO CONDEMNATION for those who are in Christ (Rom 8:1). There are two voices in Heaven, we read; Jesus who intercedes for the saints (it’s really you and me, not dead – living Christians), and Satan, who accuses “the brothers” (and sisters) incessantly.
Just as Noah’s sons came in backwards and covered his naked body when he collapsed from drunkenness, after the other son called out to him, Jesus also covers our nakedness.
Do you remember reading where he told the sinful prostitute, “You bum! You’re going to hell!” No, because He never did that. What if he told that obese man that there had obviously been sin in his life or that he would be thinner and later happier and have a better paying job and go out more often? No, not hard. His usual response was something like “go and sin no more.” In any case, he repeatedly told those he ministered to, “Don’t tell anyone,” and they ran and told EVERYONE.
To the woman “caught” in adultery (wasn’t the MAN caught too?), Jesus said, “Woman, where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No man, Lord.” And Jesus said to him: Neither do I condemn you: go, and sin no more. (John 8:10-12)
To the paralytic in Mark 2:5, he simply said, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
When some boys lowered his friend down through a hole they made in the roof so that Jesus could heal him, Jesus was impressed. Luke 5:20 tells us, “When Jesus saw their faith, he said, Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
While dining at Simon’s with a group of Pharisees, Luke 7:36-49 reveals how a “sinful” woman came in with a bottle of perfume. She stood behind Jesus at her feet crying and began to wet her feet with her tears. She then cleaned them with her hair, kissed them and perfumed them. Verse 44 says, “Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house. You gave me no water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You didn’t give me a kiss, but this woman, since I walked in, hasn’t stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she poured perfume on my feet. That is why I tell you that her many sins have been forgiven, because she loved much. But he to whom little is forgiven, loves little.
Then Jesus said to him: “Your sins are forgiven you.”
Hebrews 10:18-19 reminds us, “I will remember their sins and transgressions no more. And where they have been forgiven, there is no more sacrifice for sin.” Necessary actions, without obligations, just faith.
Unworthy? Not in your life! Do not believe the enemy’s lie that whatever you have done has requalified you as worthy. I am convinced that NOTHING is capable of separating us from the love of God (Rom 8:38-39). Friends, there are NO VIP sinners! Wallowing in guilt and holding on to thoughts and feelings of unworthiness is tearfully declaring, “Thank you for the crucifixion, Jesus, but IT JUST WASN’T ENOUGH for me!”
THE RESULTS?
Regarding those five cases mentioned above, in all cases, I shared what you just read.
In Case #1, the woman rejoiced, smiled through her tears, and assured me that she understood. I wholeheartedly believe that she took back the practices of her faith.
In Case #2, I had actually driven 4 hours to teach a Bible Study that never happened once I arrived. This woman had asked me to come to her office so we could talk. After sharing with her something similar to what you just read, she exclaimed, “I know you drove a long way to get here, but if all you managed to do was tell me what you just said, IT WAS WORTH IT!” She has since been engaged, I am told, to a Baptist boyfriend from her youth.
In case #3, after the young woman told me that she wanted to be a nun but also loved children, I assured her that if that was her vocation, a nun can also love children. As a Catholic child, several nuns had a huge impact on my life; they loved children and it showed. I remember them fondly. She is married now.
In Case #4, that woman now understands that God does not punish His family. He loves her and has a plan for her life. She is serving the Lord with joy and has met her son again.
In Case #5, we can only believe that God will minister the truth to this individual and that they will receive God’s grace (Ephesians 2:8,9), step out of their acting mode, and experience the freedom that has been purchased for them. by the blood of the cross. Does that sound like you or someone you know?
Even if you are not a Catholic, believe me, the devil has no problem condemning non-Catholics for their past mistakes and current bondages.
How many sins did you commit 2000 years ago, after the crucifixion? Neither.
So if their sins were forgiven, how long did that “offer” last? For 150 years? For 1,233 years? How about 3,000 years? You see, everything you have done – or will do – was forgiven 100% by the shed Blood of the Lamb of God, who TAKEN AWAY the sins of the world… or it wasn’t. That doesn’t give us a license to be evil. We will reap what we sow, after all. But we can rest in hope that God’s mercy REALLY is new every morning.
We have REALLY been justified.
God REALLY sees Jesus when he looks at us because we are the righteousness of God in Christ.
Our debt has REALLY been paid.
Now, is there someone YOU need to forgive?
every blessing,
michael tummillo
a servant of god
http://www.yourcity4jesus.com