Sound familiar?
I cannot tell you how many times over the past 45 years as a pastor and professor that I have heard these words from others. In fact, I have invoked them a time or two myself. If only I had not chosen so poorly, decided so wrongly, acted so stupidly, spoken so quickly.
I guess all of us know how this feels and perhaps have had to endure the consequences of our actions. But when our stupidity is actually sin it is important to make sure we find forgiveness through confession to our gracious God—our faithful Father.
I can only imagine what the Apostle Paul felt, being known as the number one Christian killer. How many lives did Paul destroy in his ignorance? How much hardship did he create for families by his errant beliefs and evil behavior? However, when Paul came to know Christ, a whole new world opened before him. He finally had the key that unlocked all his theology of the Old Testament. He found the Messiah. Or more accurately, Messiah found him! And that made all the difference. Paul’s perspective was now, “… forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3). Imagine all that Paul needed to forget? Can you imagine all that he looked forward to?
It’s never too late to start doing what is right. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success (Eccl 10:10).
If only I …
Serving Him with you
until He comes for us,
Fred
This content was originally posted at Grace Line and has been reproduced with permission from its author.
Dr. Chay has been actively involved in formal ministry for more than four decades both in the pastorate and in the academy. He’s the founder and president of Grace Line ministries, a theology professor and academic dean at Grace School of Theology, and managing editor of Grace Theology Press. He has a number of books published covering a variety of topics.