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MOST OF US DO NOT BELIEVE THAT WE ARE BAD PEOPLE.
AS A YOUNG MAN GROWING UP, I CERTAINLY DIDN'T.
TO ME, A BAD PERSON WAS SOMEBODY WHO KILLED PEOPLE OR ROBBED
BANKS OR MOLESTED LITTLE CHILDREN.
I WASN'T LIKE THAT, SO I FIGURED I MUST BE ONE
OF THE GOOD GUYS.
I WAS REALLY RATHER OFFENDED WHEN I HEARD CHRISTIANS SAY
THAT EVERYONE IS A SINNER.
WHAT ABOUT ME AND ALL THE PEOPLE LIKE ME, YOU KNOW THE GOOD GUYS?
EVENTUALLY I BEGAN TO LEARN THAT THE BIBLE REALLY MEANS
SOMETHING DIFFERENT WHEN IT TALKS ABOUT SIN.
I DISCOVERED THAT THE GREEK WORD WHICH WE'VE TRANSLATED
AS SIN ORIGINALLY MEANT FALLING SHORT OF A GOAL OR MISSING
THE RIGHT PATH.
THE IDEA WAS GOD THAT HAD CREATED EACH ONE OF US FOR
A UNIQUE AND BEAUTIFUL PURPOSE.
SIN IS JUST THE DISTANCE WE'VE FALLEN SHORT OF ALL THAT
GOD INTENDED US TO BE.
WHEN THE BIBLE SAYS, "ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALLEN SHORT OF THE
GLORY OF GOD," IT'S NOT SAYING THAT EVERY HUMAN IS GROSS AND
TERRIBLE AND WICKED.
IT SIMPLY MEANS ALL OF US HAVE FAILED TO COMPLETELY LIVE UP TO
THE VERY BEST GOD INTENDED US TO BE.
I WAS A SOPHOMORE IN COLLEGE WHEN I BEGAN TO REALIZE I HAD
NEVER EVEN CONSIDERED THE POSSIBILITY THAT GOD
HAD CREATED ME FOR SOME SPECIAL PURPOSE.
IF HE HAD, I WAS PRETTY SURE I MUST BE FALLING SHORT OF IT,
AND THAT, I BEGAN TO REALIZE, WAS MY BIGGEST SIN OF ALL.
THOUGH I HAD ALWAYS BELIEVED THERE MUST BE SOME KIND OF GOD,
I HAD NEVER REALLY SOUGHT HIM, MUCH LESS CONSIDERED
HIS PURPOSE FOR ME.
I HAD LIVED MY LIFE AS IF HE DIDN'T EXIST AT ALL.
I FINALLY REALIZED THERE WAS MUCH IN MY LIFE THAT NEEDED TO
BE FORGIVEN, BEGINNING WITH MY INDIFFERENCE TO GOD
AND HIS PLANS FOR ME.
IN SHORT, I WAS EXACTLY WHAT THE BIBLE CALLS A SINNER.
WELL, I NEVER THOUGHT OF MYSELF AS A BAD PERSON.
I WASN'T LIKE A SERIAL KILLER OR ANYTHING.
I LIVED A DECENT LIFE.
I WENT TO CHURCH EVERY SUNDAY WITH MY FAMILY.
I COULD MEMORIZE ALL THE IMPORTANT PRAYERS AND COULD
RECITE THEM IN AN INSTANT.
I HAD BEEN BAPTIZED AS A BABY AND THOUGHT THAT THAT MEANT IT
WAS A DONE DEAL IN HEAVEN, THAT THERE WAS A SPOT WAITING THERE
FOR ME AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS ALL GOD EXPECTED FROM ME.
I SOON BEGAN TO REALIZE THIS WAS NOT ALL GOD
HAD PLANNED FOR MY LIFE.
I STARTED ATTENDING CHURCH WITH MY HUSBAND WHO WAS ALREADY
ATTENDING, AND I HAD BEEN TO CHURCH SO MUCH AS A LITTLE KID
AND AS A TEENAGER, I FIGURED THAT'S FINE.
HE CAN GO.
HE HAS A TON OF CATCHING UP TO DO BECAUSE GOD KNOWS I'VE BEEN
A TRILLION TIMES.
IT WAS IN AN EASTER SERVICE THAT I STARTED REALIZING JUST
HOW JESUS FIT INTO THE PICTURE.
I HAD NEVER QUITE UNDERSTAND MUCH ABOUT HIM IN THE PAST.
BUT I SAW HIM ON A CROSS, AND ON THAT CROSS
WERE ALL OF MY SINS.
EVERYTHING I HAD DONE WRONG, EVEN THOUGH THEY WEREN'T MAJOR
THINGS, JUST ATTITUDES AND DECISIONS THAT, YOU KNOW,
WERE RIDICULOUS AND JUST LIVED FOR MYSELF.
SO I ACCEPTED HIM AS MY SAVIOR AT THAT POINT,
AND THAT HAS BEEN THE BEST DECISION OF MY LIFE.
HE'S ALWAYS THERE FOR ME.
HE'LL NEVER LEAVE ME.
AND I HAVE THE PROMISE OF LIVING IN ETERNITY WITH HIM.