Such Were Some of You

I can be forgetful. Not about important stuff—I’ve never forgotten my wife’s birthday or our anniversary. But I’m forgetful enough that a family friend enjoys laughing about it. I chalk it up to her freakish memory and my keen ability to … delegate and stuff. But I think there are two ditches of forgetfulness that we can fall into as Christians. On the one side is forgetting how sinful I really am and the other side is forgetting how saved I really am.

As I reflect on how much the Lord has sanctified me over the years, I think I can slip into thinking that I’m not that bad. Hey, the Lord may even be grateful I’m on his team! He can really use me for something. I too easily forget the sin that clings too closely. I too easily forget all that the Lord has saved me from, not to mention all that he kept me away from to start.

But then at times I can be consumed with fear, guilt, and shame of my sin. Given how I have sinned—how I still sin—how could God ever use me for anything of eternal value? I am too wicked at my core to ever be of any use in his redemptive plans. I too easily forget that the risen Lord Jesus is mighty to save to the uttermost. I too easily forget all that he endured to wash me and cleanse me.

And so I read 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. Paul writes to the church, “Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” And such was I. I remember my sin to serve my remembering of my salvation. I was a sinner like that, but now I have been washed, sanctified, and justified.

Church, we are sinners, but we have a Savior. Let us repent of our forgetfulness.