By Shaun Shuler

The Bible: is it the infallible Word of GOD or just a collection of made-up stories to help us feel good?

As Christians, we believe that JESUS is the SON of GOD, came to earth, lived a sinless life, died on the cross for our sins so we can have a way of salvation, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and will return again someday. All of this done because GOD loves us.

If we agree there is forgiveness in CHRIST, then why do we still choose to waste away in guilt and condemnation from our past mistakes and failures? Why do we say “I can’t do that for GOD, do you know my past?” or “GOD can’t use me?”

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Let’s look at a few “flawed” individuals, in the Bible that GOD still used for His purposes despite their past mistakes.

Adam and Eve

Failure:

• Disobeyed GOD when they ate the forbidden fruit and were responsible for bringing sin into the world. Genesis 3:6

Conclusion:

• GOD still used them to populate the earth. Genesis 4:1-2, 4:25, and Genesis chapter 5

• Taught relatives about GOD. Genesis 4:26

Abraham

Failures:

• 2 times, out of fear for his life, lied to foreign leaders saying Sarah was not his wife. Genesis 12:13 and 20:2

• Became impatient waiting for GOD’s promise of a son and with Sarah’s blessing, had a baby with Hagar, his wife’s servant. Genesis chapter 16

Conclusion:

• Still received the son of promise in Isaac. Genesis 21:1-3

• Is the father of Judaism and Christianity. Romans 4:16

• Credited as a great man of faith. Hebrews 11:8-10

Moses

Failures:

• Murdered an Egyptian. Exodus 2:12

• Full of excuses as to why he couldn’t obey GOD and deliver Israel from Egypt. Exodus 3:11, and 4:1-17

• Broke the tablets that GOD wrote the 10 Commandments on out of anger. Exodus 32:19

• Disobeyed GOD’s command to speak to the rock to produce water to drink, he hit the rock out of frustration. Numbers 20:11-12

Conclusion:

• Was used to deliver the people of Israel from Egypt. Exodus 12:50-51

• Was used to perform the miracle of parting the Red Sea. Exodus 14:26-31

• Had a close relationship with GOD and saw Him (from behind). Exodus 33:11 and 33:18-23

• Was able to see the Promised Land before dying. Deuteronomy 34:1-5

• After death he appeared with Elijah and JESUS on the Mount of Transfiguration. Matthew 17:1-3

Rahab

Failure:

• Was a prostitute living in Jericho. Joshua 2:1

Conclusion:

• Hid the Israeli spies, and helped them escape. Joshua 2:4-16

• She and her family were protected during the destruction of Jericho. Joshua 6:17

• Was labeled a woman of faith. Hebrews 11:31

David

Failures:

• Had an affair with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, a loyal soldier of David’s. 2 Samuel 11:2-5

• Had the husband, Uriah, murdered. 2 Samuel 11:15-17

• Angered GOD when he succumb to pride and took a census of the men of fighting age in Israel, (trying to find security in the size of his army instead of in GOD). As a result 70,000 died from a plague. 2 Samuel 24:1-17

Conclusion:

• Through David, GOD established his kingdom forever through JESUS’ eventual birth, death, and resurrection. 2 Samuel 7:16, Luke 3:23-38

• Wrote the majority of the book of Psalms.

• Known as a man after GOD’s own heart. Acts 13:22-23
  
  

Jonah

Failures:

• Disobeyed and ran from GOD. Jonah 1:1-3

• Was full of anger and hatred towards the people of Nineveh. Jonah 3:10-4:1-2

Conclusion:

• Eventually preached to Nineveh and the people repented and turned from their sins, averting disaster on themselves. Jonah 3:2-10

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Peter

Failures:

• Spoke before he thought. Matthew 16:22-23

• Cut off the ear of Malchus, a servant of the High Priest. John 18:10

• Denied knowing JESUS 3 times. Matthew 26:69-75

• Tried to hide the fact he was eating with non-Jews. Galatians 2:11-12

Conclusion:

• Allowed to walk on water with JESUS. Matthew 14:27-32

• One of 3 allowed to witness the Transfiguration of JESUS, while He talked with Moses and Elijah. Matthew 17:1-8

• Restored by JESUS to be a leader for the church. John 21:15-19

• Allowed to witness the resurrected JESUS ascend into heaven. Acts 1:9-11

• Preached a message and 3,000 people were saved. Acts 2:14-41

• GOD through Peter, healed a crippled beggar. Acts 3:1-10

• GOD through Peter, brought a woman back to life. Acts 9:36-43

• Wrote two books of the New Testament.
  

Paul

Failures:

• Persecuted the early Christians. Acts 22:4-5

• Consented to the death of Stephen. Acts 7:57-58

Conclusion:

• After a physical encounter with JESUS, he became a powerful Christian evangelist. Acts 9:3-9 and 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

• GOD through Paul, healed a crippled man. Acts 14:8-10

• GOD through Paul, did unusual miracles at Ephesus. Acts 19:11-12

• GOD through Paul, brought a young man back to life who died after falling out a window. Acts 20:7-12

• Wrote 13 books in the New Testament.
  
  

What can we learn from the lives of these Bible characters?

1. Failures: they were flawed people.

2. Redemption: they repented of their sins.

3. Conclusion: GOD forgave them and still accomplished His will in their lives.
   
   

Now, it’s true that there’s no recorded evidence in the Bible that Adam and Eve or Rahab repented for their specific sins, but let’s look at what is recorded:

God showed Adam and Eve mercy by covering their nakedness (Genesis 3:21); blessed them with another son Seth after Cain killed his brother Abel (Genesis 4:25); blessed them with more sons and daughters (Genesis 5:4); their descendants learned to trust GOD (Genesis 4:26). All of this paints a pretty powerful picture that there was unrecorded repentance and forgiveness for their sins.

After the destruction of Jericho, Rahab and her family were allowed to live in the land of Israel (Joshua 6:25), she was mentioned 1,600 years later in the New Testament as being justified (James 2:24-26), and as noted earlier she is labeled as a woman of faith (Hebrews 11:31). This doesn’t sound like a woman who continued to live as a prostitute. There must have been unrecorded repentance in her heart to be honored by GOD after her death.

The Bible isn’t shy in revealing how imperfect the people are throughout it, yet GOD still used them to accomplish His will. Sin does have consequences, but through repentance (turning completely away from that sin), there is forgiveness from GOD. He is in the business of restoring the lives of flawed and mistake-riddled people, just like us. And GOD, in all His loving mercy and kindness shows how He can still accomplish His will through us despite our past and broken pieces.

So let’s stop focusing on our past mistakes and put our faith and trust in GOD and His amazing plans He wants to accomplish through us.

Thank you for visiting and please leave any comments, questions, prayer requests, or ideas for new topics you’d like for me to discuss in the comment box below.