Allowing for Change

There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and destroy: who art thou that judgeth another (James 4:12).

People, even Christians, tend to judge others harshly, lock a person into that label, and never change their opinion. Thankfully, God never does that, and he doesn't want us to either. We are commanded to forgive. Branding a person as a certain kind of sinner, and never allowing for change is not forgiving them. We say God changes people, but we often don't act like it, and our job is to love like Christ.

Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven (Luke 6:37).

Paul's life is a good example of why we should forgive sinners and allow them to move on. Paul had severely persecuted followers of Christ. Men like him had been the reason many of the early Christians had scattered from Jerusalem to other locations. Paul was a devout Jew and thought the new believers were an affront to God.

He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone... (John 8:7b).

Paul and Barnabas

After Christ appeared to him on the road to Damascus, Paul became just as zealous for Christ, but the followers feared him and wanted nothing to do with him. If it were not for Barnabas, he might have been locked into the slot of persecutor forever. However, Barnabas stood up for Paul and convinced others to give him a chance (see Acts 9), and what a difference it made for the faith. Often the greatest sinners make the best Christians after they are saved, and fallen Christians become more devout than ever once they have repented. We should all be loving, kind, and forgiving like Jesus.

____________________________