What if you have already messed up? Am I still worthy of a spouse? Because I know I am filthy and not deserving?

Absolutely. I often feel silly or old fashioned when I use phrases like “lies of the devil,” but I believe that this thought is a lie to keep you from giving God the credit He deserves. Think of, if you will, of Bobby Boucher’s mother saying “foos-ball is da debbil!” Only, instead of football, insert this idea where you believe you’re unworthy of forgiveness or redemption because of what you have done.


Nobody is perfect. It’s human nature to sin. I’m not condoning sin in any capacity, but we are sinful, and that’s the bottom line. Christ knew this about us, and died for us anyway. Like Sean talked about Monday night, Christ’s righteousness is imbued upon those who repent from their sin and pursue a relationship with Him. It’s as simple as that. He died so that we may have the option to be forgiven and be reunited with Him – if we choose to accept that forgiveness, we are forgiven. Voila!


Of course, if we were perfect from the moment of repentance, things would be so much easier. But we all know that being a Christian doesn’t mean that you’re perfect…or that you don’t struggle. Living a Christian life is a daily decision; a constant effort on your part to glorify God in the things that you think and do…the way that you live. Dating is no exception.


I remember when I was a senior in high school. At that point, out of all my close church friends, I was the only girl who had kissed a boy before. It made me feel bad…like I was damaged somehow. Just remembering this makes me laugh, at how distraught I was, and how I was convinced that I didn’t deserve a “good” guy because I wasn’t “good.” Lies, lies, lies, LIES. So completely not true. If you are a Christian, and you are saying that you aren’t good enough, then you’re cheapening the gospel, and treating the sacrifice Christ made for you as insufficient. If you have truly repented, then God looks at you like He does Christ – remember that.


That’s not to say that you’re redeemed and therefore you should sin as much as you want, and just remember to say “I’m sorry” afterward. Just as Christ was raised from the dead, when we choose to follow Him, we are meant to live a new life (Romans 6:1-4). If you are truly repentant of your past sins, and you’re living in such a way to avoid repeating those mistakes, you’re heading the right direction. The part of the question that says “because I am filthy and not deserving” gives me hope for you and your future – because being humble keeps us where we’re meant to be. If you weren’t concerned with your spiritual depravity, or you thought you had it all together, you’d be in far more trouble than it sounds like you are – being grieved by past sin. Remorse is an appropriate reaction to sin.

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