Paul was a murderer, and Christ himself came to Paul and called Paul to ministry. Paul was a persecuter of Christians! yet paul preached. Many in the bible committed sins and God used them. Moses murdered and God used him too, to lead and set the isrealites free and look where we all are now due to it. We need to rid ourselves from all pride and arrogance as it damages the truth and our walk with the Lord... Humbling ourselves is the only way!!
That is why Paul said oh what a wretched man am i! Who will save me .. God Will!! He knew His past and He also said he was the worst of them all meaning sinners... yet Jesus chose Him right there on the road to Damascas to change His life and used forgiveness towards him with mercy, grace and love. But most of all, respect in love...
God used paul and trusted him to minister his word and Paul did a good job too... Where would we be without Paul? For much of the New Testament is written by him... All i can say is if God trusted someone who sinned so much to use him to help others to find the Lord, then praise God for that means thier is hope for people like you and me... Amen... If not. Then Jesus lied when he said what He does for one, He'll do for all for He doesnt play favorites...
Just a note.. almost every person God used in the bible greatly sinned.. and God on purposely used them anyway! Just to prove that its not them doing it, its HIM!
James 2: 9-11 [SUP]9 [/SUP]But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. [SUP]10 [/SUP]For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles
at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. [SUP]11 [/SUP]For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,”[SUP][b][/SUP] also said, “You shall not murder.”[SUP][c][/SUP] If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
So all sins are equal in Gods eyes and should be dealt with accordingly... Brings a new prespective to it when you start to think about what we each have done huh? For then we are all in the same boat as each other.. WE ARE ALL SINNERS SAVED BY GRACE! We cant get to heaven not even if we have 1 sin in us for we are imperfect!! Jesus is our only answer! This is why grace is so important!