God Uses the Willing, Not the Perfect

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shawntc

shawntc

Senior Member
May 7, 2010
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I often find myself thinking that God wouldn't possibly be using someone in his will because they have some obvious sin in their life. Or I stand puzzled that God did indeed work through someone despite a sin they may not have turned from. And often I myself think that if I don't cut out a particular sin from my life, that God won't use me or I'll miss out on something he wanted me to do.

Obviously, this kind of thinking is folly. The Bible – and personal experience – make it abundantly clear that nobody is perfect. We all still fall short and engage in sin of some kind. If God only used perfect people, then nobody would ever be able to minister for God. Perfect people don't exist.

Early in my time as a Christian I was told that God uses the willing, not the perfect. I see that is very true. The heroes of the Bible? In a way, they could be seen as anti-heroes. Abraham and Sarah both lied. Jacob was a trickster. Jonah was racist against the Ninevites. Peter had a habit of sticking his foot in his mouth. Paul was formerly a persecutor of the Christians. Today, God might end up using that one kid who has a habit of swearing a lot, or that girl with the beautiful singing voice who tends to show just a little too much skin. It boggles my mind... but God just wants someone willing to listen to his call.
 
Are we free to be ourselves? Is that even scriptural? How can a believer be willing to do His will and be his/herself at the same time when God requires us to be holy as He is holy?
 
Amen. I have to laugh at ppl who say God doesn't use dirty vessels (are they implying they are clean?) because in ourselves that's exactly what we all are. Dirty vessels. can't think of where but the Bible says His eyes are running to and fro He WANTS to bless. He sees the heart not the Mohawk. You are right, He uses the willing. The willing aren't always the A-Team but they will try to do that which pleases the Lord and He'll do the rest.
 
I had a good conversation recently about the gift that God had given all of us. Time was my ,Darwinian, first answer and it was agreed. Then free-will was given as the most logical choice, and the time to conceive it without remorse.
 
God's desire is to flow through us to reach and touch someone in need even if it is around a pebble or a rock or a stone or a boulder along with removing the mountains when they are in the way of His will and desire to save the dying heal the hurting and rescue the lost.
 
tragedy;bt3203 said:
Are we free to be ourselves? Is that even scriptural? How can a believer be willing to do His will and be his/herself at the same time when God requires us to be holy as He is holy?
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Even as Christians we may still have some kind of on-going sin in our lives. One of mine is being overly judgmental. We may or may not be aware of the sin or that it is a sin. Despite that, God may still choose to use us to advance his will. My post isn't saying "Sin all you want," it's saying "God uses sinners." To you that might seem repulsive, but imagine if God didn't use sinners. Then nobody would be used by God!
 
But if we are walking holy (consecrated), are we free to be ourselves, not be "robotic beings?"
 
God, is definitely uses the unqualified. In 1 Corinthians 1: 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him."

So basically the Bible does say these things. I'm a perfect example of this. I was the shy girl who didn't know much about talking to strangers and don't have a degree in Theology. Yet He decided to use me in a missionary trip to bring people to Jesus. God is faithful!

Now the thing is that, obviously we all sin. The difference is that if we sin, we need to repent, repentance means that you are truly sorry and are not going to do it again, you'll work on it. We can't just pretend to sin and serve like nothing is going on. We need to keep a testimony. Of course we all sin, but we try to never do it again and we work hard and constantly on our temptations.
 
tragedy;bt3217 said:
But if we are walking holy (consecrated), are we free to be ourselves, not be "robotic beings?"
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If we focus on Jesus and His love for us and not be examining ourselves to make certain we are "holy" the bad things in our lives cease to be of importance, they fade away. We never gonna meet the standard. That's what Grace is about and grace is a Person named Jesus. When we realize how Worthy He is and He humbled Himself for us and sacrificed His life, we love Him enough to want to change not outta fear obligation to be "holy". He died so we could inherit His holiness. That's what frees us to be ourselves. Freedom from condemnation, freedom from bondages like depression or drugs, freedom from worry because His eye is always on His beloved, and that's you and me Brother. and that's freedom indeed.
 
"Without holiness, nobody will see God." - Hebrews

Holiness is required for all believers. It's God's will. May God's will be done on Earth. May His will always prevail over the will of man. How can I walk holy without someone to lead me? Proverbs 27:17 - "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." So when can we be free to be ourselves as believers? Is that ever achieved?
 
psalm6819;bt3224 said:
If we focus on Jesus and His love for us and not be examining ourselves to make certain we are "holy" the bad things in our lives cease to be of importance, they fade away. We never gonna meet the standard. That's what Grace is about and grace is a Person named Jesus. When we realize how Worthy He is and He humbled Himself for us and sacrificed His life, we love Him enough to want to change not outta fear obligation to be "holy". He died so we could inherit His holiness. That's what frees us to be ourselves. Freedom from condemnation, freedom from bondages like depression or drugs, freedom from worry because His eye is always on His beloved, and that's you and me Brother. and that's freedom indeed.
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You're not suggesting we need not worry about turning away from sin, are you? We may not meet the standard but genuine faith does produce a holy, if imperfectly so, life.
 
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