GOD’S STANDARD IS HIGHER!

I was taking a walk with a brother one evening, and I had to confront him about why he was asking a lady that he had not even asked out whether she was still a virgin or not. He answered, “I cannot invest these years in keeping myself and then marry someone who did not do the same.” I took a deep breath and wondered whether he understood the power of God’s love and redemption.

First, virginity is not about the female gender alone. The male must also be accountable. Listen! God’s standard is way higher than virginity. His standard is purity. There are “boasting saints” who have tried to keep their bodies pure but whose minds are so messed up.

A person committing the sins of the heart is pointing an accusing finger at the one committing the sins of the act. Do not be a hypocrite. Listen to our Lord, Jesus Christ:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Matthew 5:27-28 NIV

God’s standard is way higher. Do not take pride in your standards. Lean in on God’s grace. Every sinner has a future. Every saint had a past. We all met at the junction of God’s Grace.

Second, if you keep pointing accusing fingers, you are not different from those Pharisees who dragged the woman who committed adultery to Jesus. When a sinner gets to the feet of Jesus Christ, the story changes. At the feet of Jesus, there is no condemnation but redemption. At the feet of Jesus Christ, there is no death but life. At the feet of Jesus, the weight of the past is rolled away, and the joy of the future is credited to your account.

If you have indeed met Jesus Christ, you will not judge another believer by their past. You do not know them more than their saviour. Be like Ananias, like your arguments about Saul turn to obedience to the Lord. He has the latest on them.

If you have met Jesus Christ when the devil tries to use your past against you, have a good laugh! He is running out of new materials to fight with. He has to start digging. Remind the devil of his future.

If anyone has ever looked at you and shamed you because you have an unpalatable history, keep calm. Broken crayons can still be used to produce masterpieces. The lineage of Jesus Christ had:

Tamar slept with her two brothers and then got impregnated by her father-in-law.

Rahab, the nationally known prostitute.

Ruth, a stranger from the covenant.

Bathsheba (Can you imagine what her story will look like in the days of Twitter?)

Broken crayons can still colour!

There is no one who has been touched by the love of Christ who should ever point a finger of condemnation to another. Listen, beloved, God’s standard is higher, and God’s grace is richer.

temilOluwa Ola, Eruwa