Too Bad For God?

Have you become discouraged by personal failure and written yourself off? If you have, you are not alone, and this article is for you. My main point is that there are people out there, and you may be one of them, who deeply and genuinely feel they have so messed themselves up and others that they are too bad for God. Now are you willing to reconsider that? Not that you might be better than you thought, but that God might be more forgiving than you thought.

1. TOO BAD

Let's consider how that thinking like 'I'm too bad for God' is a self judgement that also reflects on God. You have decided to write yourself off as hopeless in a way that says to yourself 'God would definitely not be interested in forgiving someone like me.' And then you have decided you are simply too bad for God! So I need to ask, if you are thinking like that, whether that judgement honours God, or based on a verdict that might be blocking a real but radical solution. And what you may not realise; you are reinforcing and confirming your own unbelief!

Have I then any basis for optimism in this most serious of subjects, when some people have done appalling things for which a terrible sense of guilt and hopelessness envelops them like a dark cloud? Yes, I have, and I shall need to explain it and at the same time not give anyone a reason for false optimism - like 'I feel down now, but I'm sure it will all pan out fine at the end'.

2. DEEP PROBLEM

Look, just to make doubly sure that you realise this is not a trivial issue; everyone who persists in their unbelief, believing they are too bad for God, will have their unbelief confirmed and receive what they fully deserve - 'the cowards, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur, which is the second death' (Revelation 21:8).

This is a summary of the sins that have been most 'popular' over the span of human history, ever since the historic Genesis fall, and if you think your lifestyle isn't that bad, note that 'faithless' is also included. To be 'faithless' is deeply serious, because at root it casts God's word back at him and tells him he is a liar; 'Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son' (1 John 5:10).

We don't like direct and blunt language like that these days because we have become socialised to become ever more tolerant of all types of human behaviour - with a few exceptions, one of which is: we must never tolerate warnings of divine judgement on our increasingly permissive and immoral Western lifestyles! And in the face of natural disasters which left those unaffected feeling let off the hook, Jesus' words continue to ring out; 'No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish' (Luke 13:3 & 5).

'But' maybe you respond 'I'm still too bad for God, he wouldn't accept me, I'm too unworthy!' So do you want to add to all your other sins by now disobeying what God expressly commands you to do! In one thing you are right, there are no worthy recipients. All sin is utterly damnable to God, worthy of just judgement. Yes, you are right, no one is worthy, and that is why all need to receive God's undeserved favour - God's best for your worst! But perhaps you have underestimated God, who has revealed that he is 'rich in mercy' (Ephesians 2:4).

3. YOU UNDERESTIMATED GOD!

This is where we need to stop, as it were, and reflect on this surprising truth, because all of the terribly wicked and sinful lifestyles and secret sins of the heart that demand the judgement of the second death, are precisely the sort of sins for which Christ died! And now if you will accept your own responsibility, repent of your sins and hard heart that is 'hostile to God' (Romans 8:7), and seek God's rich undeserved grace and mercy, you will be forgiven! This is amazing good news! You see, the only people who are too bad for God are those who use that as an excuse and are unwilling to see that heart attitude as unbelief and confess it as such to God.

Look, I do understand you may have many good reasons for thinking you have blown it and are too bad for God. But now, will you consider that all of those objections are raised in unbelief which must now be confronted by one all-powerful answer? That God did not send his own Son into this world to see him shed his blood willingly, dying on a cross without it being boundlessly effective in dealing with the vilest and most shocking of sins. You see, God's honour is at stake here. Is he, or is he not, able to rescue those who not only feel they are great sinners, but are great sinners?

4. NOT TOO BAD FOR A GREAT SAVIOUR

God's own beloved Son did not pour out his spotless life, suffering God's awful wrath in order to deal with a few refined sins, or a few trifling indiscretions! Not at all - Christ died for SINNERS! And now, he 'is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him' (Hebrews 7:25). It is Jesus who is the wholly worthy One. He is the righteous One, who suffered the penalty on behalf of the unrighteous ones. He knows you are unworthy! Why condemn yourself as too bad for all eternity, when Christ died a death sufficient to save you for all eternity? Yes, it would certainly be too bad if you turned away from such a richly generous offer of forgiveness.

Will you then accept the sufficiency of his sacrifice to blot out your dark sins? Jesus said, 'whoever comes to me I will never cast out' (John 6:37). Too bad for God? - well, are you now prepared to accept that was your own opinion and that it failed to take account of the great mercy of God we see revealed in Jesus' death? None, not even you, are too bad to be forgiven, cleansed and reconciled to 'our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ' (Titus 2:13) - but you must come!

Walking After Emptiness