SINNERS WANTED

Imagine yourself looking for a job at Jobstreet and your eyes catch this strange headline: "Wanted: Sinners."

You'd probably sneer, thinking, "Whoever placed that ad is either crazy or stupid." Naturally, because an employer of sound mind would want to hire qualified people—no room for bunglers or incompetents here! 

But what if the advertiser turns out to indeed be God? 

His "wanted" ad would further read: "The righteous need not apply." 

That was precisely what Jesus said when the Pharisees accused Him of eating with tax collectors and sinners: "For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners" (Matthew 9:13b).

Oops, run that by me again, is this really Jesus talking? 

Listen further: "The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." (Luke 19:10). 

Romans 3:10-12—"...There is no one righteous, not even one. There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless, there is no one who does good, not even one."

That means no one qualifies. Not even one? The whole truth and nothing but the truth! Remember, we're all Adam and Eve's kids to the nth degree. We've inherited their sin-gene. 

"Wait! I go to church Sundays, help the poor and pray a lot. Don't all these add up to my being-right-with-God account?" 

But your conscience forces you to think back: 

"Hmm, yesterday, I wanted to kill my boss for shouting at me. He's so mean, he deserves to die."

"I wished my nosey, sour-graping and slanderous neighbor would just become mute or be paralyzed." 

If you admit you've murdered or lusted in deed or in thought, and done other despicable acts not worthy of print, then you're in good company. Jesus welcomes you, just like Zaccheus the tax collector, who after being acquainted with Jesus turned his life around. 

God imposes just one condition: Aminin! Admit that you're a sinner and confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. 

Jesus commanded (John 3:7b): "You must be born again." As Creator, Master and Lord, Jesus has every right to impose His own rules if we sincerely want to be in His team. Don't forget, His is the only name given by which everyone may be saved, Acts 14:12. 

How can one whose heart has been so darkened by sin even start to please Jesus? The Father has taken care of that too; He promised:

Ezekiel 36:25-27—"Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances..."

Brand new in Christ! That's how He qualifies. 

Jesus, I'm not even qualified to come to you. I am a sinner. But I boldly come into your throne of grace. Forgive me. I confess Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Change my heart of stone to a heart of flesh. In your name I pray.