There is a common misconception in some believers and even non-believers in regards to God’s offer to “come as you are.” The reality of this statement seems often lost to the world around us (and even among us) and it is accepted as a false comfort to a non-change agenda instead of taken by it’s whole meaning. Though God does tell us we may come to Him as we are - sinful in nature - there is a follow-up message and requirement He also gives which is a call to be transformed, to change from the sinful creature you once were, and be restored in Him.
This invitation to ‘come as you are’ is so often misunderstood by some to mean “you‘re beautiful the way you are.” Yes, through a worldly point of view this unconditional acceptance gives the warm and fuzzies. But this invite was not meant as a self loving statement, but an expression to those who may feel they are not worthy to come to Him because of what they have done and where they have been. The Lord is simply saying “Come to Me, because I love you no matter what you’ve done - now let’s make it better.” That means change. There is a condition for coming to Him and that price is that we let go of the sinful behavior we had - no matter how bad or little - and open ourselves to be made new. It requires change. It’s natural for us to shy away from something that actually requires us to do something.
Grace Calls for Change
The sacrifice of Jesus Christ opened the door to grace - God‘s grace. Grace is the act of forgiving a debt.
In the English language there are several definitions of grace that stem out from a core meaning which is simply pleasant. But Theology aside, here are the basic definitions of grace:
grace
–noun
1. elegance or beauty of form, manner, motion, or action.
2. a pleasing or attractive quality or endowment.
3. favor or good will.
4. a manifestation of favor, esp. by a superior: It was only through the dean's grace that I wasn't expelled from school. 5. mercy; clemency; pardon: an act of grace.
6. favor shown in granting a delay or temporary immunity.
7. an allowance of time after a debt or bill has become payable granted to the debtor before suit can be brought against him or her or a penalty applied: The life insurance premium is due today, but we have 31 days' grace before the policy lapses.
Here are just a few Bible verses regarding the grace given though Jesus‘ sacrifice:
Ephesians 4:7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. (gift being His sacrifice on the cross)
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast. (because Jesus earned it for us on His own.)
1 Peter 4:10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (this is a 'do unto others' type of statement - show others the grace God showed you.)
With the sacrifice of Christ came the assurance that God would forgive our transgressions (sins) should we come to Him (“as you are“) in repentance (acknowledging our sinfulness) and turn from our old ways (this means to change).
Romans 6:1-3 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning (“as you are“) so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? (this is a call to be changed)
Romans 6:10-12 The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin (be changed) but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign (this means to turn from sin - “as you are”) in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation (changed!); the old has gone (“as you are”), the new has come!
Each of these verses call for the believer to be changed to something better. Staying as you are is not acceptable.
So you may be saying now “Okay, so I sin, right, but I like who I am! And my friends and family like who I am!” This rebuttal is understandable if you don’t understand the real change being demanded. It’s not a change of person - it is a change of heart and yes - there is a difference. Your person is your personality, your traits, your characteristics. Your heart is your sense of right and wrong, your motives, your soul. God cares much for the whole package that is you, but His main focus is where your heart is in all of it. He comforts you to “come as you are” - in sin - to be transformed in heart to know better, respond better, and receive Him better.
How can a believer come into the family of God and rebuke the idea of change to stay “as they are“? Does one go into the disciplined army to remain a rebel? Does one go to college to come out knowing nothing more than he did when he went in? Does someone purchase a ticket to see a movie to stay in the bathroom during the show? No! So why would anyone think Christianity any different? The idea is to go in expecting and desiring to learn, experience, to form, to mold yourself, to become greater, to achieve more, to be successful in the field - to further evolve from the person they were. Note: evolve means to develop. Develop means to grow or expand and they all mean -- get this -- to change! Though not of this world like so many avenues of this world faith in Christ - Christianity - requires a willingness to be changed or else it just doesn’t work like it‘s supposed to. Yes, God loves you “as you are”, and He wants you to come to Him in order to perfect that same person He loves, to make better, to lift the real you up, to polish you, to make your beauty stand out even more - This requires an openness to be perfected by correction of errors sin has placed in you.
In the words of Dr. Tony Evans,
“God says to come as you are, but He loves you too much to let you stay that way.”
- Desiree` Magee
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