Many Transgressions to Justification

As we seek to learn discipleship, we can learn much from the accounts in scriptures of the disciples who followed Jesus. By learning from their successes and their failings we are better able to understand our own, and the Lord's patience with us as we go on with him.They were imperfect men. Consider Paul, who testified that he had been blameless under law, but fought to destroy the righteous, thinking he was doing God a favor. What mercy God showed to him, recognizing his zeal, but requiring that he repent and be cleansed;. For a season he was called aside and separated from all the old traditions of religion that were familiar to him, so that the heart could be changed. Consider the disciples who were so disrespectful of their great leader Jesus that they questioned his wisdom for his fellowship with the Samaritan woman. And some who ordered a poor blind men begging for mercy to leave the Lord alone. Or Peter, who had been so bold as to attempt walking on water, then denied the Lord three times after his arrest by the rulers and officers. Or doubting Thomas, who had the attitude that he must see to believe, although we are commanded to walk by faith and not by sight. Others also, it seems, were upbraided by the Lord for their unbelief who continued to doubt even after he was raised from the dead!

Mark 16:14
Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

We can look at these things and be warned, but comforted at the unfailing mercies of the Lord as these weak and imperfect men repented and were then made perfect. For we see the mighty works accomplished through these imperfect men after the day of Pentecost, the infilling of the Holy Spirit. They, who experienced such mercy and long-suffering from the Lord, were used to change the world around them, and to lay a foundation for future generations to build upon. Let us also consider that they continued to make mistakes and had to submit themselves to the daily disciplines and correction of mercy after they were anointed with such mighty powers! Peter once had to be rebuked by the regenerated Apostle Paul for aligning himself with the Jews against the new gentile converts.

The heart fully set on God and on the seeking of his eternal promise of Christ's kingdom is the fruit of the serious disciple of Christ. Though we all come to the Lord flawed, we yearn to be found faithful to do his will. Therefore, as we seek these eternal things, we experience the Father's mercies in spite of our failings. We are then better prepared to extend mercy to many other flawed human beings. Through the work of the blood of the cross the imperfect can be made perfect.

Many transgressions resulting in justification!

Romans 5:15-17
But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ