A person’s testimony is what has happened in their life; one cannot change anything about their past, because what happened, has happened and remained in the past. But one’s past can serve as a guide so that they do not stumble over the same things in the future. One can learn from their past to avoid being deceived again by the devil and ending up in the same situation.
To live a life of joy, peace, and in the love of the Lord, one must let the past go, but one must never forget where God brought them from. Remain grateful to God, remain active in prayer, in reading the Bible, and separate yourself from the path of evil and immorality, so that the enemy finds no door to enter, because the enemy is lurking (1 Peter 5:8).
Let us keep this in mind: Do not slander anyone, do not be quarrelsome, but be gentle and show every consideration for all people. For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by various passions and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
This is a faithful word, and these things I want you to confirm constantly, so that those who believe in God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for people (Titus 3:2-7). God offers an opportunity for change in everyone’s life; it is the person who must want to change.
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor the effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
But be aware that when people do not listen, or do not want to listen or acknowledge, the Word of God says: “Because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. God will repay each person according to what they have done” (Romans 2:5). And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done (Romans 1:28).
We must not forget what is written in John 3:36: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.” God has the power to free the most evil, the most criminal, the one no one wants to be with, because this is what God says in His Word: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
Never forget where God brought you from, thank God.
Sincerely, Pastor Marcel Balootje.