My friend Ray in New Hampshire was with a group of disciple-making leaders when they decided to share with each other their stories of how they came to faith. Upon reflection, Ray shared with them 1 Timothy 1.12 – 14:

Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 1.13, 14, NIV)

What’s the theme of all of our stories? That “I was once a …” [fill in the blank], but “I was shown mercy…and grace…and love…”

I saw the theme while reading Mark 14.3 and the note in the Passion Translation:

Now Jesus was in Bethany, in the home of Simon, a man Jesus had healed of leprosy. NOTE: We are all cleansed lepers, symbolized by Simon. Christ left the religious structure of the temple and went into the house of a leper. Former “lepers” are now the true temple of God.

I recalled the same theme from the story of the blind man in John 9:

The healed man replied, “I have no idea what kind of man he is. All I know is that I was blind and now I can see for the first time in my life!” (John 9.25, Passion Translation)

What’s your story? Here’s part of mine: Once I was a Christian legalist, known by what I didn’t do, and judging others as good people or bad by our narrow set of standards. But God in his mercy delivered me, helped me understand that Jesus loves me (and others!) and gave me the privilege of practicing and teaching relational disciple-making.

No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we [good, religious people] are saved, just as they [unchurched unbelievers] are.” (Acts 15.11, emphasis and explanation mine)

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6.9 – 11, ESV, emphasis mine)