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"For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You."
(Psalm 86:5)
While traveling back from our South Asia mission trip last week, I sat beside a young lady returning from the Middle East. She was very polite and kind, so much so that I asked her if she was a follower of Jesus. I fully anticipated her replying that she was indeed a Christian. But what she said surprised and saddened me. She said, "I used to be a Christian." I asked her what happened, and she said her lifestyle had changed, and she no longer considered herself a Jesus follower. I shared with her that I thought it was interesting how of all the people God could have allowed her to sit by on this flight home, He put her beside me, a pastor! She smiled, and then I shared this with her, "The Lord is not finished with you." I could tell she was through with talking about spiritual matters. I ended the conversation by inviting her to attend our church and she said, "I thank you for the invitation."
There are many in our country who consider themselves former believers. They have deconstructed their faith and decided to walk away from the God they once loved and served. You may be asking, how does that happen? I do not understand fully how this can happen. I actually believe that if you were genuinely converted, you cannot cease to be a Christian.
How should you and I respond to those who tell us they have left their faith? I think the best thing we can do is extend grace and speak the truth. Jesus modeled this perfectly for us. John tells us in John 1:14 that Jesus was full of grace and truth. We should listen well and carefully respond.
In my favorite movie, The Count of Monte-Christo, Edmond Dantes spends 14 years in the prison Château d'If for a crime he did not commit. While in prison, a priest befriends Dantes, but when the priest spoke of God, Dantes told the priest that he no longer believed in God. The priest's response was powerful. He said, "But God still believes in you."
King David writes about the Lord who is ready to forgive. He is ready to pardon all who repent and return to Him. He also says that the Lord is abundant in mercy to all who call upon Him. Notice the word "all". Atheists, Muslims, "former" Christians, etc., it does not matter; if you call upon Him in faith, He will forgive, restore, and bless you. Praise God for His infinite mercy.
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