This is such a difficult thing for those who once did a work for God, but who have fallen into sin. We wonder, will anyone remember the good works that we did? We wonder, whether our works will be negated at the judgment seat because of our failures. We then fight the temptation to question the legitimacy, and even our sincerity for everything we did. The statement I am going to make, will rattle some cages and upset some in the Pharisaical arm of Christianity.
Your fall did not negate the passion you had for God, nor does it erase the effects you had on other’s lives, even when you were in the midst of your fall.
The sins of our lives, may have started, even as we were passionately doing the work of God. The people who were saved, are still saved, just as the lives you influenced are still influenced. Here is the difference; before my fall, I took it as documentation of my worthiness. Now, I take it as a testimony of His grace to use me in spite of my unworthiness. Everything we will ever do that we consider a “good work,” is tainted by those filthy rags. Before my fall, I saw the riches of my works. Now, I see the rags of them. Before my fall, I saw the sincerity of my works. Now, I see the filth. My friend, our works were no cleaner without the sins of our fall than they were with them. When I hear of a man in the ministry who was “called” under my preaching, I rejoice that God could take those old filthy rags and use them.
David sinned, but Goliath was still dead. His sins did not change that fact nor did it negate all the other things God had done through him. The David who killed Goliath did so in the power of God, not of David. David slung the stone, but God guided it into the temple of Goliath’s head. God did a great work through David. David sinned, God didn’t. The work was still done. It was God all along Who did it. Let us not attempt to negate our works, or those of another who has fallen lest we give credit to one to Whom it was never due. It does not matter whether we get our “due” as long as Goliath is dead. Last I checked, he still is.