No Longer a “Successful Sinner”: The Transforming Power of Christ
by Wynn Cameron Thompson
This concept of the “unsuccessful sinner” is one of the most profound markers of a genuine encounter with Grace. It’s the idea that once you have experienced the light, the darkness no longer feels like home—it feels like a cramped, cold room you’ve outgrown.
1. The Divine Discomfort
When Peter began to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” (Matthew 14:30). In that moment, the water was a place of death. But after Jesus grabbed his hand, the water became a place of testimony.
The reason a believer cannot be a “successful sinner” is that the Holy Spirit dwells within us. When we move toward the old life, we don’t find the same satisfaction we once did.
- Before Grace: Sin felt like a solution or an escape.
- After Grace: Sin feels like a weight.
As 1 John 3:9 suggests, those born of God find it impossible to keep living comfortably in a pattern of
sin because God’s “seed” remains in them. You haven’t lost your salvation when you feel guilty; that discomfort is actually proof that you belong to Him.
2. The Mechanics of the “Hand”
The “Hand of God” is a recurring theme throughout Scripture, representing three specific actions:
- The Reach: He comes down to our level. He doesn’t wait for us to swim back to the boat on our own strength.
- The Grip: In John 10:28, Jesus says, “No one will snatch them out of my hand.” His grip is stronger than the gravity of our mistakes.
- The Guidance: He didn’t just pull Peter up; He redirected him. The hand that saves is the same hand that leads.
3. Walking on the Surface of Your Failures
The most beautiful part of the story is the walk back. Imagine the other eleven disciples watching from the boat. They didn’t just see a rescued man; they saw a man walking on the very thing that almost drowned him.
When Jesus transforms us, He doesn’t just erase our past; He gives us the authority to walk over it. Your history of addiction, abuse, or “sinking” becomes the platform upon which you walk with Christ.
“He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.” — Psalm 40:2
A Final Thought for the Journey
If you find that you can no longer enjoy the things that used to satisfy the “old you,” celebrate! That is the surest sign that you have indeed “tasted the love of Jesus.” The “successful sinner” has become a restored child of God.
0 Comments