Just as I Was

Billy Graham made the hymn “Just as I Am” become perhaps the most well-known church song ever by having George Beverly Shay sing verses of it at the invitation at the end of each of Billy’s sermons. His invitation was accepted by many people because of the welcome he helped them feel by the power of the love Jesus had for them.

Then the arguments start from that point. Libertarian theologians would say that we are welcome in the Kingdom of Heaven without regard for whether we continue to be “Just as I Was.” Legalists would say that I am not welcome in the Kingdom until I change. Jesus invites us to believe His sacrifice paid for our sin, to be born of His Spirit, to be filled with His Spirit, and to be transformed into His likeness as we enter His Kingdom and surrender to His lordship.

When He commands us, His instruction is invitation. “Come! Be holy.” “Come! Be set free from addictions and unclean spirits and deadly habits.” “Come! Follow Me.” The freedom He invites me to is not one in which I become free to do whatever I like. It is the ability to attain freedom to do whatever Jesus likes.

As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, “Follow Me!” So he got up and followed Him.

While He was reclining at the table in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came as guests to eat with Jesus and His disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

But when He heard this, He said, “Those who are well don’t need a doctor, but the sick do. Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. For I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
(Matthew 9:9-13 HCSB ©®)