“We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also.” Ephesians 2:3 HCSB

We all sinned (Romans 3:23). We all have a past. We all have a before Jesus life. But Jesus came and made us new (Galatians 2:20, 2 Corinthians 5:17). Basically Paul is saying, “ I was right there with you dead in my trespasses.” No one is immune from trespasses. 

Just about every one in the Bible has a past that made them feel ill equipped for the call God had for them to do.

• Noah had a problem with his wine after the flood. (Genesis 9:20-21)
• Moses had murdered an Egyptian (Exodus 2:11-14)
• Joshua did not seek the Lord when dealing with the Gibeonites (Joshua 9:15-16)
• Gideon was turned away from serving God and worshiped his own god (Judges 8:27)
• David had Uriah killed to cover his sin with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:14)
• Jonah had no compassion for the people of Nineveh (Jonah 1:1- 4:11)
• Saul/Paul was presiding over Stephen’s death (Acts 7:58)  

I am sure there are many others but the point is everyone has a past. Whether the past is when we were young or yesterday Jesus had forgiven it on the cross. We need to repent of it today and not let it define the rest of our life. The christian life in a journey and we will be rewarded when we finish. Just how will we finish? Will we finish well like Paul? Will we finish poorly like Gideon, King Saul or Samson?