**The Calling of the Imperfect** "On hearing this, Jesus said to them, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.’" — Mark 2:17 (NIV) One of the greatest deceptions of the devil is to make people believe that they need to be perfect before coming to God. Oftentimes, you will hear people saying, "I need to quit this and that before coming to church." The devil knows you can never overcome anything without Christ. You see, the moment you seek perfection outside of Christ, grace will no longer be valid to you. It means you are now attempting to achieve righteousness through your own efforts. No, sir. God is calling you as a drunkard. God is calling you as a murderer. God is calling you as a thief and a liar. In Genesis 17:1, God called Abraham and said, "Walk before me and be blameless." What does that tell you? Abraham was an imperfect being when God called him, but through faith, as he followed God, he was made perfect along the way in his journey of faith. Yes, Jesus made it clear that he came for the sinners. Are you a victim of sin? Then Jesus is for you. Are you a righteous and perfect being? Then you don't need God. Stop self-condemnation and come to God. It's the only way you can be saved.