Rolling Stones - Saints or Sinners?

The Rolling Stones have been around longer than I have been alive and I am 44 years old! These guys can still pack stadiums like few can. They have had some incredible hits over the years. The other day I was listening to the radio and hear a Stones song that I have never heard before. Not sure how it slipped by me other than it must not have been one of their more popular songs. The song is called Saint of me. What struck me about this song is the lyrics. Take a look.

Saint Paul the persecutor
Was a cruel and sinful man
Jesus hit him with a blinding light
And then his life began
I said yeah

Augustin knew temptation
He loved women, wine and song
And all the special pleasures
Of doing something wrong
I said yeah

I said yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah
You'll never make a saint of me
Oh yeah, oh yeah
You'll never make a saint of me

And could you stand the torture
And could you stand the pain
Could you put your faith in Jesus
When you're burning in the flames

And I do believe in miracles
And I want to save my soul
And I know that I'm a sinner
I'm gonna die here in the cold
I said yes, I said yeah

I said yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah
You'll never make a saint of me
Oh yeah, oh yeah

I thought I heard an angel cry
I thought I saw a teardrop falling from his eye

John the Baptist was a martyr
But he stirred up Herod's hate
And Salome got her wish
To have him served up on a plate
I said yes, I said yeah

I said yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah
You'll never make a saint of me
Oh yeah, oh yeah

I thought I heard an angel cry
I thought I saw a teardrop falling from his eye
I thought I saw an angel cry

I think the thing that struck me about this song is how well it shows the condition of the human heart. As best I can tell this song was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. These guys know about these great men of the Bible and what happened in their lives but they still refuse to believe in the one who saved Paul and John. The one who these two guys eventually died for. There is a passage of scripture that also reiterates this concept of the hardened human heart. In Acts 26 Paul is standing trial before Agrippa. The scene is fascinating if you want to read it. Paul clearly lays out the Gospel before Agrippa and many who were present and here is Agrippa's response:

Acts 26:28 - Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”

Paul shared his testimony and communicated in a powerful way the transforming power of God in his life but Agrippa did not get it. As I read this verse I can almost hear Agrippa chuckle as he speaks to Paul.

I guess I have to admit that I don't understand the ways and mind of God. What I am coming to understand is that we are completely dependent on Him for our salvation. Take a look at a similar story just a few chapters earlier:

Acts 16:13, 14 - 13 On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. 14 One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.

Look at what that last verse says. "The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message." My question that I may never get an answer to is "Why Lydia and not Mick?", "Why Lydia and not Keith?", "Why Lydia and not ______?" fill in the blank with someone you know who has rejected the Gospel, maybe even your name if you have responded like Agrippa did.

Paul says in II Corinthians 6: 2 - I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. Don't keep rejecting the truth. Don't keep saying "I said yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah You'll never make a saint of me Oh yeah, oh yeah".