How holy do you have to be to share the gospel?

There’s a popular meme: Noah was a drunk, Jonah ran away, Sarah laughed at God, Thomas doubted – and yet God still used them: and you think he can’t use you?”

Yet many Christians hesitate to share their faith because they feel unworthy. The meme contains truth, but not the whole truth. Scripture not only shows God using sinners; it also calls believers to radical holiness; and how many ministries have been wrecked by scandals? Aware of our own failures, we often feel uncomfortable presenting ourselves as God’s representatives or calling others to be reconciled to Him.

Jesus’ strongest criticism was often directed against religious hypocrites. Calling them “whitewashed tombs”, he condemned outward displays of spirituality that concealed inward corruption. Religious hypocrisy was rotten then and is today.

This raises a difficult question: if we are sinners, should we remain silent about our faith? Or should we simply press on, comforted by the fact that God uses flawed people? The answer lies in the gospel itself.

God’s standards of holiness are meant to reveal our need of grace. As Paul explains, the law drives us to Christ. When we recognise how far we fall short, we rediscover forgiveness in Jesus.

However, forgiveness requires confession. Denying sin is spiritually deadly, while confessing it opens the way to God’s mercy. Confession means agreeing with God about our sinfulness rather than excusing or minimising it. It is humbling, but it is the key to integrity.

Imagine two church members who have committed the same sin. One hides it, believing they have escaped consequences. The other confesses it and seeks forgiveness. Both are guilty, but only the second person has stepped into integrity. The first remains trapped in hypocrisy. The difference is not the absence of sin but the presence of confession.

This is why the Bible commends not only confession to God but, at times, confession to one another. A Christian student I knew behaved badly despite talking openly about his faith. He apologised to his non-Christian friends, admitting that his actions had undermined his message and asked them not to judge Jesus by his failures. His honesty shocked them, but it also gave credibility to his faith. By confessing his shortcomings, he chose integrity over pretence.

This takes us to the heart of evangelism. Our task is not to present ourselves as flawless. The gospel is not: “I’m good, and Jesus can make you good like me.” Rather – “I have been forgiven by Jesus, and you can be forgiven too”. Christians are not spiritual celebrities dispensing wisdom from above; we are beggars telling other beggars where bread can be found.

Hypocrisy is a barrier to evangelism, but forgiven sin is not. Sharing our faith should involve humility about our struggles, doubts, and failures. In fact, the more seriously we take God’s call to holiness, the humbler and more grace-dependant we will be. And that posture is far more winsome than proud self-righteousness!

Peter boasted about his commitment then denied Jesus three times. Yet Christ restored him and entrusted him with significant ministry. Peter’s failure became part of his preparation. His confidence in himself was replaced by dependence on Christ.

The same is true for us. Our words and lives should be consistent – not because we are perfect, but because we are honest about our need for forgiveness, and are growing in holiness. Confession remains the pathway back to integrity whenever we fail.

So the meme is right, in part – God does use flawed people. He calls sinners to share His flawless message. Not because sin does not matter, but because the gospel we proclaim is the very remedy we need ourselves. Through confession, forgiveness, and humility, imperfect people are invited to participate in God’s work. Like Peter, we can be restored, entrusted with meaningful service, and used by God despite our weaknesses. Evangelism with humility is indeed the business of sinners like us!