'Jesus Didn't Come to Save the Righteous': Mark Wahlberg Discusses God's Redemption, New Film 'Father Stu'

Actor Mark Wahlberg is opening up more about his turn toward faith in Christ and its impact on his work. In recent years, he's acknowledged that movies he made earlier in his career did not honor God, but now he's working to change that.

Wahlberg says his faith played an integral role in his latest project, a new film called Father Stu.

While reading the movie script, Wahlberg, who is a devout Catholic, said he reflected on his own past, the present, and his life's purpose.

"God has continued to bless me and put me in this situation," he told Fox News' Raymond Arroyo. "Not to continue to grow and work on Mark Wahlberg the person, but to do His work and finally giving me the skills and tools to go out there and articulate the message that He wants me to articulate."

The biographical movie is based on the life story of boxer-turned-priest Father Stuart Long.

During the interview with Fox, Wahlberg referenced a scene in the movie when Father Stu visits a prison and challenges the inmates to change their lives for the better.

"Stu sees himself in all those prisoners... that could have easily been his life. He was on that track for quite some time," Wahlberg pointed out. "He basically says that with all the stuff going, God is not going to give up on you, and don't you dare go giving up on yourself. He's challenging them to turn their lives around. It's never too late. As long as you're breathing, you have an opportunity to redeem yourself."

He added, "Jesus didn't come to save the righteous, He came to save the sinners. We're all weak."

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The actor recalled how people are harshly judged after making one wrong move or mistake... a circumstance he's familiar with.

"For me personally, I know I've made a lot of mistakes in my life but I have been focused since I was 16, 17 years old... turning my life around and that's a daily task that I have to continue to work on. We all have our moments. It's not my place to judge and I know all the work I'm doing is to hopefully ... hopefully, when it's my day to be judged, that I get a pass and I get to go."

Wahlberg noted that the release of Father Stu was timely because the world needs a film that promotes faith.

"People need to have faith and hope," he asserted. "Young men need to know what it's like to be a real man. You could literally list a million reasons... just turn on the news, anywhere you look there's reasons for encouraging people to have faith and to have hope." 

He continued, "I didn't know we would be releasing this movie in a pandemic. I just knew that I needed to make this movie and this was my calling - this was my mission. And now, it's needed more than ever, and hopefully, it will help a lot of people."

When asked if making the movie was a pivotal point in his career, Wahlberg replied, "It's certainly a turning point for me in my life."

Father Stu premieres in theatres on Good Friday, April 15. 

EDITOR'S NOTE: In reporting about steps that high-profile individuals may be taking to seek God or start a relationship with Him, CBN does not endorse past or current behavior that may not line up with the Word of God. As we report positive developments in celebrities' spiritual journeys, we encourage our readers to pray for anyone and everyone in the news, that the fruit of God would grow in all of our lives.