This isn’t a tale of neglect, abuse or even a hard life. In fact I was very happy with how my life was going. I had a great family, good friends and a good job.
It was in about July 2001 that one of my work mates started to talk to me about his faith in Jesus Christ. He asked me if I would come to church with him one Sunday. I told him I didn't want to. I remembered how church had been growing up; bad music, uncomfortable seats, boring and irrelevant. I had gone to a Catholic boy’s school and I couldn’t think of anything more boring. This didn't stop him though and he continued to share his beliefs with me, I didn't mind I was happy to hear what he had to say. He continued to invite me to go to his church. I eventually gave in, just to get him off my back.
I went with him to Kenmore Baptist Church in Brisbane Australia. I found the people friendly and the message interesting. I thought this is not too bad and I started going more frequently and I eventually went up to an altar call and said that I would give my life to Christ. Looking back I really had no idea what I was doing or what I was committing myself to. It just seemed like the right thing to do if I was going to continue to be a part of this group.
I joined a church small group and started to form some close friendships with the people there, and Gods message in the Bible was starting to be reviled to me. It was at small group that I started doing some reading on apologetics. This led me to discover that there was more to the Bible than I first thought. Intellectually I became convinced that the Bible was the true and inspired word of God.
What happened in Christmas 2004 has to be the most important thing that has ever happened to me. (I actually believe this is the point of my salvation). I stumbled across a sermon on the internet called "Hells Best Kept Secret"(available for free download at http://www.livingwaters.com). I knew the verse in the Bible “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” The only problem was I had never really examined what my sins were. The teaching in this sermon showed me how I had rebelled against God. I became aware of God’s standard of goodness and how I did not even come close to it. I examined myself and realised that because I had lied I was a liar, because I had stolen I was a thief, because I had used God's name in vain I was a blasphemer. I found that God would look at my thoughts not just my actions. Jesus had said “you have herd it said by them of old you shale not commit adultery. But I say to you that if you look at a woman to lust after her, you have already committed adultery with her in your heart.” I know I have done this and I can’t think of anyone who hasn’t. In fact I had broken each and every one of the Ten Commandments.
I finally realised what it was to be a sinner and that if I faced God on Judgment day that I would be found guilty. Not only would I be going to hell but I deserved to go there. But thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross my debt to God had been paid in full. I had broken Gods law and Jesus had paid my fine. I was ashamed of myself for breaking the law and at the same time grateful for what Jesus had done for me. What I was being saved from, why I could only be saved by Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone. I am now eternally grateful to God and that one servant who had enough faith to spend time to share his testimony with me, so that I might be saved from an eternity in Hell, through our lord Jesus Christ.
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