Grace Church

1 comment  June 28th, 2009

How Did You Come to Trust Jesus as Lord and Savior? by Jordan

When co-teaching a series of lectures with Edmond Clowney on Christ-Centered hermeneutics, Tim Keller put God's one way of salvation well; "While there are many ways to Jesus, there is only one way to God."

Jesus is God. And He is the only way to a saving relationship with God the Father (John 14:6). The Lord's endless creativity is seen in the manifold ways He draws people to Jesus, so that they can then be brought safely to God.

Share your story of coming to Jesus

We would love to hear your testimony of how you came to trust Jesus as Lord and Savior. Wherever you are in the world, "refresh our hearts in Christ."

Let us know through the comments how you came to faith in Jesus. Since our comments have to be moderated due to heavy spam, we'll pull out your story after you submit it and post it here on the blog.

Perhaps your story of coming to Jesus for salvation will be one of God's "many ways" to bring someone else to Jesus, and to a saving relationship with Himself!

Here's how God brought me to Himself through faith in Jesus

Childhood

In March of 1977, I was born into a family living in West Memphis, AR. Around age two, we moved to North Carolina. For the most part, I was reared in church. At age nine, I made a public profession of faith in Jesus and was baptized (Hold that thought). My parents divorced when I was ten, and my mom, brother, and I moved back to Arkansas.

During the late elementary years, and throughout Junior High and High School, I continued some nominal church involvement, while at the same time throwing my life away to self-worship. I was, in practice, a God-hater. On more than one occassion I was certain that I would die from drug overdose, or riding in vehicles with a drunk driver, or taking my own life because of my misery, or... But God, in His mercy, graciously spared my life time and again.

My (soon to be) wife

When I was 16 I met the love of my life! She is now my wife. Tracy was a solid believer, and I liked her a lot, so I did the only sane thing and began attending her church :). As a result, I went on several trips with the church - one of which was to a college campus for a youth camp. Through a series of events (like Tracy deciding to attend that college!) I decided to attend that college too. I had seen something in Tracy that allured me, but also convicted me - a simple trust in Jesus only for salvation.

Immediately after stepping on campus, God brought not less than a dozen solid Christian young men into my life. What a mercy!

I observed as these 18-year-old young men sought the face of God through personal bible study, exhorted one another through Christian encouragement, planned times together for fervent prayer, and commended this Jesus Whom they loved to everything that breathed.

I was exposed. But I didn't want to admit it. So, I played the part. I continued trying to convince myself that what happened at age nine through my "profession of faith" was somehow a thing that I did that made God obligated to save me. Wrong.

As a freshman biology major, with an 8:00AM Chemistry class (bad idea), I was so undone with conviction from the Holy Spirit that I was compelled to wake early each morning to spend upwards of an hour in prayer and bible study specifically trying to search out the condition of my own salvation. This went on for months. Over six months to be exact. I told no one about my battle (bad idea).

Then, in March of 1996, through a series of God-ordained events, and the gloriously-devestating effects of staring at the gospel every morning through Bible study, I was convinced that I was not a Christian.

Meeting The Key Person

I cried out to God for mercy, and if He wold have me, I wanted nothing more in all the universe except for a relationship with Him through faith in Jesus Christ, His Son. God so dominated me with the reality of Christ's death for my sins, His resurrection for my salvation, and His desire to save me that I could do nothing other than joyfully give myself away to Him.

Though it is somewhat difficult to pinpoint the exact moment of my conversion, this much I know: God changed me. Effective March 1996, I had a newfound trust in, and love for, Jesus. The Lord Jesus became the theme of my life, even in science classes, and cafeteria conversations, and most of all, in bible study and church involvement.

Thirteen years later, He's still holding on to me. And if you asked me, "How do you know you're saved?," I would say I have Bible-rooted God-given confidence that I'm the Lord's now because I'm still trusting in Jesus alone today for the forgiveness of my sins, and the fulfillment of all of God's promises to me, even eternal life, just as I began trusting Him for such glorious salvation in March of 1996.

What's your story?

 

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