“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he can not see the kingdom of God.” – Jesus of Nazareth, John 3:3
Religion, unfortunately, can be filled with do's and don'ts; traditionalism, legalism, hierarchy, and elitism. I'm sure many of you have had good and bad experiences with religion.
My story isn't about religion, though. It's about new life, freedom, and forgiveness. I have gained a hope and a future that can't be found in any of the world's religions or cults. It's about an intimate connection and communication with the living and real presence of an incredibly loving God!
Honestly, I wasn't seeking God, nor did I strain to appease his wrath or try to win his favor. God pursued me. He revealed himself to me, in such an amazing way! Even though His Word and Holy Spirit convicted me, God didn't leave me in my guilt and shame.
You can't turn away from your sins. That would make you your own savior. Without a Savior, you're left in an endless cycle of rinse and repeat. The active ingredients are true repentance, and this too comes only from God.
You see, this is the difference between true salvation and religion. Religion leaves you in your guilt and shame, but true salvation, it removes the stain of sin, and your guilt and shame. Religion offers bondage, but God's salvation, through Jesus Christ, brings forgiveness, a clear and clean conscious, and amazing freedom!
Okay, on to the story of my second birth...
I was ten years old and in Sunday morning service in Martinez, California, at Bethany Baptist Church, "The End Of Your Search For A Friendly Church," their sign read.
Like so many Sundays before December 20, 1970, I heard the offer of Salvation at the end of each service. Only this time, as we sang the hymn, "Just One Plea," which convicted my troubled ten-year-old heart.
Nonetheless, I sat there frozen, wanting to stand up but was too afraid. Sitting at a distance, to my right, was my Sunday School teacher, John C. Morgan. At that time, he was 84 years old and had been a Christian for 64 of those years. I loved that man as though he was my own grandfather.
As the song continued, I struggled to sing the following words:
"Just as I am, without one plea
But that Thy blood was shed for me
And that Thou bid'st me come to thee
O Lamb of God, I come, I come…"
I looked towards John Morgan, and at his old leathered face; he gently smiled and motioned with his head in the direction of the center aisle. His gentle smile and motion gave me the courage to stand up and walk my green mile to the alter, where I did business with the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Whereby, I confessed and repented from the sins of a lost and guilt-ridden, ten-year-old little boy. Can a ten-year-old boy be guilty of sin? Do birds fly? Any honest parent or sibling knows the answer!
I placed my faith and belief in all that Jesus accomplished while here on earth and in heaven. I wept every step of that short journey to the alter but found indescribable joy at the moment of God's salvation.
I am so saddened that many churches no longer do alter calls, or they do them, but only with every head bowed and every eye closed. No, my dear brothers and sisters, let salvation be seen! Allow God's lost sons and lost daughters their time of triumphant entry into God's amazing grace, mercy, and love!
Praise God for his indescribable great love to those who believe and obey his Good News. Seek God through Jesus his Son, here, now, while he can be found. Confess your sins, turn from them, and believe in the Son of God!
This December 20, 2024, will be my second-birth celebration of 54 years as a Christ-follower.
I am a child of the Most-High God, all because Jesus Christ, His Son, took upon himself all of the wrath of God in my place.
God is the secret behind my 44-year marriage. He guided me as a faithful father. He made me into a man of peace. He softened my heart. He healed my broken and abused heart. He forgave me all of my sins. And, very importantly, he calls me son, and allows me to call him Abba-Father! "Abba," means daddy or poppa.
"Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”' – Galatians 4:6
Don't fall for burdensome religion; fall in love with God. He first loved you–loved you enough that His Son, Jesus Christ, took God's wrath upon himself, so you too can become His son or daughter!
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