When I was about 14 years old, my sister invited me to a friend’s house where other young people gathered for dinner. We had a great time, and this became a regular hangout.
The young man’s mother was a Christian. When she saw that the group started to grow, she asked her church’s youth pastor to come and talk with us. The youth pastor began to visit our group and began teaching us about the Bible.
At this point in my life, I had never read the Bible. All these years, I had believed in everything my mother or the Catholic priest had taught me. It was for the first time, in this small group, that I heard the Gospel. I began to understand the good news. And finally, God opened my eyes and heart to who Jesus truly is.
I had always prayed to Jesus, but I never understood the true meaning of the cross. God had always been like a lucky charm that would help me through difficult times. But when I started reading the Bible, it was as if a veil had been removed, and my eyes were finally opened. I began to understand that God is a holy God and that I was lost in my sins.
When I first read Romans 3:10-12, “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one,” my initial thoughts were, “But I do good deeds, and I behave well!”
The problem was that I was trying to cover my evil deeds with my good works. Unfortunately, that is not how it works in the eyes of God. I had not been a good person. I had broken God’s law, and I was guilty. God is not a corrupt judge. God is a good judge and holy God. I understood that my good deeds would never erase my sins.
Matthew 5:21-22 says, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.”
Wow! Not only was I hopeless and dead in my sins, but I was also condemned to hell. I had never heard this before in my life!! When I used to fight with my sisters, I cursed at them and shouted that I hated them and wanted them to die. By God’s standards, I had already murdered them in my heart. I was guilty! God’s standards are so high, and I had made a god that suited my standards. A god who was there when I wanted him to be and one whom I did not have to be accountable. That God is NOT the God of the Bible. The God of the Bible is a Holy God.
I felt alone, hopeless, and lost in my sins. For the first time, I felt the need to repent of my sins, face God and place my faith in Christ. Never in my life had I understood the meaning of repentance. I had asked God many times for forgiveness because I did something wrong, but I never truly repented. I loved my sin more than I loved God, and I only used repentance to calm my conscience. However, repentance is an action—a change of life.
But now the question was, would God, the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth forgive me? Truthfully, I did not deserve his forgiveness! But in His kindness, mercy, and grace, he chose me and called me to himself!
Romans 5:10-11, “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”
God made himself a man to go through all that we go through. He suffered and paid the price for our sins on the cross so that we could be reconciled with God. He did it for love and out of grace for us. Our salvation is a gift that we do not deserve. He took my place on the cross,
I deserved death, but he gave me life. John 3.16 says. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not be lost, but will have eternal life.”
I finally understood the cross of Jesus, the sacrifice of love that He made for me on the cross. Jesus was no longer the lucky charm that I hung on my neck, but now Jesus was my Lord and Savior. I had surrendered myself 100% at the foot of the cross.
Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
The love of Christ transformed me and changed my life, and that is why I will always be grateful. The good news of the Gospel is so good when one understands and accepts the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross.
Since accepting Christ into my life, my heart has become full of passion for going and sharing the good news of the Gospel to those who have never heard it!