My story is not as extraordinary as some of the testimonials we like to hear about. But to me, it is extraordinary to the point that I can barely describe it.
I will start with a short summary of my childhood. My parents were decent parents, not happy, not unhappy. My mother was Lutheran, and my father was Catholic. They made an arrangement regarding how our religious lives would be balanced. The children would attend Catholic School, and attend Lutheran church on Sundays. My mother calculated that to be a good compromise. Neither of my parents were saved at that time.
I will state in the most diplomatic terms that I can – that my ten years of Catholic school (I graduated two years early) were nothing short of hellacious. Ten years of physical and psychological abuse. From hitting us with books, to putting small children into garbage cans and throwing garbage on them. . .
I believe that from before I could even articulate my thoughts – I was aware of God. Even while very young, I was fascinated by nature. Even a leaf impressed me. I’ve always been aware of an intense love for Jesus within me – to the point that my family made fun of me. The irreconcilable teachings between evolutionary science classes and religion Bible stories disturbed me to the point I was challenging the teachers at the age of eight, because it was so contradictory. At my school, we were required to attend chapel every morning, and confession once weekly. During one session, while on my knees at the age of twelve, I told the priest how unhappy I was, and that I wasn’t getting anything out of church or religion classes. He responded that “Faith is an empty shell. You can get nothing out of it unless you put something into it.” So-o-o frustrating.
Years went by, with me feeling more and more unhappy about life in general. I was heavily involved with the performing arts, and had the nagging sensation that something was terribly wrong with it all. My mother had been fairly miserable and self absorbed most of the time. She also had a terrible 35 year smoking habit that she had tried every method known to man .. . Smoke Enders, hypnotism, medical doctors. . . Then one day, when I was 18 years old, my mother’s hair dresser led her to Christ. She came home a different person – and the very visible miracle was her instant deliverance from her addiction to cigarettes. Very impressive to me.
Two years passed, while I lived my life, and watched my mother try to lead all of us to Christ. Her witnessing was rather more like nagging! But the fact was incontrovertible. She was changed! I started reading her Bible – from the back. I don’t know why I started with Revelation, but it spoke to me. I had always known I was a sinner. It was so easy – I held the Bible, closed my eyes, and asked the Lord Jesus to come into my heart and save me from myself. I told Him I didn’t want to live like I was living – pursuing the world. I told Him I wanted peace. I told Him I wanted Him.
I felt like a ten ton weight came off of me right then. It was so incredible, but I actually felt it lifted off! Right at that moment! I spent the entire weekend crying as one sin after another came up into my awareness, as the Holy Spirit convicted me, for me to confess.
I didn’t become the Bible thumper that I am overnight. That was a gradual development! And, by the mercy of God, my very stubborn father got saved two years after I did, and devoted the next thirty years of his life to studying the Word.
Dear Lord, make us worthy vessels like unto Thee.
If you would like to know this kind of peace – it can be yours today. There are four steps to true conversion. If one of them is missing, it will not be complete.
FIRST, admit that you are a sinner – just like me.
Romans 3:10
As it is written. There is none righteous, no, not one.
Romans 3:23
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.
SECOND, realize that you can’t save yourself.
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.
THIRD, believe, and turn (repent) towards Jesus Christ, believing in your heart of hearts that He can deliver you – Jesus Christ – God’s only begotten Son Who died for your sins.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Romans 5:8
But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
FOURTH, call upon Jesus for salvation. Ask Him!
Romans 10:9
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Romans 10:13
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Won’t you please, take a moment, right now, and pray for God to forgive you of your sins,
And can it be that I should gain An interest in the Savior’s blood? Died He for me, who caused His pain— For me, who Him to death pursued? Amazing love! How can it be, That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me? Amazing love! How can it be, That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
’Tis mystery all: th’Immortal dies: Who can explore His strange design? In vain the firstborn seraph tries To sound the depths of love divine. ’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore, Let angel minds inquire no more. ’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore; Let angel minds inquire no more.
He left His Father’s throne above So free, so infinite His grace— Emptied Himself of all but love, And bled for Adam’s helpless race: ’Tis mercy all, immense and free, For O my God, it found out me! ’Tis mercy all, immense and free, For O my God, it found out me!
Long my imprisoned spirit lay, Fast bound in sin and nature’s night; Thine eye diffused a quickening ray— I woke, the dungeon flamed with light; My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed Thee. My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
Still the small inward voice I hear, That whispers all my sins forgiven; Still the atoning blood is near, That quenched the wrath of hostile Heaven. I feel the life His wounds impart; I feel the Savior in my heart. I feel the life His wounds impart; I feel the Savior in my heart.
No condemnation now I dread; Jesus, and all in Him, is mine; Alive in Him, my living Head, And clothed in righteousness divine, Bold I approach th’eternal throne, And claim the crown, through Christ my own. Bold I approach th’eternal throne, And claim the crown,through Christ my own.
Charles Wesley
Greatest hymn writer of all time
(18 December 1707 – 29 March 1788)
“O for a thousand tongues to sing / My dear Redeemer’s praise / The glories of my God and King, / The triumphs of his grace!”
He was said to have averaged 10 poetic lines a day for 50 years. He wrote 8,989 hymns, 10 times the volume composed by the only other candidate (Isaac Watts) who could conceivably claim to be the world’s greatest hymn writer. He composed some of the most memorable and lasting hymns of the church: “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” “And Can It Be,” “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing,” “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling,” “Jesus, Lover of My Soul,” “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today,” “Soldiers of Christ, Arise,” and “Rejoice! the Lord Is King!“
The real question here is – did Old Testament saints achieve salvation, and go to heaven by keeping the Law? The answer to that is a resounding NO!
There has always been, and always will be, only one Gospel, only one means of Salvation. The same from the Garden of Eden till today.
Jesus Christ.
Only two people are named in the entire O.T. as being taken to heaven – Enoch and Elijah. Even David, a “man after God’s own heart,” did not go to heaven when he died. Where did the Old Testament saints go?
1 Kings 2:10So David sleptwithhisfathers, and was buried in the city of David.
1 Kings 11:43 And Solomon sleptwithhisfathers, and was buried in the city of David his father:
1 Kings 14:20 And the days which Jeroboam reigned were two and twenty years: and he sleptwithhisfathers,
1 Kings 14:31 And Rehoboam sleptwithhisfathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David.
It goes on and on. No where, at any point, does it say that these people went to a heavenly reward. The Law never saved anyone. No one. The Law is a picture of Christ, Something so perfect that only He could keep it.
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
By the law is the “knowledge” of sin – not “deliverance” from sin!
So, where did Shem, and Moses, and Samuel, etc. go? Abraham’s Bosom, or Paradise. . .
19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Luke 16: 19-26
Only the Blood of the Lamb of God can save anyone – even Abraham – God’s friend. The two divisions of hell described in this passage are Torments and Paradise. One for the righteous dead, and one for the unrighteous dead.
How did the righteous dead get saved then – if there was no one to witness to them in Paradise? Jesus Christ Himself descended into hell to witness and proclaim victory to His own! (those that died in hope of the Savior.)
Ephesians 4:9-10
9 (Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things.)
1 Peter 3:19-20
19 By which also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
This was followed by His bodily resurrection. Some sleeping saints rise with Christ.
Matthew 28:6
6 He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
1 Corinthians 15:3-8
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures;
4 And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures:
5 And that He was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6 After that, He was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
7 After that, He was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
8 And last of all He was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
Matthew 27:51-53
51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53 And came out of the graves after His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
Christ ascends into heaven. The remaining righteous dead are swept up.
Luke 24:51
51 And it came to pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
Acts 1:9-11
9 And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven.
Ephesians 4:8-10
8 Wherefore He saith, When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
Matthew 8:11
11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
The Vine Vigil 
