I was blessed to be brought up in a home with Christian values, but that unfortunately also left me with the impression that all was right with my spiritual life, as long as I say I believe. When I left home, it was at first easy to blame my circumstances for not being able to attend church, but it soon grew into a habit of not needing church. I was there for the important events, and prayed and read my Bible now and then; but in my opinion, I was a Christian and that was enough. My life soon spiraled ever more into sin and idolizing time, money and other earthly desires, without regard for what God wants for us. I soothed myself with the fact that, in some cases, I never actually committed the sin; in other cases, a quick prayer for forgiveness would sort it out. As Paul wrote to the Romans, I knew God but did not honor Him as God, or give thanks, and I professed to be wise and became a fool (Romans 1:21-22). Thinking about committing the sin made me just as guilty as actually doing the deed.
In 2016 my life changed. That process began in December 2015. I attended Grace Fellowship and read the book ‘Counter-Culture’ by David Platt. Before that, I had a fallen into the trap of believing that Biblical living was good 2 000 years ago but has become outdated in today’s modern society. I grew accepting of sinful lifestyles, and if not proclaiming it, silently condoning sin. As Platt wrote, “Remember Proverbs 17:15: ‘He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the Lord.’ ” This again made me realize that accepting and laughing with sinners makes me a sinner as well.
During the year 2016, with a lot of prodding from my brother and best friend, I attended more regularly and was exposed to the teaching of the church, and the call to repent. I know that it was the work of the Holy Spirit working through them. I realized I was a sinner who was spiritually dead and needed the grace of God to save me. While I have no clear date, I became aware that I had changed – God had saved me, since I was spiritually dead, but God made me alive (Ephesians 2:5). I learned that all have fallen short, that the fact that you were “born a Christian” does not make you a follower of Christ, and as Romans 8:8 tells us, “…those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”
I have learned that God is a forgiving and gracious God, who will forgive our worst trespasses if we come to Him in humbleness and ask for forgiveness and repent. The Bible instructs us to “…deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly…looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus” Titus 2:12-13. Through His grace, I turned from my ways, and while I still struggle with sin on a daily basis, I know that those who are believers in Christ are forgiven and sons of the promise, that our sins are washed clean. As 1 Corinthians 6:11 says, “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
In obedience to Christ, I now confess my belief in God Almighty and His Son Jesus Christ as my Savior, and the work of the Holy Spirit in me towards sanctification. Being baptized in front of this family of believers has been a privilege.
My wife, Nikki, and I live just outside of Vienna. It is a blessing having a fellow believer as a life companion. She is a microbiologist and works at a research institute. I am currently working as a flight dispatcher for a business jet operator based in Vienna. It is my desire to obtain a job flying.
