When I was 28 years old I gave my life to Christ. The friend who led me in that prayer did what any good friend would do, he took me to church.
At some point during the message the pastor began talking about how the infamous serial killer Ted Bundy had a spiritual experience and accepted Christ before he was executed. This enraged me. How could God forgive someone like that? If it weren’t for my friend sitting there, I would’ve gotten up and walked out, and I almost did.
Weeks later (after my anger subsided) I realized: “Wow! If God could forgive someone like Ted Bundy, he could certainly forgive someone like me. In fact, he could forgive anyone.”
Billy Graham said: “Christ died to take away all our sins–not just part of them, but all of them: past, present, and future. And that even if our actions are pure, our thoughts often are not. And even if our actions and thoughts are pure, we still sin because of the good things we should be doing but fail to do.”
Salvation does not depend on you and how good you are. It depends solely on what Christ has already done for us through His death on the cross.
Jodie Stevens
This is such an empowering and hopeful message Jodie. It is true that many of the Saints were quite the opposite. And if you think about it objectively, St. Paul was Saul, who today is ISIS. The Christian faith, to me, is not about religion. It is about Divine Love, which never fails and pursues all of humanity. This gives me great hope for me and my family, and my community.
Love to you my sweet sister in Christ.
Joanna
Joanna Jullien
Author/Speaker/Educator
Banana Moments Foundation: Help for Parenting in the Social Network
Coalition for Placer Youth
916-521-7203
I relate on all counts. I used to refer to Jeffrey Daumer’s conversion and use that as an example of salvation by grace. I later changed tactics when the response to this was overwhelmingly negative by the pre-believers I was witnessing to. They just don’t get it. They just can’t get it. The natural man does not receive the things of the spirit….Doesn’t mean, of course, that we don’t continue to spread seed for Holy Spirit’s sovereign use…
Yes, serial killer salvation is a bit too much for the new – or ‘not yet’ believer! Thanks for reading
Thank you, Jodi!!! This made my day and my day is just beginning!!! Our God is just amazing! Continuing to pray for you and your family. God Bless. Shelly Hawkins
Hi Shelly, thanks again for your prayers and thanks for reading!
Jodie