The One I Thought I Knew - David Pepe - http://www.theignorantfishermen.com/2009/09/one-i-thought-i-knew.html
Many dear, professing "Christians" today, who are dear and sincere in their Christian traditions and personal beliefs, believe in a DIFFERENT Christ (i.e., they have "their own" Jesus). Therefore they - either knowingly or unknowingly - have rejected the CHRIST of the Holy Scriptures. I personally know how this works for I once had "my own" Jesus.
For years I was a practicing Roman Catholic. From the womb I was taught and raised in the traditions of the Catholic faith (ideology), and in true sincerity I went to church every week, prayed every night, and practiced the Golden rule, but I lived contrary to the moral teachings given by God in His Word. It wasn't until just before my twenty-first birthday that someone shared with me from God's Word the True Gospel (good news) and the True Christ of the Holy Scriptures. At that time it was very hard for me to humble myself and go against all that I thought, was taught and believed for years about Jesus. At first I didn't want to accept the truth and have to change my way of seeing and doing things. Consequently, I ran from the Lord for three years. I had always known that God's Word was true and the only source of ultimate truth. I knew in my heart also that I had to humble myself and let God and God's Word be my authority and guide.
At the end of this three years of wrestling with the reality (truth) and The Holy Spirit's convicting hand (John 16:8-14), I began to read and study God's Word for myself. As I did so, I started to see for the first time what God's Word said about the Person of Jesus Christ and about God's true plan of salvation. I came to the realization that what I had always believed and trusted in my whole life was absolutely wrong and bankrupt! It was a lie and a godless self-delusion that would not be able to stand before Almighty God in the Day of Judgment. My "religious Christian" sincerity would be my ruin, and my misguided good intentions would be my doom (Matt 7:21-23). In God's Holy Word I saw for the first time the TRUE Christ of the Scriptures and God's TRUE plan of salvation (Rom. 10:17).
I was at a crossroads. Was I going to trust in the Jesus Christ of the Holy Scriptures, or was I going to keep trusting in my own False Christ and system of "good works," a vanity that I trusted in all those years which contradicted Christ's atoning work on the cross (Matt 7:21-23, Rom. 3:20-22; Gal. 2:16, 21)?
My Friend, God in His grace and mercy showed me that He loved me and had a wonderful plan and future for my life. He had kept me from so many disastrous consequences of a reckless youth and immoral life. My decision at this point in my life was an easy one. I needed to put my trust in the Jesus who died, was buried and rose again for me according to the scriptures (1 Cor. 15:1-4). This was the very One that loved me and gave his life for me (Gal. 2:20). I bowed my head and heart and asked the Lord Jesus Christ of the Holy Scriptures to come into my heart and save me and deliver me from my sin and trespasses against His righteous Person. When I did that, He did what He promised He would do: Come in! (Rev. 3:20)
My friend, it has been 23 years and I have never looked back. A dear Christian preacher, who I would watch each Sunday night on TV after a weekend of partying and decadence said, "That when you finally put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ you will never be the same! My friend, how true that is! Almighty God used that man and that message to bring me to a saving knowledge of Himself through Jesus Christ.
You see, the very One I thought I knew all of my life, I found I didn't know Him at all. God in his great love reached out to me and called me to Himself. In His tender mercy and patience He kept knocking on my heart's door. In His grace and kindness He revealed Himself in a very personal and real way to me, and I finally let Him into my heart to deliver me and give me eternal life - just as He said He would do (Rev. 3:20). I have truly never been the same since then, and God has truly blessed me and has been teaching me so much about myself, time, the world we live in, eternity future, and His wondrous love and grace towards me.
May I ask you this personal question? Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, as the Holy Scriptures teach? True Christianity is not a religious/ cultural philosophy or a practice of "Christian" values and traditions. It is a personal, living relationship with the Creator of heaven and earth in spirit and truth, as revealed in God's Word (John 4:24). The very One who created all, died on the Cross to pay the price for your sins and mine (John 1:1-14; Philip. 2:4-13). My friend, I can't think of anything more wonderful than that to tell anyone! May it be your real desire to know the One Who so loved you and sent his Son to die for you, so that you may be with Him forever in joy and peace (John 3:16-17; Gal. 1:4). Won't you place your trust in Him today? You will never be the same!
The Kingdom of heaven is truly at hand!
Many dear, professing "Christians" today, who are dear and sincere in their Christian traditions and personal beliefs, believe in a DIFFERENT Christ (i.e., they have "their own" Jesus). Therefore they - either knowingly or unknowingly - have rejected the CHRIST of the Holy Scriptures. I personally know how this works for I once had "my own" Jesus.
For years I was a practicing Roman Catholic. From the womb I was taught and raised in the traditions of the Catholic faith (ideology), and in true sincerity I went to church every week, prayed every night, and practiced the Golden rule, but I lived contrary to the moral teachings given by God in His Word. It wasn't until just before my twenty-first birthday that someone shared with me from God's Word the True Gospel (good news) and the True Christ of the Holy Scriptures. At that time it was very hard for me to humble myself and go against all that I thought, was taught and believed for years about Jesus. At first I didn't want to accept the truth and have to change my way of seeing and doing things. Consequently, I ran from the Lord for three years. I had always known that God's Word was true and the only source of ultimate truth. I knew in my heart also that I had to humble myself and let God and God's Word be my authority and guide.
At the end of this three years of wrestling with the reality (truth) and The Holy Spirit's convicting hand (John 16:8-14), I began to read and study God's Word for myself. As I did so, I started to see for the first time what God's Word said about the Person of Jesus Christ and about God's true plan of salvation. I came to the realization that what I had always believed and trusted in my whole life was absolutely wrong and bankrupt! It was a lie and a godless self-delusion that would not be able to stand before Almighty God in the Day of Judgment. My "religious Christian" sincerity would be my ruin, and my misguided good intentions would be my doom (Matt 7:21-23). In God's Holy Word I saw for the first time the TRUE Christ of the Scriptures and God's TRUE plan of salvation (Rom. 10:17).
I was at a crossroads. Was I going to trust in the Jesus Christ of the Holy Scriptures, or was I going to keep trusting in my own False Christ and system of "good works," a vanity that I trusted in all those years which contradicted Christ's atoning work on the cross (Matt 7:21-23, Rom. 3:20-22; Gal. 2:16, 21)?
My Friend, God in His grace and mercy showed me that He loved me and had a wonderful plan and future for my life. He had kept me from so many disastrous consequences of a reckless youth and immoral life. My decision at this point in my life was an easy one. I needed to put my trust in the Jesus who died, was buried and rose again for me according to the scriptures (1 Cor. 15:1-4). This was the very One that loved me and gave his life for me (Gal. 2:20). I bowed my head and heart and asked the Lord Jesus Christ of the Holy Scriptures to come into my heart and save me and deliver me from my sin and trespasses against His righteous Person. When I did that, He did what He promised He would do: Come in! (Rev. 3:20)
My friend, it has been 23 years and I have never looked back. A dear Christian preacher, who I would watch each Sunday night on TV after a weekend of partying and decadence said, "That when you finally put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ you will never be the same! My friend, how true that is! Almighty God used that man and that message to bring me to a saving knowledge of Himself through Jesus Christ.
You see, the very One I thought I knew all of my life, I found I didn't know Him at all. God in his great love reached out to me and called me to Himself. In His tender mercy and patience He kept knocking on my heart's door. In His grace and kindness He revealed Himself in a very personal and real way to me, and I finally let Him into my heart to deliver me and give me eternal life - just as He said He would do (Rev. 3:20). I have truly never been the same since then, and God has truly blessed me and has been teaching me so much about myself, time, the world we live in, eternity future, and His wondrous love and grace towards me.
May I ask you this personal question? Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, as the Holy Scriptures teach? True Christianity is not a religious/ cultural philosophy or a practice of "Christian" values and traditions. It is a personal, living relationship with the Creator of heaven and earth in spirit and truth, as revealed in God's Word (John 4:24). The very One who created all, died on the Cross to pay the price for your sins and mine (John 1:1-14; Philip. 2:4-13). My friend, I can't think of anything more wonderful than that to tell anyone! May it be your real desire to know the One Who so loved you and sent his Son to die for you, so that you may be with Him forever in joy and peace (John 3:16-17; Gal. 1:4). Won't you place your trust in Him today? You will never be the same!
The Kingdom of heaven is truly at hand!
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