DECEMBER 21, 1959 will always be a night of fond remembrance to me, for on that night I got peace of mind and could say truthfully that “The burden of my sins rolled away.”
I had been brought up on a farm in Manitoba. I did not read the Bible; real Christianity was of no interest to me, but I did go in for all the pleasures I could afford.
Being out of a job I went to the city of Winnipeg to collect my unemployment insurance. Here I found work and shared a room with a young fellow who soon proved different from others I had been associated with. This fellow read the Bible and he spoke to me about my soul and eternity. His life and ways were such that I almost envied him. He was always happy and rejoicing in his salvation, and this I just could not understand.
I enjoyed reading the miracles of Christ; how He could heal the sick; give sight to the blind; raise the dead and feed multitudes. Then at last He went to that place called Calvary where He suffered and died upon the cross and the third day God raised Him from the grave.
At this time I did not believe that He died for me, but later discovered that the Spirit of God was convincing me that I was a lost sinner. Then I realized “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” 1 Tim. 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15).
The Christian fellow I stayed with invited me to go to Gospel meetings with him. Here it was made plain from scriptures that I was already a condemned sinner and needed to be “born again” — a new spiritual birth. In addition to this the preachers warned that if death overtook me I would be lost forever. They expressed the reality that the Lord may come at any moment for the saved, and the unsaved would be left behind. Also, the Spirit of God, which now warns men, could pass on and thus people would miss salvation. This all left me most miserable, and although I tried hard, I was unable to find happiness.
Then one night my roommate asked me if I wanted to be saved? And, said he, “Saved above everything else in the world?” I assured him I did, and right now.
We read many scriptures together but it was when I read Romans 10:99That 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 10:9), that I found rest in Christ. “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” I clearly believed in my heart that Christ had died for me and God raised Him up for me and I was saved — all through Him. From that moment I was able to rejoice in my sins forgiven. I’m ready to meet God and happy to confess Christ with my mouth to others. The scriptures assure me that God hath made Him to be a Prince and a Saviour of sinners, and if the work of Christ is for sinners, then it is for me, and for you.
Christ paid my debt and “payment God will not twice demand, first at my bleeding Surety’s hand and then, again at mine.” The One Who saves is the One Who keeps and now I look forward to seeing Him Who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Dear reader, are you resting in the finished work of Christ for your salvation? You can enjoy this salvation and assurance of eternal life today through Him!
Trust Him and you will be able to say with me, “I’m only a sinner saved by grace.”
Put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, dear young reader, read the Bible and heed it as a living Word of God.
This is the way of escape from coming judgment and it is free to all who will just accept it. Take God’s way of salvation; take Jesus as your Saviour, your way of escape from hell.
One day I said to myself, I am going to read the Bible. I didn’t have one so asked my roommate if I could borrow his. He was delighted to lend me his and he suggested I start reading in the Gospels.
ML-10/13/1963