Jesus Christ is my God!
Issued 26.04.1998
Jesus came into my life
Life's meaninglessness in my adolescence drove me to search for the truth. I wanted to get into contact with the living God. Deep down in my heart I heard a voice: "If you can't get into contact with God directly, there is Jesus as the mediator between God and man." As a result of this comment I bought myself a Bible and began to read the New Testament to find out how to get into contact with God through Jesus.
Of course God exists
Ever since my childhood I took it for granted that there was a God. At home nobody ever talked to me about God or Jesus. Yet almost every night I prayed a formal prayer. This was most likely influenced by my grandmother. Two of her stories made a strong impact on me when under school age.
She told me about her mother, whom she considered a true believer. When she died there were two people beside her bed and they heard heavenly music and singing at the very moment of her death. They both thought that the other heard nothing but when they afterwards discussed they realized that they both had heard the same. The house was in the middle of a forest and in those days there wasn't even a radio in the house.
The other story was about three men who went into a barn to find shelter during a thunderstorm. Two of them began to mock God but the third warned them and didn't want to take any part in their mocking. And a lightning struck the barn and the two mockers were killed but the one who feared God was saved.
Ever since my childhood I took it for granted that there was a God. At home nobody ever talked to me about God or Jesus. Yet almost every night I prayed a formal prayer. This was most likely influenced by my grandmother. Two of her stories made a strong impact on me when under school age.
She told me about her mother, whom she considered a true believer. When she died there were two people beside her bed and they heard heavenly music and singing at the very moment of her death. They both thought that the other heard nothing but when they afterwards discussed they realized that they both had heard the same. The house was in the middle of a forest and in those days there wasn't even a radio in the house.
The other story was about three men who went into a barn to find shelter during a thunderstorm. Two of them began to mock God but the third warned them and didn't want to take any part in their mocking. And a lightning struck the barn and the two mockers were killed but the one who feared God was saved.
Religious youth
In a way I was proud of my respecting God by confessing His existence. In the middle of the lusts of puberty I became distressed by me own evilness and the wickedness of the world. When repeating my prayer in the evenings, a thought came to me that could God really speak to me. I just kept on speaking myself not even expecting an answer. I tried to pray even more fervently but the silence was deep.
Once again I was in anguish over not really knowing God in whose existence I claimed to believe. Then I heard deep down in me this comment: "If you can't get into contact with God directly, there is Jesus as the mediator between God and man." I then didn't know that the sentence was almost directly from the Bible (1Tim.2:5). This experience made me so excited that I went to a bookshop and bought myself a Bible. I decided to find out about Jesus. I also bought a notebook to write down my notions about Him.
In a way I was proud of my respecting God by confessing His existence. In the middle of the lusts of puberty I became distressed by me own evilness and the wickedness of the world. When repeating my prayer in the evenings, a thought came to me that could God really speak to me. I just kept on speaking myself not even expecting an answer. I tried to pray even more fervently but the silence was deep.
Once again I was in anguish over not really knowing God in whose existence I claimed to believe. Then I heard deep down in me this comment: "If you can't get into contact with God directly, there is Jesus as the mediator between God and man." I then didn't know that the sentence was almost directly from the Bible (1Tim.2:5). This experience made me so excited that I went to a bookshop and bought myself a Bible. I decided to find out about Jesus. I also bought a notebook to write down my notions about Him.
Reading the Bible
When I was reading the Bible I was especially impressed by those passages where there came a voice from the Heaven declaring about Jesus: "This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him!" I made the conclusion that God likes people who are like Jesus. I thought that God doesn't accept me if I'm not as good as Jesus. I began to observe what He is like. All the time I was comparing myself with Him. The more I read the sadder I became. He was unselfish and humble. I was proud and selfish. It became clear to me that God was not pleased with me.
Then I was deeply moved by Jesus' words: "Whoever finds his life will lose it and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." I understood that this meant that it pays to stay with Jesus although it would seem to lead to oppression and even death. I then stopped my reading at Jesus' death on the cross. I could not understand why this Jesus, with whom God was pleased, had to die in such a shameful way.
When I reached Paul's letter to the Romans I realized that He died to atone my sins. I realized that when I believe in Jesus God the Father will say of me, too: "This Erkki is my dear son with whom I am pleased - because of Jesus."
This experience was so assuring that my heart warmed to Jesus so that I made a covenant with Him on that day. An unexplainable feeling of happiness in my heart assured me that God now accepts me as His beloved one. I was 18 at that time. I didn't know any believers and the only Christianity I knew was the official Lutheran Church. I didn't even know the concept of "coming to the faith", although that was what had happened to me. The four evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke and John led me to receive Jesus as my own Saviour.
When I was reading the Bible I was especially impressed by those passages where there came a voice from the Heaven declaring about Jesus: "This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him!" I made the conclusion that God likes people who are like Jesus. I thought that God doesn't accept me if I'm not as good as Jesus. I began to observe what He is like. All the time I was comparing myself with Him. The more I read the sadder I became. He was unselfish and humble. I was proud and selfish. It became clear to me that God was not pleased with me.
Then I was deeply moved by Jesus' words: "Whoever finds his life will lose it and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." I understood that this meant that it pays to stay with Jesus although it would seem to lead to oppression and even death. I then stopped my reading at Jesus' death on the cross. I could not understand why this Jesus, with whom God was pleased, had to die in such a shameful way.
When I reached Paul's letter to the Romans I realized that He died to atone my sins. I realized that when I believe in Jesus God the Father will say of me, too: "This Erkki is my dear son with whom I am pleased - because of Jesus."
This experience was so assuring that my heart warmed to Jesus so that I made a covenant with Him on that day. An unexplainable feeling of happiness in my heart assured me that God now accepts me as His beloved one. I was 18 at that time. I didn't know any believers and the only Christianity I knew was the official Lutheran Church. I didn't even know the concept of "coming to the faith", although that was what had happened to me. The four evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke and John led me to receive Jesus as my own Saviour.
Jesus started His work in me
What has become of me? I'm not ready. I have not become perfect. The real salvation is still ahead. The work of Jesus in me is not yet finished. Receiving the truth of the gospel was the first experience. It gave me knowing Jesus and peace with God. He called me and I had the mercy to answer Him in the affirmative already in my youth. How interesting it is to be taught by Jesus on the way to the eternal Kingdom of God!
What has become of me? I'm not ready. I have not become perfect. The real salvation is still ahead. The work of Jesus in me is not yet finished. Receiving the truth of the gospel was the first experience. It gave me knowing Jesus and peace with God. He called me and I had the mercy to answer Him in the affirmative already in my youth. How interesting it is to be taught by Jesus on the way to the eternal Kingdom of God!