I’m currently in a class called Evangelism and the Christian Life, and this past week we had an assignment that I absolutely loved! We’ve been discussing the different doctrines of Christianity, and this week’s lesson focused on the Doctrine of Sin. The assignment had three parts: 1) Briefly explain/define sin, 2) explain how we came to understand our need for a Savior and how we accepted Him (or didn’t if we haven’t), and 3) share how that decision made a difference in our life and will continue to in the future. The goal was to get us to think through our story so that we are prepared to share it with others. By the time I finished the assignment, tears were streaming down my face. It was such a good exercise in remembrance, and it did my soul so much good that I decided to share it here in the hope that it might encourage someone else to pause and remember their own story, and all the ways that God has met them along the way.
My Story of Redemption
Scripture tells us that everyone has sinned and that our sin has separated us from God (Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:2, NIV, 2011). But what is sin? And if our sin has resulted in us being separated from God, what can be done to fix that problem?
I have often heard sin defined as “missing the mark.” The mark being spoken of is God’s perfect standard for how we are to live. God’s will is for us to love Him fully and to live a holy life reflected in obedience to His Word. When we live in ways contrary to this, when we “miss the mark,” we have sinned. This sin creates a big problem, one that leads to us being separated from God for eternity; yet in His great mercy, He has provided a way for us to be redeemed. Romans 6:23 tells us that while the wage of our sin is death, God has given us the gift of eternal life through His son, Jesus (NIV, 2011). One of the most well-known Bible verses, John 3:16, states, “For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (NIV, 2011). Because of the gift of God’s son, our sins can be forgiven, and we can spend eternity with God.
When I first became aware of my sin and need for a Savior, I was eight years old. My parents had recently become believers and had been sharing with me what it looked like to follow Jesus. We began attending a new church that my parents wanted to join, but to do so, they needed to be baptized. When the pastor came to our house to talk with them about it, he spoke with me as well and explained what it meant to be a Christian. I told him I had accepted Jesus and wanted to be baptized, and a few weeks later, my parents, my older sister, and I were all baptized.
While I do feel my decision was genuine, and that I understood what I was doing the best I could in my eight-year-old mind, it wasn’t until I became a teenager that I understood what a life lived for Jesus really was. In Earley and Wheeler’s book, 8 Commitments Every Christian Must Make, they talk about three essential things that a person must understand to truly be converted to Christianity (Earley & Wheeler, 2024). First, they need to know they are sinners and that Jesus is the remedy for their sins. Secondly, they must understand they are guilty before God, feel broken and sorry for their sins, and feel drawn to Christ. Lastly, they must repent of those sins, turn away from their previous way of living, and call on Jesus to save them. While at eight-years-old I knew I was a sinner and needed Jesus, it wasn’t until my teen years that I understood what sin had done to my heart, felt truly broken over it, and realized exactly why I needed to be saved. So, on the floor of a lodge in the mountains of Colorado, I gave my whole heart and life to Jesus.
From the moment I accepted Christ, my life was never the same. Even though I was still relatively young, I had a new sense of right and wrong. As believers, we are promised that at our moment of conversion, the spirit of God comes to dwell in us. In John 14:16-17, Jesus promised that after he left the world, he would send a “helper,” known as the Holy Spirit (NIV, 2011). Scripture teaches that the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, comforts us in our troubles, teaches and reminds us of the truth of God’s Word, and gives us the power to live the life God has called us to live (John 16:8; John 14:16, 26; Galatians 5:25, NIV, 2011). Once I had given my life to Christ, I experienced all of this and more. I was no longer living for myself but instead had a purpose and calling from God.
That moment was just over forty years ago. A lot of life has been lived since then. I have experienced ups and downs in my spiritual walk, and Christ has walked beside me through each one. He walked with me through becoming a wife and mom. He walked with me through years of full-time ministry. He walked with me through times of doubt and questioning. Most recently, He walked with me through the death of my husband. On each of life’s paths, He has given me wisdom and comfort. On each path, He has provided all that I need, and each step has been guided by His sovereign hand. Sometimes I follow Him closely, and sometimes I completely mess up, but He never leaves my side. Philippians 1:6 says, “He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it” (NIV, 2011). What a beautiful promise! Whether I walk closely with Him or slip and fall time and time again, He is faithful. And He will complete in me all that He has purposed.
As I move forward in my journey with Him, I am looking forward to new and exciting things. A year and a half ago He made it clear to me that I was to go back to school. While I don’t know exactly what is ahead, I do know that I can trust Him. He’s growing me and stretching me in ways I never even knew I needed, and I can’t wait to see what all He has in store!
Sitting in the tension of knowing how far He has brought me and trusting Him with where He is still leading.
References
Earley, D., & Wheeler, D. (2024). 8 commitments every Christian must make. MHNK Academics LLC
New International Version Bible. (2011). Zondervan. (Original work published 1978)
Sitting in the Tension 
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