My Testimony

The dream sequence begins with swirling clouds and odd, nondescript voices. The mist clears and people start to come into view ...

We're all standing around in heaven when Angel Ed walks up to our group. Ed is a reporter for the New Jerusalem Gazette and wants an interview with me.

Ed: Stan, we're all excited about you being here. Everyone being here, of course, but we wanted to talk to you as a representative. You see, we angels have thoroughly enjoyed watching the Father's plan of redemption unfold. Still, having never sinned, there were certain components that were outside our experience. I'm hoping you can give our readers some insights.

Stan: I'm glad to do what I can.

Ed: Great! So, you remember that Saturday when that little group of people from the local church came to your door. You invited them in and they shared the Gospel with you. You got it and received Christ as your Savior that day.

Stan: Oh, yes! What a wonderful day that was! Of course, there were ups and downs, but that was the start of my life-giving relationship with Jesus. It's the reason I'm here today.

Ed: Yes, of course! But here's the part we don't understand. That same group of people left your house that afternoon and went to your neighbor's house next. There they gave the same presentation to your neighbor, Bill. Bill rejected the Gospel and is not in heaven today. So the question we all have is this: What was the difference? Why did you accept it and he reject it?

Stan: I've thought about that myself, Ed. It's not an easy question. Obviously God did a lot of wooing to get me there. You know, I went to a Billy Graham event and was intrigued and my mom was a Christian and kept telling me that stuff. I had that time when my daughter got sick and I didn't know where to turn. All sorts of things.

Ed: Sure, and we get that, but I'm pretty sure you're not saying that Bill didn't have any of that, are you?

Stan: No, no, not at all.

Ed: So what is it that finally made the difference?

Stan: Well, Ed, it sounds boastful, I suppose, but there must have been something different in me. Maybe I was more spiritually atuned or maybe I was in the state of mind where I could see things a little more clearly than Bill. I do know that I overcame insurmountable obstacles to receive Christ. I mean, when those folks from the church came in, I was dead in my sin and trespasses. I was intent only on evil. I was hostile to God. In fact, I was actually incapable of understanding the things of God since I was a Natural Man and those are spiritually-discerned things. So you can see that it was an amazing tale that I could push through my own spiritual death, overcome my own natural inclinations, set aside my hatred for God, and understand things beyond my understanding to finally say "Yes" to Christ. I have to tell you, it was really something, a real monument to human Free Will. I guess it shouldn't be surprising at all when you think about it that Bill didn't make it ...

... The mist gathers again and the dream sequence winds down into a haze. The last thing I remember is the angels standing around me patting me on the back for such a phenomenal effort ...

I don't know if you could tell but my tongue-in-cheek story is intended to remind myself of the amazing grace that God showered on me. He called me when I was dead. He gave me a new nature when I was beyond hope. He gifted me with faith and enabled me to choose Him and then granted me eternal life. Me, a sinner, without anything to recommend me. Certainly not that buffoon in the dream. That, I hope you could tell, was not my testimony.