24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. 25 Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. John 5:24-25 (LSB)
From January1986 through most of 2004 my conception of genuine Christianity was that it must be wrapped up in and based in decisional regeneration. My concept was that unless a professing Christian “made that decision for Christ then received the free gift of salvation” then he or she could not possibly be a genuine Christian. I had this mindset even through those days of deep depression and anger mixed with a great deal of fleshly backsliding seemingly triggered by the Oklahoma City Federal Center bombing. I was in the blast zone, but physically unharmed though somewhat scarred emotionally.
Through that dark period from April 19, 1995 through early August 2004 I had long periods of being dominated by my emotions and flesh separated by glorious, but short lived periods of repentance and obedience. However, through it all I clung to the concept that I was a Christian because I had made that “decision for Christ” back in 1986. 2003 ended with me in a sabbatical from teaching Sunday school. At a Christmas party, my pastor asked me to create a new class for young married couples. I am not sure why, but that terrified me. I knew that this was something “new” and I could not “wing it.” I knew that for this to succeed I needed the Lord to do it. However, it had been many years, since 1995 at least, since I had spent much time in prayer and simply meditating on God’s Word. So, during my Christmas vacation that year I began to approach the throne of grace consistently as I began each day in prayer and devotion. <Continue reading post>