For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16
It doesn’t take any effort at all to hear a bad report these days. We live in a time that is saturated with evil tidings. It’s enough to make one want to move to the Arctic and roam about with the polar bears and walruses.
While the North Pole isn’t an option for most of us, there is something better and we needn’t look as far to find it.
But first the bad news: Adam and Eve’s sin brought death and eternal separation from God to all mankind. That means we were all born sinners bound for hell.
The good news: Christ, by His death, burial, and resurrection offeres us salvation from eternal death, restoring relationship with Him, empowering us to walk free from sin and spend eternity with Him.
That is the gospel. And that is the good news!
The gospel is so powerful it not only saves us, but it changes our life. 2 Corinthians says “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
We become new creatures when we’re born again - through belief in Christ, repentance, baptism in the name of Jesus and being filled with His spirit. Our transformation continues throughout our lives. As we yield to His Spirit within us, we become more like Him.
We spoke with The Sanctuary’s own Dr. Jessica Simms who shared her experience with the transforming power of the gospel:
Q: Had you any experience with God or religion prior to being born again? If so, how was this different?
A: Absolutely. My dad started bringing me to church when I was 7 years old. Being so involved in the Sunday School program and later youth group helped build a foundation that I didn't even realize. Even though I later turned away from God, I always knew deep inside that He never turned himself away from me. however, one major difference was the extent of this relationship. Now that I have been born again, I realized that God is not just somebody you know of. Instead, He is involved in your life and is somebody you can speak to and hear from every day.
Q: How has being baptized in Jesus' name and filled with the Holy Ghost changed you?
A: Funny story, I was actually baptized multiple times before. I was baptized in the Catholic Church as a baby and later baptized in a Trinitarian church in my adolescence. After both of these expereiences, I do not remember feeling or thinking any differently or being taught about God's forgiveness and how to repent for my sins. After being baptized in Jesus' name, my world has changed. Every day that I wake up, I feel renewed. When I do fall short and repent for what I have done, I feel a warmth that only Jesus can give us. Baptism does not make me perfect but I do feel a connection and a refreshing that can only be provided by Jesus.
Q: Would you say you were rescued? How?
A: Absolutely. Before coming back to God, I was on a track where my God was my education and future career. I wasn't sure why, but I assumed all Christians could never truly be happy and satisfied unless they were "successful" career-wise. Out of this jealousy and disbelief, I was convinced that I should "enlighten" others about how the church wasn't important. If I continued on this track, I would have probably still been successful in my career and may have even gotten farther, but I can promise you that I would have been extremely unhappy. I was rescued from a life of chasing a dream I thought I had. Now that I have been transformed, my priorities are now on my faith and family. Before, I would have fit my life around my career. Now that things have changed, I realize it is more important to fit your career around your life. No amount of money would be able to fill the void in my life and satiate the jealousy and bitterness I had against those living in truth.
Q: How has the power of the gospel helped you overcome?
A: I have always struggled with issues of anxiety, depression, and anger. I still struggle with these issues today, but I have learned that this life transformation does not mean I will never face any issues in the future. They may continue to happen but I have learned how to equip my toolbox (with prayer, fasting, the Word) and use these tools to help with any struggles I may have in the future.
Amen, Sister Jessica. What a wonderful testimony of the power of God.
That is very good news, indeed!
