Jonathan's Testimony

Me with Mattie Montgomery, the frontman of metal
band, For Today

As Grant said, in Sunday school we have been talking about sharing Christ with others, and one of the many ways to do that is to tell your testimony. So, here is my testimony of how I came to know Christ: my story in one blog post.

Just like Grant, I was fortunate enough to grow up in a Christian home. When I was almost four, my family and I moved to Germany to be missionaries with the International Missions Board. We lived there for three years planting churches and trying to lead people to Christ, and while I understood what we were doing, I did not have a true knowledge of Christ and what He had done for me. I had heard all the stories from my parents and from church about Jesus dying for my sins and then rising from the grave after three days. I had heard all those stories, but hearing something does not necessarily mean you believe it, and is definitely not good enough to get into Heaven.

When I was six years old I remember talking to my parents about Jesus; it was Christmas Eve, and my parents laid out the whole Gospel for me. They told me that Jesus died for my sins, and that because of those sins I could not get into Heaven. They explained to me that after three days Jesus rose from the grave, conquering death. He had bridged the gap between us and God. Because of Jesus, any of us could now get into Heaven and be a part of His family. I can still see in my head the picture my mom drew out of the cross, helping me to see exactly what they were talking about. That night, on Christmas Eve, my parents helped me pray to God and ask Him into my heart. I remember the pure joy I felt as soon as I finished praying. That moment of peace and joy is what I go back to anytime I doubt that I truly had a salvation experience. Satan loves to put doubt in the minds of believers, and sometimes he likes to make me think that I did not truly ask Christ into my heart that night. The Bible says though that people will know us by our fruit, which basically means we should be changed. If there is no change in our lives, then how are we different than anyone else?

I know for a fact that Christ is in my heart, and since then I have not been the same. A couple years later, once we had moved back to America, I was baptized on Christmas Eve by my pastor, Dr. Mac Brunson, in Dallas. As I have heard many times, baptism does not save us, but it is one way to show people that we have become Christians. The grace of God is truly great, and I have experienced it first hand. Without Him, I would be headed to Hell, to suffer without Him, for the rest of eternity. As my favorite Christian artist, Lecrae, said in his song "Hallelujah," "I was on my way to hell with a full tank, I don't care what them boys think, cause what I'm on is a sure thing." We are all on our way to Hell because of our sin, but Jesus stepped in and made a way for us to not have to go to there.

I just had to include this picture of me when I
was little!

If there is one thing I truly want, it is to see others come to know Christ like I do. The fact that Jesus came down and died for me and for you is something that I cannot get over. He lived a sinless life - He never did anything wrong, ever - and then died an excruciating death, just so that you and I could be with Him forever! Now I do not know about you, but more than likely, I would not die for a bunch of strangers that I do not know. It is just not something that most people would do, but Jesus did. His love for us is so great, that we cannot even fathom it. I love studying the Bible and learning more and more about how great Jesus Christ is. The more I read the Bible, the more I see that Jesus is running through every page and His plan can be seen through every story. I love knowing that even though I am not in control, He is. I long to be used by God, and even though I stumble in my spiritual walk, I want to draw closer to Him. I am by no means perfect; I have my own flaws and I put on my pants one leg at a time - just like everyone else. If there is one thing that I do not want you thinking, it is that I am perfect, because I am clearly not. Just because someone has Jesus in their hearts, it does not mean that they do not sin ever again. But I know, for a fact, that when I die, I will go to Heaven to be with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

If you have any questions about God, the Bible, how to become a Christian, or anything else, do not hesitate to ask us. You can email us, message us through the Facebook page, Tweet us, or even comment below. We will both gladly talk with you about anything you have questions about. Even if you are just curious and want to see what this whole thing is about, just shoot us a message and we can talk about it. The love of Jesus is unending and is never based on anything we do, which I think is what makes Christ so amazing!