Christ constitutes the unconditional gift of our salvation, but He also serves as our great exemplar. “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps” (1 Pet 2:21). As the true man, the one who exemplifies God-honoring, Spirit-filled human obedience without peer, Christ is the one whom Christians are to imitate in our obedience of God. The words of Pilate at the crucifixion, “Behold the man,” are ironically true: in Christ, and especially in His passion and death, we see true humanity, and in Him we find our calling, our purpose, and our destiny as His followers (Luke Stamps).
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Joyce_Mlinek

Joyce_Mlinek

As I look back on the past thirty-eight years of my life, I can’thelp but be amazed at the gentle hand of God guiding me along the way.

Born and raised a Roman Catholic, I had always had a deep love andreverence for God and possessed a desire to please Him. I wanted to bethe best Catholic I could be. I accepted everything I was taughtwithout question. I even tried to read the Bible a few times, but wouldalways get discouraged and quit.

In my later teens I began to ask God to enlighten me spiritually sothat I could discern truth. I had a lot ow facts given to me by peoplebut no concrete proof that this was in fact what God wanted. I had allalong assumed that the priests and certainly the pope knew what theywere talking about. Yet, I never read the Bible to verify theirteachings for myself. I wanted truth but I guess I wasn’t interestedenough to take the time to find it.

As I look back now, I can see how God honored my simple prayer fortruth and opened my eyes spiritually to a few of the things that werehappening around me. The Catholic church began making changes in theirteachings. It declared that eating meat on Fridays was no longer amortal sin. That really confused me. How could one generation be castinto hell for something that was okay a generation later? Is that God’sfairness? Other issues began to arise through which God helped me torealize that something was wrong. If God is the same yesterday, today,and forever as it says in Hebrews 13:8, then how can things that wereonce so wrong be perfectly permissible now. In spite of my confusion, Icontinued to be faithful to my church and its beliefs.

During the next ten years as I married and raised a family, both myhusband and I were faithful Catholics but God continued to open bothour eyes to the inconsistencies in the Catholic church.

Unknowing to me, God was also dealing with my younger brother,Larry. One evening I received a call informing me that Larry had leftthe Catholic church and joined a Baptist church. I immediately calledLarry to find out why. We agreed on a family meeting to be held at theend of the week in which Larry brought with him his new pastor.

The big evening finally arrived and we, as Catholics, were prepared.We found our Catholic Bible and were ready to defend our faith eventhough not one of us knew one Scripture verse. The Baptist ministerbegan to talk about heaven and hell. I began asking questions. He wasso sure he was going to heaven. I had tired to live my best but I surecouldn’t claim that I knew for sure I was going to heaven. The pastorthen showed me 1 John 5:11-13, “…These things have I written unto youthat believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that yehave eternal life…”

God was telling me here that I could know that I would have eternallife. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:8, “We are confident, I say, and tobe present with the Lord.” He knew where he was going when he died,didn’t he?

The pastor then asked me if I was trusting Jesus alone to be mypersonal Saviour. Well, he had me there. I certainly knew that Jesushad died for my sins on the cross and I believed in the Bible but Icouldn’t say that my only trust was in Jesus. I trusted in a lot ofthings to get me to heaven. I certainly had hoped that my good living,my attending church, and the sacraments I received would help. I prayedto Mary to intercede for me and many times have I said the rosary onthe first Saturday of each month so I could go to heaven. The pastorthen showed me what God had to say about my good works in Ephesians2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith and that now ofyourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man shouldboast.” and Isaiah 64:6, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and allour righteousnesses are as filthy rags…” He explained that my beinggood and doing everything I was supposed to do would not help get me toheaven. They may seem good to us but next to God’s perfection, all thegoodness we can muster up is still filthy rags. He asked me to turn to1 Timothy 2:5 and I read, “For there is one God and one mediatorbetween God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” That was really convictingto me. If there is only one then there is no other. My prayers to Marywere not going anywhere. God says Jesus is the only go between. I waspracticing idolatry. I was trusting in other things to help me toheaven.

That was it! Jesus totally paid for everyone’s sins on Calvary. John3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Sonthat whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlastinglife.” God offers us all His free gift of salvation through JesusChrist. All we must do is accept that gift and call upon the name ofthe Lord. Your good works can’t save you, Jesus can; your church can’tsave you, Jesus can; and even Mary can’t save you, only Jesus can.

It was all so clear now. I saw myself as a lost sinner trying to getto heaven every way except the right way — which is accepting God’sfree gift of forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ.

Needless to say, I accepted Christ as my Saviour. I no longer haveto worry about purgatory. There’s no such place. Paul says in 2Corinthians 5:8, “that to be absent for the body is to be present withthe Lord.”

My life was totally changed. Christ says in 2 Corinthians 5:17,”Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature’; old thingsare passed away; behold, all things are become new.” My husband alsocalled on the Jesus to save him. We promised God that we would beginreading His Word, the Bible, and search for what God says is truth, notman’s truth. We joined a church that uses and teaches the Bible. Lifehas new meaning for me now. I’m happy in Jesus and I want others tofind that happiness. Maybe God is speaking to you through this tract.The Bible states in John 6:44, “No man can come to Me, except theFather which hath sent Me draw him…” It could be that the Father istrying to draw you into the true Body of Christ. The Bible also says in2 Corinthians 6:2, “…behold, the accepted time; behold, now is theday of salvation.” It may cost you to take a stand. It may causefriction between family members and friends but isn’t everlasting lifeworth it? Read Matthew 10:34-39.

The whole world is lost in the darkness of sin

The light of the world is Jesus.

Like sunshine at noonday His Glory shown in

The light of the world is Jesus.

Come to the light, tis shining for thee.

Sweetly the light had dawned upon me.

Once I was blind, but now I can see.

That the light of the world is Jesus.

YOUR DECISION FOR CHRIST

If you will turn to God in prayer and pray these words and mean themwith all your heart, then God will save you.

Dear Lord Jesus, I now realize I am a sinner in need of personalsalvation. I now put my full and complete trust in Your sacrifice onthe cross to save me. I now believe You are the only mediator betweenGod and men. I open my heart’s door and receive You as Saviour and Lordof my soul. I repent of my sins and ask You to take full control of mylife and help me to live for you from this day forward…Amen.

Joyce Mlinek

the Salvation Online Network