My Testimony
Like Paul, I was not raised in the faith. Rather, I grew up hating Christ, for the name Jesus Christ represented the murder of millions of my people done in his name.
Most Jews are spiritually bankrupt, or deficient, because they are not raised to have a personal relationship with God. To the typically religiously educated Jew, God is an historical figure and you better watch out! This is why you will only find Jews attending synagogue at the High Holidays (two or three days per year): a) They get nothing out of it as the sermon will be about Israel, politics or raising money for the temple; b) Nobody talks about God’s influence in their life; c) A fear relationship with God is taught; d) There is no attempt to assimilate the service with what is going on in one’s life. Most Jews stay as far away from synagogue as possible as it is a painful experience.
I had a huge void in my life that was not filled by material things. My wife was raised Catholic and no longer attended church, but is the most Christian person you will meet. Her rock solid faith opened the door to Jesus for me.
What also led to the beginnings of my acceptance of Christ were the wonderful, balanced, peaceful, loving people I have met over the years in business. Either these people were on Prozac, or they had something I did not. I wanted it.
A turning point was a trip to Salt Lake City where I was speaking. Before a break I asked if there was anyone there who would explain the Book of Mormon to me at lunch. I had read it and was puzzled.
Several men approached me, from the same firm, and offered to take me to dinner with their wives that evening. We went out and they took me to the Temple where we were lucky to get in to see the movie `Legacy.’ It is a 45-minute movie about the persecuted history of their people. I could relate. What had happened to the Mormons over 100 years had happened to my people over thousands.
These wonderful people then started `marketing’ to me. They send me videos, books, articles, emails. They send elders to talk to me. I went to visit their local church and was intrigued.
These Mormon people were the only real evangelists I encountered. No wonder their church is growing by leaps and bounds and most others are not! What a lesson they are for the rest of us.
Finally, after communicating to me for a few years, one asked me to merely be open to the possibility that Christ had nothing to do at all with what had happened to my people. This is the biggest hurdle for anyone of my faith to get over. He asked me to pray on it, and I did.
A few months later it finally dawned on me that Christ had to be who he said he was because of the RESULTS showing up in the lives of Christians I knew. They were happy people! At peace! He had to be the reason! My people, conversely, are often more neurotic, materialistic, self-centered and miserable.
That was it; I accepted Christ.
When we moved shortly thereafter, my wife and I searched for a church we could feel comfortable in, and settled on the local Church of Christ. It is a bible-teaching fellowship, a restoration church. The pastor made a house call on us and that was the turning point to go with them. The members have welcomed us in their family. I am learning the bible, something Jews (and many Christians) do not.
No Jew can ignore Christ if he merely reads about Paul! This is the most important thing to share with a Jew. How could a persecutor, a religious Jew, embrace Christ and become the greatest evangelist of all? Because Christ was who He said He was!
The reason Jesus was killed was political! It would happen today if he came during our time instead of 2,000 years ago. He would be run out of town, stuck in an institution, or murdered because He was a threat to the status quo. That realization was important, too.
Today, life is not perfect, but my priorities have changed. I am active in church, attending bible study several times a week and teaching a class on financial planning (I am a CPA). Life is much more peaceful. Money is less important, especially since it isn’t mine, anyway! I use my work to do His will. Life is good. God bless you; be open to the possibility of Christ.