Ron Hutchcraft Ministries - His Forgiveness Has Set Me Free

Life's Most Treasured Things

I was 16 years old and on a two-year reading spree trying to discover meaning and direction for my life. I had studied the world's philosophers and explored every major religion. I read complete biographies of many great people. I also loved science but discovered that while science could give us a lot of the what, where, and how of things in our world, it offers no answers about the why of life's most treasured things—love, life, death, and the meaning of why I was even alive. Albert Einstein himself said that meaning or life's purpose was outside the realm of science, and so any discussion of meaning had to begin with a personal, intentional God—the God who as our Creator, is the only Author of our true purpose. But I wondered, "Is this Person who is the Creator God knowable?"

I decided to read about Jesus in the Bible. As I read, I discovered the most fascinating person the human mind could ever imagine. This person of Jesus was incredibly powerful, yet so loving, humble, wise, courageous, and kind. I wished that I could have known Him. I was awestruck by the stunning truth of His Words. They spoke to my heart and mind like no words ever spoken by any of the greatest men of history. Nothing was close in comparison. His Words possessed an awesome power that stirred me and drew me as their light began to shine in my darkness.

How could such a beautifully humble, selfless man make such outrageous claims about Himself? He was claiming to be God! Still, I was captivated into seeking to know more and more about Him. As I read, I began to wonder how Jesus could be so different than all the other people I had known or even heard about. Maybe He was God, just like He said!

Then a moment of true personal enlightenment came to my conscience. I deeply realized that I, too, was not anything like Jesus. His Words revealed to me that there was something undeniably broken in my person; I was a slave of what He called sin. Jesus meant that I was by nature hopelessly imprisoned to my own selfishness. My heart broke when I realized that even though I had tried so hard and sometimes did good things, I had fallen so short of God's desires for me. I was ashamed until I read that Jesus came to die on the cross to take away the sins of the world—even my sins. I began to realize that even though He was so amazing and powerful, He also cared deeply about me and my life.

The Truth is a Living Person

It was November 30, 1968 and I had been reading the Bible nightly for about a month. I came to the passage in John 14:6 where Jesus says: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me." These words exploded off the page as I realized: the truth is not ideas. The truth is a living person! I fully realized Jesus was alive! He was real! He was The Truth!

At that moment, I called out to Him from my heart in prayer and Christ's presence immediately filled my bedroom and my heart. God Himself was in my room in the person of Jesus Christ! I sensed Him calling me to personally know Him. An overwhelming sense of God's tender forgiveness filled me. All my guilt and shame melted away. Love himself had forgiven me and set me free! The price Jesus paid was for me. The death Christ died was for me, even broken and sinful as I was! I had found the basis of unconditional love in the cross of Christ.

Through my joyful tears I whispered prayers of thankfulness and adoration. I was no longer lost. I was home! I gave my whole life to Christ that night. My new heart led me to say, "Jesus, since You died for me, I will live for You!" I was done; He was now my King. Later, I learned that the Bible says the same thing: "Christ's love compels us...and He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again" (The Bible - 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 ).

I Owe Him Everything

As the years have gone on, Jesus has been with me every moment, living deep within me. I have discovered that His forgiveness has created a power in me. Jesus forgave me much, and I am filled with the empowering love-response that I owe Him everything! The more I realize the astounding price that Jesus had paid to set me free, the more I have power within me to love other people and forgive even my enemies! His personally experienced unfailing love for me has become within me a powerful strength to live in newness of life! His forgiveness has set me free!

Dave W., OH