Why I Was Baptized at Confluence Park

Shared by our wonderful brother Jason Gillis in north Denver:

A highly significant event happened in my life recently, and I am thrilled to share it with you… About 3 months ago, Jesus reached out in love and grace and saved my life. 

By His grace He allowed me to see my own depravity, sin, depression, and the wreck I had made of my life living by the code of my own understanding.  I cried out to Jesus to help me, to forgive me, to change my life anew, and to have a real relationship with Him.  Jesus offered me true life, a life focused on Him, a life of liberation from the entrenched bondage of my ever-growing sins, and a life of love because He poured out His love for me.  He took my place on the cross two thousand years ago and was executed for me – for my sins, my rebellion against God.  Do you know what love is?  Jesus is love, and He showed it in the ultimate way by taking my place.  He asks me to follow Him, and that He is with me always.  This includes everything in life, there is nothing that can separate me from His love.  I am so excited to have been found by Him and His rapturous, delightful love!

You see, I grew up in the church my whole life and even went to private Christian schools.  I became interested in theology and apologetics, and even amassed a formidable library of some 300 christian books and something in the neighborhood of about 2- Bibles.  I bought cassette tapes and listened to them.  I talked about God with people, even unbelievers and skeptics.

And you’re thinking “But you were just saved by Jesus now? That doesn’t make sense.”   Right, it doesn’t make sense unless you could see my heart.  I was a counterfeit. 

Going to church, looking at the Bible from time to time, gaining lots of theological knowledge, and even speaking in-house Christianese vocabulary doesn’t save you.  I know, because that’s what I did for a large portion of my life.  What was missing?

A relationship to Jesus Christ.  Asking Him to lead my life – submission of my life to Him.  Belief in Him, that He really did die – in my place.  A changed heart by His power – not mine.  Accepting His free gift of salvation and life.

I had intellectualized theology and Christianity, and in the process rejected the substance of Christianity – a relationship with Jesus Christ, who is the lover of my soul, the one who created me, the one who knows everything about me, and even feels my pain and hurt.  A relationship to the one who the prophet Isaiah called “Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

I’ll be turning 27 years old in a week, and I am absolutely joyful for salvation and relationship with God, in His love, mercy, and grace He allowed me to enter into.

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Jason works as a security guard in Boulder, and he is careful to credit his salvation totally and supremely to God’s love and grace and mercy, and not on a specific type of church gathering. He loves house church, but also understands that God is so big, He operates in ways we may not rightly understand, until we shall see Him as He is. God is moving in wonderful ways!

Tagged as: Baptisms, Events