Forming a Relationship

Jason had been anticipating his baptism day; however, this wasn’t his first time being baptized. As an infant,  his parents made a commitment to the Lord to bring him up with an understanding of the gospel as revealed through the Bible and made this promise through the sign of baptism. When he was old enough, he participated in a two-year confirmation process that culminated with a public profession of faith and acceptance of the gospel. From the outsider's perspective, he was on the right religious path; however, his heart had not yet fully grasped the grace offered to him by Jesus.

Jason frames it this way, “I was raised in a more legalistic denomination and a true relationship with Christ was yet to be fully formed.” 

…his heart had not yet fully grasped the grace offered to him by Jesus.

Up until college, Jason walked a fairly righteous path. He followed the commands of the Bible, was obedient to his parents and authority figures, he wasn’t overtly disregarding any of the 10 commandments. When he went to college, his heart followed his worldly passions and he rejected a lifestyle that was God-honoring.

In 2004-2005, Jason was deployed with the 101st Airborne Division in Iraq. In his deployment, he performed convoy security operations and participated in heavy combat. He had a choice to make, rely on his own ability to follow orders, fight, and survive, or trust in the God he grew up believing was sovereign, kind, and good. 

“[God] reached out and grabbed me, placing me in a situation where he would be fully in my focus,”, Jason remembered. He called out to God in prayer, and not just one time, but he describes his “prayer life changed and I truly entered into a relationship with Jesus.”

“I acknowledge that I am a sinner and that the wages of my sin is death. I place my faith in the gospel message that my sin was taken on by Jesus, who died as a perfect sacrifice. This sacrifice paid my debt, a debt that I would never have been able to pay on my own. I place my faith alone in Christ alone for the forgiveness of my sins.”