Nico O

Like many others I grew up in a religious home. Both my mother and father faithfully attended church every Sunday. Although I was raised in a Christian home, I tried to live a “good life” and not do anything morally wrong. My mom tried her best to explain to us the importance of eternal security, and the requirement for true repentance, but in my child like mind, I never saw God for whom He really was and therefore could not see myself as a bad person.

I know I have committed “small” sins, but I compared myself to others, and said that they have done the same, and surely God won’t send all of us to hell. It was not until I realized the holiness of God and a perfect heaven, that I saw my sinful self. Only then began I to understand that God does not send anyone to hell, but it’s our own pride, and stubbornness that we choose not to obey and end up sending ourselves to spend eternity in hell.

After family devotions one night, mom again explained the simplicity of salvation, that Jesus was sent down from heaven to live here on earth as a person, and that He died as a payment for my sin, so that I could be allowed into a perfect heaven, and that all I had to do, was to realize that I am a sinner, God is perfect, there is nothing I can do to earn eternal life in heaven, and then ask Him to come into my heart and save me from my sin. It was all very clear to me, and that night when I kneeled to pray before bed time, I remember vividly asking the Lord into my heart.

Like any young kid I made a commitment to live right, but sadly over the years my faith grew weaker and going to church was just part of the routine. Later the following year we moved to Ireland and being called a Christian but not living the Christian life, my pastor challenged me to get baptized during a discipleship lesson. I was a bit older and started to think about the church, serving God, and living like a Christian.

In June 2006 I recommitted my life to Christ and on the 25th of June I was baptized, publicly identifying with Jesus my Saviour, and showing the world that I am not ashamed to be called a Christian.

I can’t say that since then I have been perfect or done everything right, but I do love the things of God and it is my goal to please the one who sent His only Son to die for all the things I have ever done wrong, and ever will do.

“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” — Hebrews 2:3

Nico O