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From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Dear Rev. Graham: I became a Christian as a young girl when I went with a neighbor friend to vacation Bible school. I had never heard the Bible stories and had never really experienced the love of Christian parents or the security of a Christian home. While my mother and stepfather did not permit me to go to church at other times, I’m still grateful they let me go during the two special weeks in June. Now that I’m grown, I am thinking of joining a church but was told I have to know the date of my conversion to Christ. There’s no way I can know the exact date, but I know I’m a child of the King. Should I look for another church that trusts me when I say, “He knows my name?” – C.D.

 

Dear C.D.: Many people know exactly when they responded to God’s call and gave their lives to Christ. With some, it is a very vivid memory whether it was in church, at camp, or perhaps even in front of a television.

Conversion involves the mind, the affection, and the will. There have been thousands of people who have been intellectually converted to Christ. They believe the entire Bible. But they’ve never really surrendered to Christ. Others know in their hearts that they belong to Jesus; He is their Lord and Master.

Some may have no recollection of the time or date, but they know with certainty that there was a time of repentance and commitment to Christ. This is the most important point. “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12, NKJV). Trusting Christ and walking with Him daily is a manifestation of following Him.

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(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)