Freedom in Christ, Anonymous

The following is my testimony of how the Lord Jesus saved me through the church, namely, the local church in the city of Atlanta. By the Lord's infinite mercy I was born and raised in a Christian home with two wonderful, God-fearing, God-following parents. My father was always looking to Christ as his Head (Colossians 1:18), and he raised us, my brothers and me, in this way. Although my parents raised me in the truth, rebellion and hard-headedness led me down a completely different path.

In high school my friends and I formed a gang-like circle of friends. We loved to fight, party, cause trouble, and make money. As the high school years progressed, our roles in society became more and more defined. We were all criminals. I was one of the few who finished high school. After high school my friends and I grew much bolder, more daring, and much more dangerous. Many became drug dealers, thieves, robbers, and even murderers. “Thugin'” became our way of life; we always were looking for the quickest and easiest way to make money. We also were always looking for the best way to feel good. Through many of the really “bad things” that happened I always managed not to be directly involved, perhaps because I still had some sensitivity in my conscience. However, after one final heart breaking, heart-hardening experience, my anger burned and I turned my back at the Lord, blaming Him for my sufferings. It was at this point that I said to myself, “Forget this; I don't care any more. It's time to rise up and make a name for myself.” This is exactly what I did.

When I figured out what I wanted, or at the least what I thought I wanted, I devised a plan that would get me there. After a few months of getting things in order, I became one of the best drug dealers I had ever known. I had access to chemicals and pills at an extremely cheap price. I was studying organic chemistry in college; with the knowledge I gained I could make a wide variety of drugs that were in high demand. Because of my close ties with my friends, I had ample resources for distribution and enforcement. All my friends and I began to carry guns. Some of them had already been carrying them; now they had a reason to.

The money was pouring in, and, with it, new people and new experiences. My friends and I would go out and drop a couple grand in one night. News of this got around and, before I knew it, I was dating the beautiful daughter of a very prominent player in the Atlanta nightlife industry. Now I had access to all the clubs in Atlanta and the high rollers that frequented them. This led to better business dealings and so on. Anyway, in the middle of all this I crossed paths with a Christian worker who was serving the Lord at the college campus where I went to school. He came into my life at a time when everything was going “good”, but just like they say, “All good things come to an end.” My case was no exception. My drug habit and those of my friends became severe. This led to serious crime and things one shouldn't speak of. However, before things were going downhill and while they were going downhill, this Christian worker continually ministered life to me. He never judged me and always found a way to point out that we have the all-inclusive Christ who can be everything to us--our enjoyment, our life, our peace, our rest, etc. Christ is the good land (Deuteronomy 8:7-11)! My times with this one were wonderful, even though I still was very much in the world, and it seemed as if I would never get out.

Words would never do justice to the hundreds of hours this brother in Christ spent with me, nor to the deepest appreciation and love I have for him and the Lord for His mercy in bringing such a one to be my personal Moses. However, it wasn't until I saw the church as the Body of Christ that I was totally conquered by the Lord's love (Ephesians 1:22-23). The way a couple in the Friday night home meeting took care of me was a clear picture of Christ's life being expressed through the members of His Body. I am forever indebted and have no way to repay them. Once I began to meet with the local church I knew I would never leave. I have read the Bible several times, and the way the local church meets agrees with the sense I have in my spirit. The local expression of the church meeting in Atlanta is an expression of the Body of Christ. I can imagine what the New Jerusalem will be like when our Bridegroom returns (Revelation 21:2). All I can do is echo the thoughts of King David by saying that one day in the church life is better than a thousand (Psalm 84:10). Meeting with the local church not only satisfied all my longings, but I also was freed from drug addiction, my grades shot up, and I received a degree from a very good school. Now I have a job in a lab working for an awesome professor. Most of all, I enjoy the Lord every day, and I have no other desires or aspirations other than gaining Christ as my life and my everything.