He cleanses us from sin
Published 8:43 am Friday, June 23, 2023
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham
Dear Rev. Graham: I lived a wild life on campus when I was in college. My experience was different from my dad’s time when authority meant something and God was acknowledged. My fraternity acknowledged a higher power – someone who wanted people to be good and feel happy, and someone we could involve in our lives when we needed help to get out of a mess we’d created. Now that my son is in college, there’s been even a greater breakdown; young people who say God is dead, that people should satisfy themselves on whatever gives them thrills, and looking at self to find inner peace. With this serious breakdown in who God is and what He has done for mankind, what hope is there for the next generation? – G.S.
Dear G.S.: Many people reject Christ because acceptance among peers is everything to them. They live in a culture where the individual has become the center of society – therefore focusing on, and developing, self-importance. Others consider the claims of Jesus but ask, “What’s in it for me?
The most important question for every person, however, is this: Is Christ in me? The very idea is unsettling for many because it means forfeiting control. It means the Lord Jesus will come into your life and reform, conform, and transform you into an obedient follower.
Most people are not willing to take their hands off their lives to that extent. But this is Christ’s offer. He cleanses us from the sin that has entangled our lives and kept mankind estranged from Him.
Young people need to see consistency, constancy, and undeviating testimonies from those who follow Christ and live by His Word. Those who followed Jesus when He walked on Earth were unique in their generation. They turned the world upside down because their hearts had been turned right side up. This is still a testimony to the world.
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(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)