Elder
Sean Morris
[email protected]
For as long as I can remember I called myself a "Christian". I traveled around the world during my adolescence because my Dad worked in the Oil Industry. While traveling I went to more countries, states, and cities than many could ever dream to see. In the process I met, saw, and comprehended all kinds of backgrounds, religions, and races. I saw and met more people than many would in a life time! Yet, I was never challenged on my "belief" in what I understood as Christianity.
My family and I were nominal believers according to the status-quo of things in America and around the world. We had little to no devotions of reading the Bible or prayer, but we prayed at the dinner table before we ate. We didn't walk with God, but we hoped to increase our attendance at Church on Sunday. We didn't give our lives to God, but we were comforted because we were faithful to the tithe. Aside from a few outward rituals that we regularly performed, our "Christianity" was lifeless and heartless. There was no real passion for God or for what the Bible teaches as righteousness or obedience. My entire upbringing was totally void of any concept of obedience to God in the practicals of daily life. The "right things" we did (so we thought) were not done with any sort of consciousness that it was for God, to God, and through God, nor was there any reference to God at all. The "wrong things" we did were not disdained because of their relationship to God, nor were we taught any concept like this at all; it was just wrong because it was wrong. In truth we were godless “Christians” and practical atheists blending in among the masses.
Growing up, I never even heard or understood the word repentance until I was a senior in high school, just a few months before I was saved. As far as I can recollect, I never heard the phrase: “you must be born again” (John 3:3). I never heard any preaching on the subjects of hell or damnation, nor did I fear God (“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” - Prov. 9:10). I never heard about the sinful condition of mankind because of the fall (though I did hear of the words “sin” and “the fall of man”); consequentially, I thought I was a good person. Howbeit, Scripture declares, “there is none that doeth good, no, not one” (Rom. 3:12).
My great grandfather, great uncle, and immediate uncle were preachers, and my grandfather was a preacher’s kid while both my grandparents were Sunday School teachers. I was surrounded by professing Christians everywhere! I went to a “Christian” school for three years, my sophomore, junior, and senior years in High School, and yet I never heard the essential parts of the Gospel. Never was I confronted by a caring yet grave man or woman who warned me of God’s Eternal Judgment, how to escape hell, and the new birth that takes place at conversion to Christ. It was as if I had never, to any significant degree at all, even thought of these things before in my life – nor did it seem that anyone else was thinking about them. As a result, I loved the world: the lust of my eyes, the lust of my flesh, and the pride of life (1 John 2:15-17).
Graciously, the LORD did not allow me to continue in this course of oblivion and total disregard for the Bible. As a Sinner, all I wanted to do was live my own life and enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season. Nevertheless, God intervened. I was interrupted and amazed by the Living God! This is my story...
My family and I were nominal believers according to the status-quo of things in America and around the world. We had little to no devotions of reading the Bible or prayer, but we prayed at the dinner table before we ate. We didn't walk with God, but we hoped to increase our attendance at Church on Sunday. We didn't give our lives to God, but we were comforted because we were faithful to the tithe. Aside from a few outward rituals that we regularly performed, our "Christianity" was lifeless and heartless. There was no real passion for God or for what the Bible teaches as righteousness or obedience. My entire upbringing was totally void of any concept of obedience to God in the practicals of daily life. The "right things" we did (so we thought) were not done with any sort of consciousness that it was for God, to God, and through God, nor was there any reference to God at all. The "wrong things" we did were not disdained because of their relationship to God, nor were we taught any concept like this at all; it was just wrong because it was wrong. In truth we were godless “Christians” and practical atheists blending in among the masses.
Growing up, I never even heard or understood the word repentance until I was a senior in high school, just a few months before I was saved. As far as I can recollect, I never heard the phrase: “you must be born again” (John 3:3). I never heard any preaching on the subjects of hell or damnation, nor did I fear God (“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” - Prov. 9:10). I never heard about the sinful condition of mankind because of the fall (though I did hear of the words “sin” and “the fall of man”); consequentially, I thought I was a good person. Howbeit, Scripture declares, “there is none that doeth good, no, not one” (Rom. 3:12).
My great grandfather, great uncle, and immediate uncle were preachers, and my grandfather was a preacher’s kid while both my grandparents were Sunday School teachers. I was surrounded by professing Christians everywhere! I went to a “Christian” school for three years, my sophomore, junior, and senior years in High School, and yet I never heard the essential parts of the Gospel. Never was I confronted by a caring yet grave man or woman who warned me of God’s Eternal Judgment, how to escape hell, and the new birth that takes place at conversion to Christ. It was as if I had never, to any significant degree at all, even thought of these things before in my life – nor did it seem that anyone else was thinking about them. As a result, I loved the world: the lust of my eyes, the lust of my flesh, and the pride of life (1 John 2:15-17).
Graciously, the LORD did not allow me to continue in this course of oblivion and total disregard for the Bible. As a Sinner, all I wanted to do was live my own life and enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season. Nevertheless, God intervened. I was interrupted and amazed by the Living God! This is my story...
