I grew up in a Christian home and through high school my Christian life was probably not unlike many of yours. I went to church meetings mainly because that was what I grew up doing. I loved the Lord Jesus and had a good, though shallow relationship with God. I knew the Bible and wanted to serve Christ and the church in some way. But for the most part my motives in coming to God were self-centered: I wanted to be a good Christian with a good life. Although my thinking was not bad, it was not sufficient.
When I was choosing a university, I gave my choice to the Lord. After praying doubtfully and seeking outward sign, the Lord gave me the inward peace to leave southern California for Austin, Texas. Here He placed me in Christians on Campus, among a group of believers who love just Him and are on the earth for His heart's desire. Since I have been here I have become more centered on God and His eternal economy.
I would like to use the prophecy in Ezekiel 36 to give my personal testimony:
Therefore, say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord God, “It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name... For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands, and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe my ordinances (vv. 22-27). “
I believe many of us believers can testify that the Lord has sanctified us from the world and cleansed us. His attracting beauty has been drawing us more and more from all the idols that once held our heart. Best of all, He has given us a heart to love Him and a spirit to contact Him. Lord Jesus, I love and praise You! In my spirit I can contact and enjoy the infinite God because He has come into me as the Spirit.
I cannot express to you how much I have enjoyed this wonderful Christ in my spirit with so many other believers since I came to college. Through the daily fellowship with Christians from all different backgrounds, the gospel preaching, the weekly Bible studies and truth meetings I have explored more of the breadth and length and height and depth of Christ, and am on my way to being filled unto all the fullness of God (Eph 3:18-19). I am also learning to be a balanced human being: how to manage my time well, to study, to keep my apartment clean, and to take care of other people' s needs. God is slowly making me Jesusly human.
But there is something precious that the Lord God says to Israel before He ma kes such wonderful promises to them. He says: “It is not for your sake...but for My holy name.” I am so thankful to the Lord that His full salvation is not for my sake but it is for His name's sake. I am not living on this earth to please myself; I am here to live unto God. He has a plan from eternity past to be one with man, even to marry a corporate man, the church, as His Bride. But He is waiting for us to cooperate with Him so that He can gain this church, who He bought with His own blood.
This church is “the Christ in you, the Christ in him, and the Christ in all the Christians around the world throughout all the ages put together.” So in my college years I am learning to live for Christ and the church: to focus on gaining new members for Christ, ministering more of Christ into other believers, and finding Him in all my daily circumstances, regardless how insignificant they may seem. But I can testify to you that it is impossible to do this alone; without the other members of the Body of Christ I only fail. So I encourage you all to find a group of believers that love the Lord as much (or even more) than you do, and pursue Christ: “But flee youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, holiness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart (2 Tim 2:22).”
J. K.
— Fullerton, CA
