Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;

Childhood surrounded by alcoholism and abuse. High school dropout. Vietnam at 18. Drug and alcohol addiction. Widower at 24. Gave son and daughter up for adoption a few years later due to incapability of caring for them because of my addictions. Attempt at suicide that also failed. Two more failed marriages. A few more relationships based solely on carnal lusts. All the resentment and anger that one could develop over years of selfish existence. What would a righteous God want with this wreck of a life.

In 1982 cried out to God for salvation. Jesus came into my life. Freed me from drugs,alcohol and smoking. All the external sins. Started looking into His Word and saw so much internal sin that I found myself in worse shape that I originally thought. Tried cleaning myself up and found that did not work.

Developed cancer from my years of abuse of drugs and alcohol. Anger again, this time to the point of falling away from God.

The details of this story are not important. What is important is the grace and mercy that God has given me as a free gift. A gift I received in 1982. When I finally came to the realization that I have been crucified with Him on that cross and that this body of death no longer exist, but that I am a new creature, no longer living for myself but for Him, then and only then through the power of His Holy Spirit could I find victory over sin, for I know now I have truly died to it because His word says I have. This realization took years for me to comprehend.

I take no pride in my story. I rejoice in His mercy and grace for a sinner like me and his provision for it. Namely His Son and our Savior Jesus Christ whose blood satisfies the justice of God our Father. Praise His Holy name.