Faces of Faith – Bill

“I’ve never heard that before.” That’s what Bill said after he attended worship the day his six-year-old grandson was baptized. “That” was a line which the pastor said, “Jesus died for all sins.”

Bill grew up attending Catholic schools, so he had knowledge of some of the Bible said. A section of God’s Word that he knew very well was what God said about divorce. So, when Bill got divorced over 20 years ago, he thought he was doomed. For twenty-plus years Bill had been carrying around guilt and fear. But on that Sunday, he heard, “Jesus paid for all sins.” Did that mean Jesus had paid for the sin of his divorce? Bill left his business card with me on his way out of church, saying, “Let’s do lunch.”

After numerous lunches and a few coffee meetings, Bill enrolled in our Bible information class. The first words he said were, “I know I’m going to hell, but. . . I have some questions.” By God’s grace and the power of the Word, Bill no longer thinks he’s going to hell. Now, he cherishes free forgiveness and that Jesus died for all sins, even his.

From Joel Heckendorf, home missionary at Light of the Valleys in Reno, Nev.

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