Hank is an amazing young man. Often when a boy is considered a good person by all those around him, he can be a little slow to realize that he is a sinner in need of a Savior like everyone else. Not so with Hank. He is a very good student who gets along with his peers, and he's an obedient son. He honors his parents and gets along with his siblings. He helps around the house without complaining. He has made great grades and I have never once had to make him do his homework. He is a self-starter, and usually doesn't leave things half-done. I've had many students under my supervision and he comes to me for help only when he can't do it himself and is truly lost. Teachers love students like Hank!
Thanks to his parents, whom I have never met but respect a great deal, Hank understands things a lot of adults struggle with, like sowing and reaping, reward and punishment, and sacrifice for a higher cause. Hank is generous to a fault. When he came here, his life goal was to travel around the world helping poor people. How is it, that a person like that is humble enough to accept the news that he's a sinner condemned to hell without any hope in the world? How could he see his need for God? Why is it that he didn't just say like so many people that he didn't feel he needed Jesus to get to heaven because he was a good person the way he was.
I think the answer is simple. I think God gave him a humble, soft heart that is hungry for the truth.
Since he came here, Hank heard all about God being the Creator and sustainer of the universe. He learned that God knew from the beginning that man would go his own way, turn from Him and reject Him and His commands. He learned that Jesus was there with God during creation, and that God planned to send Jesus to die in the place of sinners from the beginning. He read about how God was a holy and perfect judge, and he had to punish evil in order to be a good judge and to be true to His nature, so because of that, the soul who sins is the soul who dies. God is also truth. He cannot lie, because to do so would be against His nature. So as the Bible says, all sinners will be punished with eternal separation from God in a lake of fire. But thanks be to God that He is also a loving Father, who cares enough to do the ultimate to bring about reconciliation. He sent his own Son, who lived a life and died a death no one would want to endure, and all the while this Son Jesus, never sinned even once. That's why He was the perfect sacrifice--able to die in the place of all sinners. Since He was obedient even unto death, God raised Him after 3 days and gave Him power and glory in heaven. Hank learned that all who believe, repent and choose to live their lives for Jesus, would get the free gift of salvation. In other words, he would have his sins forgiven, past, present and future and be adopted into the family of God. And death would no longer be a fearsome thing, because after death Christians will experience a resurrection when Christ returns to take us to heaven.
After church each Sunday, Hank can give an excellent summary of the lesson and the sermon.
Pastor Lee Smith and Pastor Chris Jordan have been great influences on him. He also sees the Bible taught and practiced at his school, Intown Community School. Teachers like Elizabeth Stewart have been instrumental in bringing him to Christ as well. But ultimately it has been the Holy Spirit using God's Word in Hank's willing heart. Duk-Sun and I are grateful to God for allowing us to witness His truth and love make another person receptive to Him. Please congratulate Hank and encourage him for his faith.
Thank you!
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