For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. (Romans 1:16, KIV)
Fifty years ago, I had a few years of general practice and made house calls. I received a request to attend a gentleman at his home because he was unable to come to my office. I went to his home and knocked on the door. A family member directed me to his father who was in bed. I was informed that he had leukemia and was under the care of an oncologist. I noted a Bible at his bedside.
He was very pale but alert and answered questions normally. I gave him a prescription to manage his discomfort, and he requested another house call. During my second visit, the ill man presented to me a very searching question, he gave a very unusual testimony.
He said, “Doctor, I was a drunk, abused my wife and family, and was miserable. I did not want to hear anything about religion. But God got hold of me. I read this Bible completely through on my knees. I found that it was what my family said it was: God’s word. I gave my heart to Jesus.”
He opened his Bible and I saw nearly every margin covered with writing and comments. Then he said, “Dr. Jackson, I don’t know much about the church you attend, but can you say, with the apostle Paul, ‘I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, not I but Christ who lived in me’?”
I said, “Yes, I can. He is my Savior, my Lord.”
The gentleman put forth his hand and said, “Brother Jackson.” He died several weeks later.
Paul was unambiguous in stating “that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9, KJV).
May we always have the holy boldness to proclaim to others our blessed Jesus and the gospel.
– Paul W. Jackson, LLUSM class of 1953-B