My testimony of how I came to faith
My name is Yianny Georgopoulos and I started SetFree.net because a miraculous change has happened in my life and I’m hoping that the same can happen for you. For many years I was searching for truth and seeking various scientific and religious beliefs. Eventually, I came to realize that the God of the Bible was different from all others and that His Word was superior, “living and powerful” (Hebrews 4:12) as the Scriptures would put it.
I was desperate to please God to get into heaven and avoid the punishment of hell. I read the Bible an hour a day, attended Bible studies, got baptized, donated thousands of dollars to the Gospel, and served in ministry. However, I also knew in my heart that being a ‘good person’ and doing all of these things would never work to get me into heaven. The Scriptures also agree, saying “By the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight.” (Romans 3:20) The reality was that I was plagued with anxiety and doubts over my eternal destiny. I had no assurance that I would get into heaven; I never knew if I was ‘good enough’, and I was troubled continually.
While for years I was never mentally stable because of this, the Lord eventually struck me with significant mental illness. I ended up losing my career, my service to the Lord, I stopped reading the Bible and donating money for the Gospel; I even went to jail twice. I remember shortly after this all happened, I had the thought that “I’ll never get into heaven now, I have nothing left to offer the Lord”. This, however, was a turning point in my life. I can see in hindsight now how the Lord used these trials to refine me and draw me to Himself. Because of these trials, I lost my ‘religion’ and stopped seeking to please God by my good works.
Why are good works an offense to God? Because every time you do good works to get into heaven, you basically say to God “Jesus died for nothing, I can get into heaven on my own.” This is simply not true: good works can never pay for the sins we’ve committed, and that’s exactly why good works will never get us into heaven. There’s only one thing that can pay for sins, and that’s blood sacrifice. The Scriptures say “It is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.” (Leviticus 17:11)
I told no one of my concerns about eternity because I knew they wouldn’t understand. This was a trial that was between me and God alone, and if I was condemned, I wanted to know while I was still alive and could do something about it.
After a few more years of prayer and contemplation, one day I came to repent of my sins and believe in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. I came to know that Jesus Christ had paid for my sins in full by shedding His blood on the cross, and that He rose from the dead on the third day, conquering death for all who would believe in Him. This was very different than the ‘religion’ to which I was accustomed to. I experienced an overnight transformation of heart and gained the reality of eternal life. I now have the assurance that when I die in this world, I will continue to live forever with the Lord in the new heavens and the new earth.
So why am I sharing all of this with you? Because while I’ve now experienced the reality of eternal life, there is also the reality of eternal judgement. All who refuse to place their faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins will be eternally separated from God in the lake of fire, as the Scriptures also say. “And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:15) This crushes my heart that the majority of both my family and the world will experience this judgement. Out of love for my fellow man I thought it good to warn you about the impending judgement to come, that you may escape as I have.
I pray that you come to know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, that you may escape the condemnation of hell and pass from death into life. You will then live forever, being forgiven of your sins and being reconciled to the God who made you and paid the price for your redemption.
God bless you.
In Christ Jesus,
Yianny Georgopoulos