The web site’s founder is John G. Frazier III, Ph.D. His education includes a degree in Civil Engineering, a graduate degree in Bible and Missions, and a Ph. D. in Clinical Psychology. He worked as a psychologist for about 7 years, and for the last 40 years has managed several businesses. Currently he owns a real estate investment company.

In every article, Dr. Frazier brings together a unique blend of academic disciplines, including Biblical training, reasoned (engineering) analysis, and relational psychology. This results in meaningful, rational, Biblical presentations which inform people about the Christian faith, tell them why Christians believe it is true, provide a Biblical point of view about contemporary issues, and celebrate the joy of the Christian life.

Dr Frazier believes that in a society where people have legitimate questions about the Christian faith and where there are widespread feelings of alienation and personal lostness, these articles are needed more than ever to point people to God’s wonderful message in the Bible which gives real hope and faith to those who are seeking to know the truth as found in Jesus Christ.

My Personal Testimony

I grew up in a nominally Christian home. Both parents believed in God and in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. We went to Sunday School and church every week. In Sunday School as a child I learned the stories of Jesus; his life, teachings, miracles, death and resurrection. The minister of our church was brilliant as a teacher and theologian. From him I learned about the nature and character of Almighty God; His majesty, holiness, power, authority, omniscience and omnipresence. I was confirmed around age 12 and joined the church.

But something was missing. God seemed very far away. I believed what I had been told, but this was an intellectual knowledge which didn’t touch me in my inmost being, in my spirit, where it really mattered to me. As a teenager, I even thought about abandoning the Christian faith because it had no personal meaning for me.

In our high school we had a Bible Club which met once a week after school. It was open to anyone who wanted to attend. The Bible Club sponsored a weekend conference in the Fall of the year where there were meetings with singing and a sermon from an invited minister as well as various activities over the weekend.

My best friend attended one of these conferences. When he returned home from the conference one Sunday afternoon, he called me and said he wanted to come over to my house and tell me what he heard at the conference. Leading up to this and unknown to me, a Christian family who lived down the street had been praying for me. And their son, another friend of mine, had already invited me to attend the Bible Club, but I had never accepted his invitation. This family had been praying that I would attend the Bible Club and that I would come to know Jesus Christ as my Savior.

CROSSROADS

Here I was, 17 years old, in my Senior year of high school, with my life ahead of me and yet I felt empty and alone. And certainly I didn’t know God. My friend began to share what he had learned at the conference. He reminded me that we had been taught in our churches to live a good life and to follow the 10 Commandments and the Golden Rule. We were to hope our good works would outweigh our bad deeds and that God would accept us into heaven because of the good we had done.  Although he didn’t know it at the time, I had been worrying about where I would go when I died. I wondered how a person could be sure they were going to heaven and was really scared of going to hell. I knew death would overtake me sooner or later, and I thought I needed to get this issue settled, but didn’t know how.

My friend continued. He told me that the Bible teaches that we’re all sinners in the sight of God. Even if we haven’t engaged in the more serious sins such as murder, theft, or adultery, we all have pride, greed, envy or jealousy – sins of the mind, and we all have sins of omission where we fail to do good. Also he said that just one sin is enough to send a person to hell because God is holy – perfectly morally pure – and he will not allow sin to come into his presence, that is into heaven. So because I am a sinner, I can’t go to heaven.

That was the bad news, but there is also good news. The good news is that God loves us and has made a way to forgive us and cleanse us of our sins. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. Further, it is possible for each of us to know that we are going to heaven. But this is based on God’s provision for our sins, not on our ability (inability) to live a perfect moral life

Also, he said, because of our sins, we all deserve to be punished, that is, to be sent to hell. This is just and fair. God’s justice demands it. “The wages of sin is death (eternal punishment).” Romans 6:23. However because of his love, God decided to lay the punishment for our sins on his Son, Jesus Christ, when he died on the cross. On the cross when Jesus suffered he was taking my punishment on himself, he was experiencing hell for me so I wouldn’t have to go there. “For Christ has once suffered for sins, the just (Jesus Christ) for the unjust (us) that he might bring us to God.” I Peter 3:18.

NOW WHAT?

It was a great relief to learn that I could know I was going to heaven, but what did I need to do? My friend told me I needed to pray to Jesus Christ.  I needed to confess and repent of my sins, to ask him to forgive my sins, and ask him to come into my heart (my inmost being) to be my Savior. Also, I needed to commit myself to follow and obey him as my Lord. These Bible verses make it clear that we need to repent of our sins and receive Christ as Savior and Lord: “Jesus began to preach, saying ‘Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'” Matthew 4:17. And: “As many as received him (Jesus Christ) to them gave he authority to become the sons of God, even to them who believe on his name.” John1:12.

After my friend left that afternoon, I thought about what he said and decided I was ready to receive Christ as my Savior and Lord. I kneeled and prayed the prayer he taught me. To my delight and amazement, the emotional burden of my sins and guilt was lifted; I felt the presence of God and the presence of Christ within me; there was overwhelming joy and I knew in my heart that I was forgiven and going to heaven.

My family and church taught me about God and the Bible, and I will ever be grateful to them for that. But they didn’t teach me how to be personally forgiven and know Christ. God graciously brought other people into my life to show me the way to eternal life. Knowledge about God and the Bible set the stage for me to respond to God’s invitation. It gave me an understanding of God I would not have had otherwise. This experience taught me that Bible knowledge is very important, but it can take you only so far. A person also needs to humble themselves before Christ and commit their life to him in order to receive the gift of eternal life.

REWARDS

So what’s it been like for me to be a Christian since then, for the last 63 years? There is a hymn, “Great is Thy Faithfulness” which captures much of the essence of my experience as a Christian. Verse three of the hymn reads: “Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth; Thy own dear Presence to cheer and to guide; Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow; Blessings all mine and ten thousand beside. ‘Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!’ Morning by morning new mercies I see; All I have needed Thy hand hath provided, ‘Great is Thy faithfulness,’ Lord unto me.” (Words by Thomas O. Chisholm)

This song exhults in God’s mercy provided daily, pardon for sins, personal peace, the abiding presence of God with and in believers, the strength he gives, hope eternal, God’s daily blessings and his amazing faithfulness which provides all these things. I have experienced all of these and have continued to do so until this day. Also in the church I have made some of the best friendships one could imagine, some of which have lasted for years. As I see it, being in a relationship with Jesus Christ provides the most fulfilling and meaningful life possible.

John G. Frazier III, Ph.D.