In the life of the church, there are a lot of different things going on. God continues to add His chosen ones to our flock, the church is growing in Christ-likeness, and demons remain on the scene as they oppose our progress in many different ways. But, of all the things that we have lived through in February, I want to share with you the testimony of Matias, who was baptized this month.
Matias came to us about six months ago. He initially visited with his best friend, who happens to be my cousin Gustavo, who was baptized two months ago (ha!). From the time Matias began coming to our church, he was very reserved, observing but not understanding much. Some of the young men assumed the responsibility of taking him to the feet of Christ, which they did by surrounding him with love and telling him of the Gospel in different ways. And that is when two things happened: in order to be part of the ‘pack,’ Matias began to identify himself with the Christian culture, but without having experienced regeneration. On the other hand, he began to get angry with the brothers of the church that continued to talk to him about the Gospel, thinking that since he could not see what they were talking about, there was no reason to continue to doing it. He thought the exhortations to repentance were discriminating and aggressive.
When he could bear it no longer, he confronted one of the brothers in order to even out the score. However, in the end he only received yet another exhortation to repent. But this time (but this time!), the call would be effectual. Matias had been struck with a two-edged sword, and he returned to his house in a state of anguish and misery. He felt so sad, and he thought to himself, “If I go to sleep, then this anguish that I feel will pass.” Nonetheless, when he awoke, the anguish was still clinging to his neck, and it was even stronger than before.
Unable to bear this state any longer, and now understanding his own self-deception and that he could not reform himself before coming to Christ, but that he must come dirty and vile as he was, he fell on his knees for two hours pleading with the Lord to save him. And then the powerful and loving Savior heard from heaven and descended to seek that which was lost, to take that which was His, and to delight Himself in the repentance of the prize that He purchased on the cross with His blood long ago!
So Matias “learned the heavenly language” that a man can only learn by the work of the Holy Spirit; that is, the language of the Love of Jesus Christ. This young man that had never thought about stepping inside a church (he has no evangelical background), that had never thought about the value and beauty of God in Christ, and that had lived being dragged along by the current of this world, came to count all as loss for the sake of knowing the Gospel of Christ. Before, he lived closed up in his room, in the darkness of depression, in the idleness and addiction of video games, but now he walks the streets proclaiming to others that there is, hidden among this dark world, a treasure for which it is worth losing all else: the Lord Jesus Christ.
Those among us that said that Matias would never last long in the church (because they knew him well!), were able to witness the other day as Matias confessed his sins and his new love for Jesus at his baptism, and they were glad to see the glory of God. What explanation is there for such a transformation, other than that God, full of power and mercy, performed a miracle in this young man? In addition to this, Matias had come to the church with his girlfriend Micaela, who has also received grace to be united to the Lord of Glory (I will tell you more about her in coming reports)! They have decided to take some time to be separated in order to seek the will of God with regard to their future, showing everyone that only Christ is sufficient to make them happy.
Pray for Matias and his sanctification. And pray for us, that we might be all he needs us to be in Christ. Please do not stop pleading together with us for more laborers that are fit for every good work. How badly we need them in the midst of these fields filled with obstacles!
