Knowing Jesus personally

Many only know about Jesus as a Jewish teacher from 2,000 years ago. I was one of them. But sometime around ninth grade, I started taking note of passing comments from a few Christian classmates. I’d hear “Jesus answered my prayer,” “Jesus helped me,” or “Jesus opened a door.” Whenever one friend’s mom got distressed, she’d say, “Ohhh, sweet Jesus, please…”

These statements were foreign to me. I believed in God, but they weren’t talking about “God”; they were talking about Jesus. One high school friend, Gene Smith, always talked about Jesus like He was an ever-present companion. These casual references to Jesus became the first step on my path to salvation. Why? Because they got me wondering, Was Jesus really alive today? How come they talk about Him all the time? Can Jesus actually be involved with people?

So, when an acquaintance invited me to church, I wasn’t resistant. After a few months I asked Christ to forgive my sins and be my Savior and Lord. In 1979, about two years later, my wife, June, and I were off to Moody Bible Institute. My Old Testament survey teacher there, Mr. Clausen, was very Christlike. As a young Christian I greatly respected him. He, too, often spoke of Jesus as orchestrating his life.

Once after class I asked him why he referenced Jesus specifically. He showed me several Scriptures describing how Christians are part of Christ’s body. One was Ephesians:4:15But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
See All...–16, which says Christians should “grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body [is] joined” together. Then in 1 Corinthians:12:27Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
See All..., Paul forthrightly states, “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” He reminded me that in Matthew 16:18 Jesus said, “I will build My church” (emphasis added). As a member of Christ’s body, Mr. Clausen knew that Jesus was directing his earthly affairs.

Mr. Clausen told me to remember two exceedingly important realities: (1) Jesus is and always will be head of His body and Lord of His church, and (2) when it comes to Jesus, there’s just “something about His name.” He explained that from his experience, speaking about Jesus as the intimate person He is was a credible witness all by itself, and the name of Jesus often elicits an emotional response.

—Dr. Randy Guliuzza (president of the Institute for Creation Research, a leading biological design theorist, represented ICR in several scientific debates at secular, holds a doctor of medicine from the University of Minnesota and a master of public health from Harvard University, also a B.S. in engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, and a B.A. in theology from Moody Bible Institute. He was board certified in aerospace medicine, and he is a licensed professional engineer).