According to some academics and freethinkers of our time, sin is but the creation of the church to keep people dependent on the church.  Regrettably, in the past the church has committed (and might still be committing) grave atrocities under the pretext of fighting sin.

Can a reason why people easily dismiss the seriousness and existence of sin be that they have never yet been confronted with God’s Holyness and Might?

Testimony of an ATS applicant – a man from Africa

“I am a third child of six children. I was stubborn, rebellious, immoral and GOD hating.

I finally got into drugs and became addicted. I took enough drugs to make me very inhumane [sic] high and wicked to any human being. It was in this stage of lostness [sic] that one day while I was sitting with relatives at home, the Spirit of the LORD came upon me.

I was listening to my relatives complain that the funeral they went to had no entertainment – no ladies for the night, no alcohol and so on. In my village, there are no nightclubs or night-out [sic] joints so we do our partying at wakes – funerals. It was at that complaint that the Spirit spoke through me and I told them that why would they go to funerals and come back complaining that there were no ladies to pick up for the night? They were surprised, as they knew that I took much delight in those types of things and deeds. I repeated myself again and my eyes opened: I heard a voice so loud and so clear saying to me “Charles* , you will surely die too, and go to hell and people will come and be condemned to hell at your funeral”.

At that instance, my eyes opened and my sin became real to me. I saw how I was living far from GOD. I fell down that moment and started weeping and wailing. I could see my sins so real and GOD was so real to me at that moment. I was ashamed and felt condemned. I got up and ran into the room, locked the door and was very afraid to even look outside.

It was at that moment I knew that Jesus died for me. I saw Him as my only Saviour, I saw myself condemned before GOD and it was revealed to me that only through Christ I could be saved. I cried out the more calling upon Him to save me, the tears was great as I poured out my heart.

When I woke up early the next day, I felt a heavy burden departed from me and I became new. All things around me looked so different. My body, my flesh seems to me like a new baby. All my sins were gone. I became anew. I ran out of the house.

Joy filled all over me. I went back to my room, all things seemed strange to me. My clothes I have worn to commit all my atrocities, I despised them, and I lit a fire and started burning all that will bring to my remembrance the old life.

My books, my movies, worldly music, pictures, even my telephone contacts I burned. I had an old bible that I have never read.  As I started reading the bible – my heart beat increase and I could not stop reading the Bible even for a moment for the next four months until I left the village…”

*The name has been changed for privacy reasons.

Karl Barth said “we have to look at the cross of Jesus Christ to understand the seriousness of sin”.

Watch the "Sinner's prayer"

Watch the “Sinner’s prayer”