Jesus took away my burden

On these pages, some people from All Saints’ share what being a Christian means to them.

Gordon Taylor

For many years, I was apathetic about religious matters. But gradually I became aware that there should be more to life than material existence. Thinking about suffering and injustice led me to consider whether there was any alternative to this one-shot life. Like many people today, I was searching for spiritual meaning. Eventually, while still a non-believer, I joined a small Bible study group looking at John's gospel, and began going to church with my wife.

On Easter Sunday 1986, I became convinced that Jesus, as God, had allowed Himself to be killed in order to deal with my sin problem, so relieving me of a huge burden.

This insight had a big effect on my life. The Bible tells me that, even as a Christian, I am a sinner. But as well as God's promise of forgiveness, it shows me a body of moral teaching and a standard to aim for. In the Christian faith, this guidance is much more than a set of rules, which I could not keep anyway. The framework I try to follow includes help with my personal qualities and relationships. This teaching affects my everyday life, with the help of the Holy Spirit.