Out of the Darkness of Death

The True-Life Story of Finley Cutshaw

We had our guns out and were cleaning them at my friend Mark’s house. We were really looking forward to hunting the next day. Everything was fine until Mark started pointing his gun around the room at different objects. Then he pointed it at me. “Whoa, Dude! Turn that gun away,” I said. “That’s dangerous, very dangerous! You’re never supposed to point a gun at anyone!” “It’s no big deal,” Mark replied. “See, it’s not loaded.” Then he pointed the gun right at me and pulled the trigger. “Click.” “See, there is nothing to worry about.” When he pulled the action back on the gun to show there was nothing in it, a loaded bullet fell out! A round was in the gun, but when he pulled the trigger, it did not fire! I was 15 years old and had just come face to face with the reality of death.

I was born and raised in East Tennessee, and this was not my first introduction to death. My father was killed in a motorcycle accident when I was three. His father died when I was about five, and my maternal grandfather died when I was six. Thus, I became familiar with death and dying early on, and it was something that was often on my mind. In fact, there were times I felt as though I was surrounded by the darkness of death. Because of this, in my teen years, I had thoughts of suicide. The fear of death and the lack of hope, at times left me feeling completely dejected.

At the age of six, I began riding a bus to a nearby church. Hearing the Bible read and preached, I was immediately impacted. In one of the services, the pastor preached a message about the reality of Hell for those who died lost. I was very concerned and went forward during the invitation. People gathered around me and began praying. I wept and prayed for my Dad and my grandfather. When I finished praying, the pastor asked me if I felt better, and I said “Yes.” He told me that I was saved. I really did not understand what being saved meant, but later I was baptized. I am glad I heard the message that night, because it left a lasting impression on my heart. It revealed my need to be saved and to avoid burning in Hell for all eternity, but I did not get saved that night. Eventually I stopped attending church altogether.

I continued to think of my need to be saved and even considered going to church, but I never did. I knew I needed to settle this matter, but I always planned to do it…later. I had heard about the rapture and the seven-year tribulation to follow, so I thought I would just get saved after I heard the trumpet. In fact, lost people will not hear that trumpet and will be left behind to face the terrible judgments unleashed upon the earth during the tribulation.

At the age of nineteen, something very important happened: I met Frank. He and I worked together as welders. He was about ten years older than I, and we had very little in common when we first met. However, he was kind enough to take an interest in me. The first time we met, he asked me a question I had never been asked: “Do you know for sure if you were to die today that Heaven would be your home?” I stuttered and stammered out an answer! Eventually I told him about my experience as a child, but there was nothing in my life that showed I had a relationship with Christ. I was living without shame in open sin. If anything, I was proud of my sinfulness, and I am sure Frank could see it.

Frank continued to be kind to me, and I was honest with him. I admitted that I did not know what it meant to be saved, and that I was afraid of dying and going to Hell. Frank gave me gospel tracts and shared the gospel with me on several occasions. He, along with several other Christians we worked with, began praying for me to be saved. Frank invited me to church many times. I promised to attend, but never did. A battle was raging in my heart! The Holy Spirit was convicting me of my sin and need for Christ, and the Devil was offering me plenty of chances to avoid that conviction. Finally, on a Wednesday night, I went to church. I had been to church before and knew about the invitation at the end, so I went planning to forward during the invitation. I did not know it at the time, but Frank had the entire church praying for me as well. When I entered the auditorium, I made my way to the front so I would not chicken out when the invitation was given.

When Pastor Jerry Mullendore finished preaching, he invited folks to trust Christ. I immediately stepped out of my seat. He greeted me and asked why I had come. Now there was no more faking it. I knew I was lost and headed for the eternal flames of Hell. I told him I needed to be saved. He called for a soulwinner to come and share the gospel with me. A man came and took me into a side room where he showed me how to receive the greatest gift ever given!

It was the same gospel Frank had told me about, because there is only one. He explained that I was a guilty sinner. “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God” Romans 3:19. The penalty for sin is separation from God for all eternity. “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15). Then he showed me that God loved me in spite of my sin and wanted to save me. He told me that God’s love for me is what motivated Him to send Jesus, His only begotten Son, to die on the cross. “…Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (I John 4:10). Jesus shed His blood on the cross to pay for my sin. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” Colossians 1:14. He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, so that I could be freed from sin’s bondage and penalty. “…Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (I Corinthians 15:3-4). This was good news, and I was ready to receive it! He explained that all God required of me to be saved was sincere faith in His Son. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9). That night, I bowed my head and invited Jesus into my heart and life. I told Him I was sorry for my sin and that I wanted to go to Heaven.

When I finished praying, I knew something had changed! I did not understand it at the time, but Jesus came to live in my heart forever! He did save me that night, and He has changed my life! My only regret was not making the decision sooner. Friend, it is no accident that you are reading this gospel testimony. God loves you and wants to save you from your sin and its penalty. If you will humbly admit your guilt as a sinner and believe on Christ as your only Savior, instantly, gloriously, and eternally, He will save you! Would you, right now, do as I did on that night? Simply bow your heart before the Lord and ask Him to save you. You can pray something like this, “Dear Lord Jesus, I know I’m a sinner, and I don’t deserve your love. I deserve judgment, but I know you took my judgment when you died on the cross. I receive you by faith and believe that you died and rose again for me. Please cleanse me of my sin, come into my heart, and save me. Thank you, Jesus.”

If you sincerely called upon Christ, He saved you. Now He has taken away your sin and given you eternal life, and nothing can change that! “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

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