Page: Becoming a Christian ‘changes things’

LITTLE ROCK – Becoming a Christian touches the past, changes the present and alters the future of the new believer, said Frank Page, in his message during the morning session of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention annual meeting.

Speaking from John 4:7 and following, Page told the story of the Samaritan woman, with whom Jesus had an “irrecoverable” or life changing encounter. Page is president and chief executive officer of the Southern Baptist Convention. 

Page said when people encounter God, they often employ “spiritual defense mechanisms,” often blaming their sin on cultural norms, comparing themselves to others or avoiding the problem.

Jesus plumed to the depths of her heart, while not responding to her inquires about ethnic and gender differences.

Christ’s response to the woman was, “the greatest example of cross-cultural, cross-gender witnessing you’ll ever see,” he said.

Page said he believes when the woman responded to Jesus she was “born again, changed and transformed. Her past was forgiven, her present changed and her future forever altered by her experience with Christ.”

“We need to have an irrecoverable moment with the Son of God,” said Page, in closing.