From Serial Killer to Evangelist
Wrestling with darkness and thoughts of suicide the serial killer David Berkowitz, otherwise, known as the ‘Son of Sam’ — who terrorised the streets of New York between 1976–1977, shooting and killing 6 people with a 44-caliber handgun and wounding 7 others, was now locked away.
Sentenced to face the rest of his life behind bars, as an outcast of society, he was facing some of his worst depression yet, surely there was no hope for a man serving a 365-year prison sentence, right? — Or was there?
What about Justice?
Now at this point, if you are thinking, I don’t want to hear about hope for a serial killer?! This man got what he deserves for the heinous crimes he committed! That would be a perfectly natural response.
To see justice being served on those who break the law, especially crossing the forbidden line of taking the lives of others, is in agreement with our God-given conscience.
While there is no excuse for his past criminal activities, this story is a lesson about God’s love, His mercy, and His power to forgive and transform lives — which is a great source of hope for us all!
The Resurrected Christ
One evidence of the resurrection of Jesus Christ was the transformation of His own disciples, who while Jesus was being crucified, fled. No doubt at the time they were afraid and did not want to risk suffering a similar fate, by their association with Jesus.
After the resurrection of Jesus, when reunited again with their leader they were greatly comforted, their doubts dispelled by the joy that Jesus is indeed the Son of God.
(For more evidence of the resurrected Christ see my previous article — Do Christians have Blind Faith? Fingerprint Evidence — for Jesus Christ).
Although comfort and enthusiasm alone were not going to provide Jesus’ disciples with the mettle they would need, to carry out the work He had for them to do.
The Helper
Jesus instructed his disciples not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there, until He sends the Holy Spirit. Jesus had taught His disciples before His crucifixion that it was necessary for Him to go away — and in His place, He would send the Helper (the Holy Spirit).
After the disciples received the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, the day on which the Church was born, Jesus was now abiding within each of them through the Holy Spirit, thereby extending far and wide His reach.
They thereafter, proceeded to preach boldly, spreading the gospel (the Good News), and accompanying them were many signs, wonders, and miracles, given through the power of God to authenticate their message.
The Early Church is established
The disciples risked everything telling people about the Good News of Jesus Christ in those formative years of the church.
No longer were they afraid to lose their lives for God, Peter was crucified upside down, and most of the other disciples died as martyrs for being obedient to Jesus’ Great Commission;
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:16–20
Jesus continues to build His Church today (Matthew 16:18)
The Universal Church or Body of Christ, transcends country boundaries, race, ethnicity, or church denominations and is made up of all those who have placed their faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone, forming a body of believers of which Jesus is the Head.
Looking back over church history, we see the price that was paid with the blood of many saints, who through much opposition, and persecution, by the power of the Holy Spirit gave us God’s recorded word, the Bible.
They also fought for the liberty to preach from God’s word, a privilege we enjoy in many countries around the world still today.
It is good to be reminded of these truths so that we do not take for granted, the gifts afforded to us through the power and work, of the Spirit of God working through His Church.
Even every believer, added as a member of the Church, could not come to Him without God drawing them first, through His Holy Spirit. (John 6:44)
David Berkowitz now having served 10 years of his prison sentence, was plagued with the weight and burden of his guilty conscience. Despairing of life itself he had no hope or no reason to get out of bed each day.
Little did he know that Jesus saw him there and knew of his need and through the Holy Spirit working in another Christian, an inmate named Rick, began to reveal God’s truth to David through Rick’s testimony, who also first told him that — Jesus loves him.
Who is the Holy Spirit? What exactly does He do?
Now that we have the complete canon of scripture, the Bible — God speaks to us revealing His Son, in the written word illuminated by His Holy Spirit, its authenticity can be seen in the miracle of changed lives.
While the word Trinity does not exist in the bible, the three persons of the Godhead namely the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are clearly seen working together throughout the bible.
Jesus speaking to His disciples before He was crucified told them that it was necessary for him to leave so that He could send the Helper, who will convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment.
Sin — because they do not believe in Jesus;
Righteousness — Jesus was confirmed to be the righteous Son of God the evidence being, that God received Him back to Himself.
Judgment — Satan the ruler of this world has been judged, at the cross Jesus triumphed over Satan, serving notice on unbelievers of their judgment to come.
Sin
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
It does not matter to God whether you have committed murder or told a lie, God sees us all as sinners in need of a saviour. Jesus’ death on the cross paid once and for all, the penalty of sin — for all men.
The only condemning sin, therefore, is a failure to believe in Jesus, otherwise known — as the sin of unbelief.
The friendship between David and Rick was growing, they would frequently walk together in the prison yard.
David would listen to Rick explain what Jesus had done for him, telling him that it did not matter what he had done, that the price Jesus paid at the cross of calvary was able to wash away his sin.
David started to read the Psalms and sensed the Lord drawing him, there was a glimmer of hope growing within him.
Righteousness
Christianity is not what you do, its what Jesus has done for you
There is a common misconception today, that to be a Christian you need to start following the ten commandments or tidy up your own life.
The Old Testament Laws focussed on the outward works of the flesh, whereas, Jesus’ taught that breaking God’s Law goes deeper — it happens in the heart.
Take for example, “You shall not commit adultery”, Jesus taught, that whoever looks at a woman with lust for her, has already committed adultery with her, in his heart.
No one is able to keep the standard of God’s Law, especially considering that if you break one commandment you are guilty of them all. Jesus alone fulfilled the righteous requirements of the Law on our behalf.
And at the cross of calvary, God made Jesus who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). We need to take time to meditate on that, asking God to reveal the depth of that truth to us, it’s truly amazing!
Judgment
Satan’s fall was through pride he wanted to be like God, and he used pride to deceive Eve by saying, if you eat of the fruit — you will be like God, knowing good and evil.
Although judged and awaiting his sentencing, Satan is still active and the bible teaches us that, the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. (1 John 5:19)
It is, therefore, no surprise that at the heart of so many views against God today, is pride. Mankind rather than submit to God, deny His existence or fashion their own god, whom they serve on their terms.
“The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.” Proverbs 16:5
Although God is opposed to the proud of heart, He gives grace to the humble. (James 4:6) The Holy Spirit helps us to recognise our utter helplessness before an Almighty God, and see our need to be saved — from the penalty of our sin, and from judgment to come.
As the Holy Spirit unfolds and reveals step by step this truth that there is, absolutely, nothing we can offer in return, is truly humbling, and yet immeasurably liberating — as we through belief in Jesus, are born again, thereby receiving the gift of eternal life.
The Change — A New Creation
One night while David was reading Psalm 34 he came upon the 6th verse, which says,
“this poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him from all his troubles”. — Psalm 34:6
“It was at that moment, in 1987, that I began to pour out my heart to God. Everything seemed to hit me at once. The guilt from what I did… the disgust at what I had become… late that night in my cold cell, I got down on my knees and I began to cry out to Jesus Christ.
I told Him that I was sick and tired of doing evil. I asked Jesus to forgive me for all my sins. I spent a good while on my knees praying to Him. When I got up it felt as if a very heavy but invisible chain that had been around me for so many years was broken. A peace flooded over me. I did not understand what was happening.
But in my heart, I just knew that my life, somehow, was going to be different.” — from David Berkowitz’s Christian testimony.
Therefore if anyone be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.— 2 Corinthians 5:17
New Life
Although now a changed man, David is still deeply sorry for the pain, suffering, and sorrow he caused by his selfish actions and prays for the families, who no doubt are still grieving the loss of their loved ones.
God is however using David’s testimony to reach the lives of many. Over the years since he was born again, through an outreach ministry run from the prison, he is able to tell inmates about God’s love for them.
He also continues to share with others through the media his testimony of the change God can bring. Now, no longer the “Son of Sam”, he goes by the name — the “Son of Hope”.
Jesus — The Way, The Truth, The Life
Jesus humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power. (Philippians 2:8; Acts 2:28)
Jesus through humility and obedience broke the power of sin and death which entered the world through pride and disobedience. Now through the power of Jesus’ resurrected life, the Holy Spirit is still transforming lives today.
Jesus sees you where you are and knows of your need, I pray God through His Holy Spirit reveals the truth to you — that Jesus loves you!