Ted Ludwig
Director and Servants of Christ
Ted was called by the Lord to serve as a Director on the Board of Life With Christ Ministries.
Meaningful Verse
Ephesians 2:8-10
“8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Ted's Life - His Testimony
My life has been one of learning the truth of the gospel—that I am saved by Jesus and his death and resurrection and not by my good works. Although I grew up in a Christian home and was taught the gospel from an early age, it has taken me a long time to take it to heart as the foundation of the way I live, so that Christ lives in me, and not me trying to live for him!
My journey began when I responded to an “alter call” at age 5. I knew that I was not perfect and that I needed a Savior, and so at age five I went forward to ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. I loved Jesus and believed what I had been taught by my parents and at church, and so I responded, but I didn’t experience an obvious radical life change from that moment on. I believed the good news, but I mostly just tried hard to be a good kid and a good Christian.
In my teen years, I continued to try to follow Jesus and to live for his honor and glory. I even asked Jesus to fill me with the Holy Spirit so that I could be more Christ-like. However, I never quite understood what a terrible sinner that I really was. Therefore, I struggled to receive the incredible joy and thanksgiving that comes when salvation is an amazing and outrageous gift which is so undeserved by the likes of me!
By the grace of God, I now see that I am the chief of sinners, and that even little Pharisees like me can be forgiven, not only for all their sins, but even for the horrible and deadly sin of pride!
One big breakthrough in my life came when my wife left me for another man and I failed in my marriage. Having a successful marriage mattered a great deal to me. I had taken a vow to the Lord to be faithful unto death do us part, but I failed. We got divorced and she married another man.
However, I still thought I was a pretty decent guy. I never cheated on her. I thought I loved her well and was a good husband and father. I told myself that I wasn’t the one who cheated, but rather she was. But one day, I saw the Biblical truth of my greater sin. You see, any time someone puts something or someone before the Lord God, they cheat on God. I realized that I was guilty of being unfaithful to God. I had committed spiritual adultery against the Lord God who created me and who through Jesus had died for me. What a wretched sinner I am! I have cheated on God!!!
And yet, God took a spiritual adulterer like me and forgave me and then filled me with the Holy Spirit. I am righteous in Jesus Christ. I don’t have to try to be good. He is good, and he lives in me! I am saved by grace through faith and not by works! Now the life I live, I live in Christ. I am a new creation created in Christ Jesus. I am not saved by my good works, but rather for good works. Each and every day I now have the glorious privilege of doing the good works that he has lovingly prepared for me to do. I am so thankful that I no longer look down on others, but am looking at Jesus in thanksgiving and joy!