-There would be something missing from this tribute without
-an explanation of Jerry's belief system. More importantly, it
-was his beliefs that he held to the highest regard, and he
-enjoyed sharing it with people. Jerry Babcock was a spiritual
-man. He searched high and low on his extensive journey to
-discover that which would ultimately give him the greatest
-satisfaction. When it was all said and done, he finally found
-what he was looking for.

-This discovery of personal truth is the reason for a...

Jerry Babcock figured out early in his life that there must be a god or at least some master design, responsible for everything. He paid special attention to detail when it came to things that most people
consider a given or take advantage of. Jerry was mystified by the complexity of the things around him. He
knew that despite all of man's achievements, we do not possess the knowledge, power or technology
to create even one eyeball, much less an entire human being. The most advanced technology available
is pale in comparison to the complexity of the human brain. Jerry thought about these things and simply
could not buy into the notion that it all happened by chance. Jerry therefore had his spirituality, but its source was without foundation. So the journey began...

Jerry Babcock's faith definitely had the benefit of vast experience by the time he found it. He tirelessly
pursued his God, researching nearly every major belief system in existence. He investigated Hinduism,
Islam, Free Masonry, Mormonism, Universalism etc. He studied the principles of reincarnation, meditation
and out of body experiences. The journey lasted the better part of a decade by this point, and the void
remained.

Jerry was then introduced to Christianity. Like many others, he had been exposed to it previously as nearly
ninety percent of Americans profess to believe in the Biblical "God". He was not at all interested in a
"fair weather" or casual belief such as that, and Christianity had not been presented to him in a very
comprehensive manner before. The Lord says, "Seek and you will find me" and that is precisely what happened in March of 1978 when Jerry Babcock accepted Jesus Christ into his life, along with his Wife,
Susan. His spirituality was now solidified and grounded in one source. He accepted Jesus Christ as God, the Savior and Forgiver of his sins, and the Devine Creator of the Universe.

Jerry Babcock was searching for accountability, answers and personal peace. During this journey, he was searching along the path of religion, when in actuality, he didn't desire religion at all. Jerry discovered that
religion is man made and hence, as fallible as man himself. The satisfaction he pursued existed far beyond the boundaries of mankind and he found it in Christ. He eventually grew to enjoy a very personal relationship with the Lord which is the essence of true Christianity. I want to emphasize the word "true" in
that statement. "True" Christianity has absolutely nothing to do with religion. Jerry experienced this truth
which consists of the following...

We are all sinners, and that sin prevents us from being close to God.
The Lord said that the wage for our sin is death.
Jesus Christ is the only Son of the living God.
He came and paid the ultimate penalty in our place for that sin.
Jesus Christ is our savior and because of him, our sins are forgiven.
All who believe in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

This is not religion; it is salvation and a blueprint for life & beyond. Jerry would not want to be portrayed
in a manner of perfection for this belief. In fact, the most basic idea behind what Jesus Christ did on the
cross defies such arrogance. Jerry's favorite passage in the Bible is Ephesians Chapter 2, verses 8 & 9 which says, "By grace you have been saved through your faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the
gift of God - not the result of works, so that no one may boast". Jerry believed this passionately and knew
that he was not perfect, but required penance for his sin.

The idea of perfection is mentioned because too many times, Christianity is portrayed in a self righteous
manner by its so-called followers. This was a definite source of frustration for Jerry. He was growing more
and more tired of this stereotype and the lack of authenticity he had found in some occasions. He was
not fond of the "fake" or manufactured presentation often provided in regards to Christianity. This
frustrated him because he knew that arrogance or self righteousness is a clear defiance of what Jesus
Christ taught and has required of us. A person who has accepted the truth of Christ understands that he/she has done nothing to EARN salvation, but it has been given as a gift. There isn't any quantity of
good deeds or visits to church that will earn you a spot in Heaven. Many people conduct themselves under
this pretence and it is not the Biblical reality. If you're perfect, you have no need for a savior, so Perfection and works are out the window.

Jerry was an extremely practical and up front person. He didn't believe in blind faith, or accepting anything
without the benefit of questions or research. His belief in Christ was no exception to this philosophy and
in fact, the Lord prefers it. God commands us to ask questions and has no interest in a pool of "robots",
programmed to worship him.

Jerry searched high and low for the source of what was in his heart for a long time. When it was all said
and done, he found Jesus Christ as his personal satisfaction and he would want you to know that's
what it's all about. A partial belief in some distant god isn't going to get the job done or provide any comfort for anyone. It's the acceptance of what Jesus did for us; the sacrifice he made on the cross that
matters. When that matters to you, the relationship will be very personal. This personal nature of a
relationship with God is essential because it's verification can't be provided by science. Science has done a
fantastic job of providing answers for some of the various complexities of the Earth and Universe. However,
science can only serve to explain what is already here and how it operates within those boundaries. It has
never explained the origin of these things, and is not effective beyond the realm of what is considered
physical. This is why a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is important. Jesus Christ is exclusive. Jesus
does not allow for universalism, or the belief in multiple gods. In the 14th Chapter of John, verse 16, Jesus
said,"I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me". Jerry Babcock
believed this to be truth.

In closing, the immediate Babcock family shares this belief with Jerry. This belief in Christ that we share provides us with the comfort that he now resides in the company of the Holy and Living God. The reality of Jerry's current state of being is beyond our comprehension, but we believe it to be absolute reality. We are
grieving the loss of Jerry's physical presence as a family, as many others who loved him are doing as well. However, we can say whole-heartedly that without the certainty of what our belief assures us, we would
be grieving in a much darker manner without any hope of ever being reunited with him. Our faith in Christ
is precious and invaluable to us, now more than ever. We are thankful that Jerry believed it, and thankful
that he showed us to believe.

If you have any questions regarding a personal relationship with Jesus Christ or this testimony, we are
prepared to answer you to the best of our abilities, or direct you to someone who can. Click on the cross below to contact us regarding any of these questions. Thank you for taking the time to read this testimony about what my Dad believed. May the Lord grant us strength in these most difficult of times.

God Bless,
Eric Babcock