What would happen if someone decided to read the entire Bible with one goal in mind: to prove that it was wrong?
That is exactly what Ed Grifenhagen, a devoted Jew at the time, set out to do. What he never imagined was that this investigation would lead him to a life-changing encounter with Jesus.
For most of his life, Ed had grown up deeply rooted in Jewish tradition. He respected the Hebrew Scriptures and took his faith seriously. However, there was something that always troubled him: the claims of Christianity and the belief that Jesus was the Messiah.
After about 13 years of marriage, Ed told his wife that he had a plan — a plan he believed would not be difficult to accomplish. His goal was simple: to read the Scriptures carefully and prove that the Bible could not possibly be true.
Looking back, he later admitted that the confidence he expressed at that moment was one of the most arrogant things he had ever said.
But his reasoning seemed logical to him. If he was going to reject the Bible, he first needed to read it thoroughly.
So he began.
From January to September of 2000, Ed immersed himself in a careful study of the Old Testament. He analyzed the text closely, looking for contradictions or evidence that would support his doubts.
But as he continued reading, something unexpected began to happen.
The words he had known for years started to take on a deeper meaning.
When he finished the Old Testament, his curiosity pushed him toward a step he had never taken before: reading the New Testament.
However, doing so was not easy. He feared the reaction of his family, especially his father. So he made a quiet trip to a Christian bookstore and secretly purchased a copy of the New Testament.
What is remarkable is something he later shared: although he had grown up in Columbus, Georgia, in the heart of the so-called “Bible Belt,” no Christian had personally shared the Gospel with him during his first 35 years of life.
From September to November of 2000, Ed read the New Testament with the same intention he had from the beginning — to find reasons to disprove it.
But the more he read, the more he began to notice something extraordinary.
The prophecies in the Old Testament seemed to point toward a single person.
The teachings of Jesus carried a depth and consistency that he could not ignore.
And the message of the Gospel seemed to answer questions he had carried for years.
Alongside the Bible, he also began reading works by Christian apologists, including Josh McDowell and Lee Strobel, a former atheist journalist who investigated Christianity with the intention of disproving it.
What had started as an intellectual challenge was turning into something far deeper.
Exactly one year after beginning his investigation, on January 17, 2001, Ed reached a conclusion he never expected.
After studying the Bible in order to refute it, he found himself convinced of the opposite.
He later described the moment this way: he realized that he believed every word he had read.
The very book he had tried to disprove had become the truth that transformed his life.
At that moment, Ed did something he had never done before. He cried out to God and asked Jesus to save him.
Later he described that experience in simple but powerful words:
“I was broken… and He rescued me.”
As his faith grew, Ed developed a deep desire to understand the Hebrew roots of the Christian faith. He began studying the original language of the Scriptures and discovered how the Hebrew words often reveal deeper meanings that point toward the Messiah.
According to Ed, from the very first verse of Genesis, the entire story of Scripture ultimately points to Jesus.
Today, Ed Grifenhagen serves as a pastor, preacher, and evangelist. His passion is helping believers better understand the richness of Scripture, particularly through the meaning of the original Hebrew words.
He even wrote a devotional titled “365 Hebrew Words Every Christian Should Know,” exploring how the original language of the Bible reveals deeper layers within both the Old and New Testaments.
But beyond books, teaching, or ministry, his story reminds us of something powerful.
Sometimes the people who oppose God the most intensely are the very ones who end up discovering Him in the most unexpected way.
Because when someone sincerely searches for the truth, sooner or later they encounter Christ.
Now, take a moment to reflect on this.
Many people say they do not believe in God, but often that conclusion comes without ever truly exploring what the Bible actually says. Some reject Jesus based on assumptions, traditions, or second-hand opinions rather than personal investigation.
But when someone opens the Scriptures with an honest heart, something remarkable happens.
The Word of God has a unique way of speaking directly to the soul.
It is not just an ancient book.
It is a living story.
A message of redemption that has crossed centuries.
And at the center of that story is Jesus.
Ed’s journey reminds us that faith does not always begin with certainty. Sometimes it begins with questions, doubts, and even resistance.
Yet God can use even those doubts to draw us closer to Him.
If you have ever had questions about faith, do not be afraid to search for answers in the Scriptures.
Because many times, people who begin by looking for reasons to deny God end up discovering powerful reasons to believe.
I invite you to join me in this prayer.
Lord, thank You because Your truth continues to reach hearts around the world.
Thank You because even when we doubt, question, or wander away, You continue to pursue us with love.
We ask that You open the eyes of those who are still searching for answers.
Let Your Word reach every heart with clarity, grace, and truth.
And may many people, as they read the Scriptures, discover that Jesus is still transforming lives today.
Amen.
Somos Cristianos, connecting hearts with Christ.
