Texas A&M offensive lineman Coen Echols experienced a breakthrough moment in his walk with Christ that set him free from fear.
“I’m in Romans, and it just opened my eyes. I was like, ‘How can I doubt Jesus and what He’s done for us? How God sent Him to save us?'” Echols said on Sports Spectrum’s “What’s Up” podcast. “I was like, ‘I keep condemning myself. How about I stop condemning myself and trust the Lord that He’s gonna remember me on the day of judgment?’ I was like, ‘He didn’t die for me to just live in fear, to not trust Him.’ Like that defeats the purpose of the cross because there’s no sin too big for the cross. That defeats the purpose of Him dying for us.”
Echols needed a reminder that it’s not about what he can do; it’s about what Jesus already did on the cross.
“I think that’s how I was lost. I was always like, ‘Lord, let me give you all my money.’ I was like, ‘I’ll give all my money to the church. I don’t need it. Let me give you all the money so I can make it to the kingdom of heaven. Let me get the woman on the side of the street, and I’ll give her this money for you, Lord. So I make it to heaven,'” the offensive lineman recalled of how he once thought about his faith.
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“Then I started thinking. It’s not about what I do. It’s what Jesus already did. We’ve all fallen short, but that’s why Jesus died on the cross for our sins, so that we may be forgiven. I’m reminded of that every day. I always repeat to myself John 3:16 every day. I’ve never forgotten what He can do,” Echols emphasized.
Related: Ohio State Offensive Lineman Luke Montgomery Trusts God’s Path
Late last month, the Texas A&M football team shared a photo on Instagram of three players getting baptized. Echols was one of those players.
“Made new through faith. Congratulations to Jesse, Coen & Landon on taking this special step together,” the caption read.
Aggie fans were elated when they saw the baptism post from the team.
“We can go 0-12 for the rest of my life if this is what Aggie football keeps producing,” one fan wrote.
“Love this so much! Praise God. Christ is King!” another said.
By recognizing that salvation rests on Jesus’ sacrifice rather than his own efforts, Echols overcame fear and self-condemnation to embrace a deeper trust in Christ, culminating in his public baptism alongside his teammates.
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