Here are some famous names: Alice Cooper, Russell Brand, Kelsey Grammer (aka Dr. Frasier Crane). They all have some things in common, and they are all famous. There are others who could also be named, in this list, but these three help to make the point.

1. They are all famous entertainers, and you probably knew all three names before reading them here.
2. They were all popular with women, and in their younger lives, and it might be safe to describe them as “womanizers.” There is a popular culture for entertainment stars, and they were part of it. I will skip the details here, but their lives are described, on the Internet. You can easily learn more about them, if you do a name search. It’s hard to keep secrets, in our modern information age.
3. All three of these men claim to be born-again Christians, at this stage in their lives.

There is one detail that is impossible to gloss over; Russell Brand was just convicted, in an English court, of rape, and he will be sentenced in a few days. The news videos have already started to cover this story and there will be more news soon, and you might know about his sentence, when you read this. Also, in the video, you might notice a dark object in Russell Brand’s right hand. Apparently, he carried a Bible with him in the courtroom:

Alice Cooper and Kelsey Grammer also had reputations as promiscuous celebrities in their younger years, but I have not heard any rumours of criminal charges against either of them.

So, how should we react to these stories? Can we believe that these men are now sincere Christians, when they clearly did not follow that lifestyle when they were young. I am writing as a Christian, and there is a lesson for us all, in the lives of these born-again celebrities.

And the lesson is about us, not them.

I remember being a young man, and no, I did not become a promiscuous celebrity party animal. I owe most of my good behavior to my strict, church-going parents. A lifestyle that I might regret now was just not available to me. Like most people that I know, external pressure kept me out of trouble. There was no strong voice inside of me, telling me the best way to live my life.

I once read about a school friend of mine who went wrong. I don’t know what he did, but he caught the attention of the police. They caught him in a house and ordered him to come out. He came out of the house but he didn’t put his hands up, he waived a gun. The police opened fire with their guns and my friend died. That is known as “suicide by cop,”

I feel bad every time I tell that story, but I know that my friend reached a stage in his adult life where he wanted to make changes and live a different life. Probably his bad suicide choice was the only one he could imagine at that time.

I know I made a big decision, but without the police. One cold winter day, at a bus stop, I decided that it was time to pray and ask God to help me with my life. There was no religious ceremony, just me alone, on a cold winter day.

One person, alone, met one Person. That other Person gave us these words:

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11: 28 to 3)

The three born-again celebrities, Alice Cooper, Russell Brand, and Kelsey Grammer, and many others have learned this old truth. One person come to that other one person, and starts living a new life. We don’t change by joining a movement. That usually comes later.

Apparently, Kelsey Grammer does not like to name a church or religious denomination that he belongs to. He only says that he is now a follower of Jesus and he is living a new life.

Also, I hope that Russell Brand can find a way through the consequences of his old life, so he can continue with his new life. And I hope that Alice Cooper finds his way into the light, away from the old life that he doesn’t want anymore.

In the Bible, we have the story of a condemned criminal who was executed next to Jesus. He admitted that he was guilty, and he knew he had no time to live a better life and earn some credit. He was about to be executed, beside Jesus. All he had was the born-again change from the old life to the new one, and the new life was very short in this world:

He said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”And he [Jesus] said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23: 42 and 43)

There is a lesson here for us all in the execution of a condemned criminal and the life stories of some famous people. When we have the maturity to decide, we can choose a new direction for our life, and that personal choice makes all the difference.

We can be forgiven by God, and I am not a better person now because I didn’t get caught.