Chaplain Ricardo Peña
USN SWCC Veteran
My name is Chaplain Ricardo Peña, and I want to share with you my testimony on how I came to Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior.
My Story of Salvation
At the age of nine, I began attending a Pentecostal church with my grandmother. Throughout my teenage years, I believed I was saved through water baptism, only to realize later that the church's teachings on salvation were incorrect - water baptism does not save. For Ephesians 2:8-9 states we are saved by God’s grace and not any works, including water baptism,
“8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
After graduating from high school, I joined the U.S. Navy and served as a Naval Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewman, or SWCC, for ten years.
During my service, I developed post-traumatic stress disorder and other issues, losing sight of the Lord and falling into a life consumed by sin and despair. In hindsight, I see that Satan had plans to keep me from the Lord's path, as described in Jeremiah 29:11.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”
To be saved, I had to acknowledge my sins and my need for a savior, as Romans 3:23 states.
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"
Recognizing the gravity of my actions, I knew my penalty for my sins was death, and I was destined for hell, as Romans 6:23 describes.
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
On September 11th, 2021, believing in the Gospel of Salvation found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4,
"1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:"
I cried out to the Lord Jesus Christ, confessing him in my heart as as outlined in Romans 10:9-10,
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
In that moment, I received the Holy Ghost and began my journey of transformation and sanctification. My fiancé, a born-again saved Christian, helped deliver me from demonic influence as I accepted Christ into my life.
Following my salvation, I stopped drinking alcohol and experienced a profound change in my behavior and mental health. I immersed myself in scripture, experiencing a my new found freedom and growth as a follower of Christ. I became the new creature, which the Apostle Paul speaks about in 2 Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
After a few years, I felt called to minister to veterans and serve as a Hospice Chaplain, sharing the message of salvation with others. I continue to grow in my faith, knowing there is more to learn and do as a believer.
I am grateful for what the Lord has done in my life and strive to do His will daily. Through sharing my testimony, I hope to inspire others to believe and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. May this testimony be a blessing to you.