Formerly Gay Man Could Go to Jail after Sharing Testimony of Finding God, Embracing Bible: 'I Don't Have to Wear That Label Anymore'

Billy Hallowell : Apr 4, 2023
Faithwire.com

"It's the first time in my life I have to face a criminal court for simply sharing my Christian faith. That's what it is … sharing the hope that we have and sharing the reasoning behind what we believe." -Matthew Grech

(Malta) — [Faithwire.com] An ex-LGBT activist reportedly faces potential prison time after sharing his testimony of leaving behind a gay lifestyle to follow Christ. (Image: via Faithwire /YouTube)

Matthew Grech, who lives in Malta, told CBN's Faithwire about his journey out of the occult and same-sex relationships and his foray into the Christian faith.

"I was quite interested in New Age. I wanted to become a reiki master," he said of his life before finding Jesus. "So, I was involved in the occult to some extent as well as being fascinated by energy."

Finding Jesus

That lifestyle was obliterated, though, when Grech was invited to church one day and experienced something he had never felt before: "the presence of God" and the love of genuine Believers.

He said the impact of that experience was profound, leading him to fully embrace a Christian life.

"I did commit my life to Jesus Christ and it's been an awesome journey of just growing in this new identity and life," he said, noting how his faith also led him away from a gay lifestyle. "I stumbled upon Bible verses on homosexuality one day. I had never heard homosexuality addressed from a pulpit before, but I was really challenged and I remember just really wanting to be in the will of God."

Grech said he committed to prayer and God and decided to shift his life to align with Biblical truth. He said he realized, "What society calls gay, I don't have to wear that label anymore ... When I understood that, hope filled my heart ... heaviness left my body."

The former gay activist said he "decided to repent" of his past lifestyle and start to explore his identity in Christ.

Grech's Legal Woes

Problems began, though, when Grech shared his story with a local outlet in Malta.

He said two presenters with PMnews Malta wanted to know more about the nation's crackdown on so-called conversion therapy and his take on the matter.

Malta in 2016 became the first European country to ban attempts to "change, repress or eliminate a person's sexual orientation, gender identity and/or gender expression," leading to fines or even jail time.

Grech, accused of violating Article 3 of Malta's Affirmation of Sexual Orientation, Gender and Gender Expression Act, described the law as "ideological" and said it instructs people on how they're supposed to "think about sexuality"... Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

Continue reading, and watch his YouTube video here.