My Testimony of Salvation

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. -1Peter 3:15

A couple of months back I was asked at the church potluck to give my testimony. Right then, right there, no time to think. I couldn't do it. I froze and said, "It's a long story." I have given my testimony many times before in a small group or one on one. But never to a hundred people at once or with a microphone. Well, it's time I shortened my story, memorized my verses and made friends with the microphone. So I decided to start here.

I didn't grow up attending church, or reading the scriptures, so I had no preconceived notions about Jesus, or salvation, or baptism, or God. I knew that Jesus died (I actually thought they killed him), that God decided who went to heaven, and that if you lied you'd go to hell.

When we were married we went to church for awhile, and were even baptised. I said that I believed, but I still didn't understand that Jesus death was on purpose. Jesus dying for my sin didn't really mean anything to me. I tried reading my Bible, but didn't stick to it because I didn't understand much of it. Even the eunuch said"How can I (understand), except some man should guide me?"

Well, eventually someone did guide me. He showed me scriptures that showed that Jesus's death was planned by God, that it was a sacrifice for me, that there was no other way to Heaven, that I was a sinner (I already new that), that my good works were as 'filthy rags', and that Jesus loved me anyway.

When I asked how to be saved I was left with Scripture and told that I would just know it when I was saved. I spent the next several days or weeks, I have no concept of time here, reading through the list of verses he left me with. I also went to several gospel presentations during this time. Again, I cannot remember if these were given daily or weekly.

Finally I just started to cry, why wasn't something happening so I would 'know' I was saved. What was I waiting for? Lightening, angels, a whisper in my ear, a feeling? Then there were 2 verses I read that finally caused me to just take God at his Word.

1John 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made Him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

Whoa, I did not want to be calling God a liar.

1John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

At that point I shut my Bible deciding that I was not going to wait for a 'sign'; I would just have to believe what God said. Of course, that is when I felt a tremendous peace, and I KNEW I belonged to God. Praise God!