MY TESTIMONY

I was wonderously and gloriously saved on July 29th, 1992. But all my life I'd been in church. More specifically, I'd been in Fundamentalist churches. And even more specifically, those were BAPTIST churches. Sadly, I never was given the gospel one time. All I heard was a milk sop presentation of "love they neighbor" and "do good unto others." Sure I heard preaching about the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but sadly not often. And I was never stressed the importance of trusting in Christ's finished work.

I even read Chick tracts all my life, and "prayed the little prayer" in the back. But I wasn't saved and had absolutely no assurance. That's why I "prayed the prayer" again and again, night after night, hoping it would somehow mystically change things and secure me a place in heaven.

It wasn't until I turned 18 years old that someone sat me down and took the time I needed to take me through the Bible and answer all my questions. That someone was my Dad. He took me to verse after verse and showed me my sin of trusting in my own righteousness (i.e. WHAT I DID FOR JESUS), and then lead me to trust solely and completely in the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD.

I've told my testimony far and wide in many a church service. And I'll tell it again here, as it's so very important. And, because I hardly hear people talking about what I'm about to tell you in Christian circles today. They've forgotten the importance of the BLOOD, and one's faith in the bloody atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. This has often made me wonder if there aren't millions of others out there just like I was who are confused and still lost, "praying the prayer," time and again with no assurance of salvation.

One thing I learned is that when you are saved, YOU KNOW YOU ARE SAVED! It's a "know so salvation!" Not a "I sure hope so salvation."

MY TESTIMONY:

I remember it well. It was around 10:00 A.M. and my Dad asked me to come into the kitchen to speak with him. I sat on the counter as he asked me the profound question: "Son, are you saved, and if so, why?"

My first answer was: "Yes, because I go to church."

You can imagine how that went over, as he showed me in the Bible that salvation is not through church attendence.

He asked the same question again, and I responded, "Yes, because I've been baptized!"

He then showed me verses that prove no one is saved by water baptism.

Asking the question again, I answered, "Yes, because I'm a good person!"

Again the sharp two-edged sword of the scriptures pricked my heart, as he showed me verse after verse which showed me my sinfulness wickedness, and how no one is saved by good works.

Asking the question again, I retorted, "Well, I think I am!"

He responded, "But wouldn't you like to know for sure?"

I paused and then said, "Yes, yes I would."

He then took me to the Gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, and other verses, showing me what Jesus did for me on the cross in my place for my sins.

He then gave the following illustration:

"Let's say you went into McDonald's and killed five people in cold blood. You would deserve the electric chair for such a crime!"

I agreed. He continued:

"Well, let's say they put you in the chair and they are just about to flip the switch, but then I come in and say, Let him go! I'll take his place!"

I responded, "What? You'd do that for me?"

He quickly retorted, "NO!"

But what he said next hit me like a ton of bricks...

"But son, that's exactly what Jesus Christ did for you! He took your electric chair on the cross of Calvary! He paid for your sins in your place!"

All my life I'd heard of what Jesus did. But I'd never made it personal.

My father then took me to Romans 3:25, which states:

"Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God."

It was right then there I trusted in the shed blood of Jesus Christ alone as sufficient to save me and give me eternal life!

My Dad then asked me, "When did you get saved?"

I quickly answered, "JUST NOW! For now I plainly see what Jesus has done for me, and I trust his blood alone!"

I'm so glad I'm saved and I know it! And, I no longer doubt it! I KNOW I'm on my way to heaven. Why? Because I'm trusting in what JESUS DID, and not in anything I do to get me to heaven. It's just like the hymn says:

JESUS PAID IT ALL,

ALL TO HIM I OWE,

SIN HATH LEFT A CRIMSON STAIN,

HE WASHED IT WHITE AS SNOW!

Are you saved? Or are you like I was before I trusted the blood atonement of Jesus Christ done on my behalf. Are you trusting in your works, your baptism, your church attendance, your prayer, or anything else besides the finished blood atonement of Jesus Christ alone? If not, why not trust the blood alone? For the Bible clearly teaches in Heb. 9:22, "...without shedding of blood is no remission."

Jesus has done all that's necessary to secure your salvation. All you must do is trust his sacrificial blood atonement is all sufficient. If you believe, you are saved. If you don't you are lost, it's that simple!