TESTIMONY OF SALVATION

A friend asked:  "How did you come to where you are now instead of remaining in the Roman Catholic Church?"

My answer:
I was a serious Catholic.
I went to confess my sins to a priest and every time I sensed that I have sinned, there was a burden in my heart, and my conscience alerted me that I had a blackened heart, and there is an awareness of danger that if ever I would die, I might be thrown into hell.  So I would hurry to the next chance to confess my sins.

One day, I was so tired, timid, ashamed of going to confession that led me into thinking, "There must be a better way"

I even prayed to an image of Jesus, and I said, "Please help me know how all my sins will be forgiven and be sure that I will go to heaven when I die."

One day, someone approached me, telling me that all my sins can be forgiven, past, present and future, if I would just receive Christ into my heart because although I know Christ, He was outside my life.

That illustration stuck in my mind.

After many years, I was alone in my room, and I took Christ at His word.  I told him "Lord, if I have never truly received you before, now I am making it firm, please come to my heart and be my Savior"  From that moment, I knew that Christ truly came.  I look around and observed the room if there will be some light or sound that will show me that Christ was with me, but nothing of that sort happened.  So I just told myself, even if no physical thing happened, Christ is in the Spirit and I know He is now in my heart.

I have always loved reading books, but this time reading the Bible was different because it talked to me as if I was being personally instructed and I can relate the experiences written there.  Then I was immersed by Pastor Abante Sr. and since then I always visited his library.  I read the books of John Rice, Charles Spurgeon, and the booklets of Leroy Shelton.  Somehow, the books of Spurgeon made sense to me although it was in hard English.  It was on those books that I learned how Christ was sent of the Father according to the scriptures, they showed me how Jesus, as the only begotten Son of God died for me as my substitute to cover all my sins with His blood.

Because all of those teachings were in Scriptures, I readily understood them and believed on the Lord Jesus Christ as my substitute.

Another preacher came and told me that I am not saved by the sinner's prayer, but by the sacrifice of Christ alone, and I believed that, because it is in scripture.

Another preacher and another book explained to me some more about how I have no part in my salvation, but God planned it before the foundation of the world.  And so I give glory to God all the more because He chose me to be saved.

SOUL WINNING EXPERIENCE

LAST FRIDAY

I asked a Catholic how he deals with criticism of the Black Nazarene. He said, "it hurts him personally"

Then I showed him a verse from scripture.  Exodus 20:4-5

I asked him if he understood the verse. Then I asked him if he would follow God's instructions to him, God being his creator and he is only a creature.

He reasoned, "But, isn't it also good to follow where you have been brought up, the traditions of your community and family, which does not hurt anyone?"

Then I asked him again if he understood that it was God himself speaking in that passage.  He said "Yes"

So I said, "Now you are telling me or you are thinking, that both can be true, even if they are contrary to each other?  Isn't that not reasonable?  God says don't make, don't bow, don't serve; and traditions and family says, it is ok and good, so let us make, let us bow, let us serve"

Now you have to make to make a choice.  Will you follow the truth?  Will you follow God's command?  Or, will you follow your own understanding, religion, and family tradition?

If you follow your own way, your family, your tradition, then you are free to do it, but you must also know, that God said the opposite of what you want to do.

But more than this issue, Christ died on the cross for sinners, and you are a sinner. John 3:16 tells us - Christ is the only way you can have eternal life, forgiveness of sins, and to enjoy God forever. You must trust Christ alone and turn away from trusting all other names and things in your life.

Do you understand this?