How did you become a Christian?

[Neostarwcc]

I'm curious about how many people here on CF came to be Christians. As to how I became a Christian It's hard to really explain. I was raised Catholic as a boy and never really fell through with the faith. I despised going to church, I quit Sunday school and I never got my confirmation. When I was in my 20's I became an Atheist by listening to the many points of the comedian George Carlin. It wasn't until I was 27 that I finally became a Christian although I felt the Lord calling me for years. I kept going to websites on the afterlife, wondering what life after death would be like.

Finally, I came across a couple of Christian websites that said Jesus was the way to salvation. I believed in Jesus ever since I was very little. My mother would tell me stories about Jesus as a little boy. So one day, I decided to give it a shot. I prayed to Jesus and told him that I had accepted him as my Lord and Savior. I won't tell the rest of the story for fear of persecution but yeah, I believed in God after that and I believe that was the day I got saved.

 

[brinny]

it was a long journey for me. At first, i prayed to be saved because i didn't want to go to hell. I was haunted by this. I thought that if i sinned i had messed up my salvation, and i'd go to hell. It was hell-ish and it haunted me because i was a what i call, and "addictive cuss-er" and before i knew it i had cussed and i would beg for forgiveness because i was convinced i was gonna go to hell.

Ok, it's a long story, but God's grace interceded and eventually i was solid in the reality that God is my heavenly Father and i am reeeeeally His daughter. it was when i absorbed God being my Father that healing began in my heart and soul.

Then the real journey began.

 

[Danthemailman]

I was also raised Roman Catholic, but never heard a clear presentation of the gospel while attending the Roman Catholic church during my youth. I finally came to receive Jesus Christ through faith several years ago on a late Saturday night. About a month prior to that, my mother in law had passed away and I was thinking very seriously about the afterlife. Soon after she had passed away, I remember asking Jesus Christ that whatever it takes to get me to heaven, just put the answer right in front of my face so that I will know with absolute assurance here is the answer and now it's up to me to accept the truth.

I had no assurance of salvation prior to my conversion because I was trusting in works for salvation and not in Christ alone. Also, just prior to my conversion, I had read through a gospel tract that really caught my attention which led me to thoroughly search through the Scriptures. I knew the Lord was drawing me. Finally, after reading through the book of Romans and eventually the book of Ephesians, I came to Ephesians 2:8,9 and that's when the light came on! I had then placed my faith (belief, trust, reliance) in Christ alone for salvation and knew without a doubt that I had become born again! Praise the Lord!

I remember over the years how several people had tried to explain the gospel to me, but at that time the truth just went right over my head, but right after my conversion, I could look back and say, "that's what he meant, that's what she meant, that's what they meant!" I finally get it!

On Sunday morning, I was water baptized at a Baptist church where some friends of ours attended and I gave about a 5-10 minute testimony just before I was baptized on how I had finally come to receive Christ through faith, but in the past had been trusting in works for salvation and had previously attended two different churches that falsely taught salvation by works.

*1 John 5:11 - And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

 

[Adstar]

I became a Christian when i was in my early 20's .. I had a friend at work and we started to discuss God.. He offered to give me a Bible and so i accepted.. Then i read the Bible from start to finish.. By the time i finished it i was a Christian.. The Word of God is powerful.. It is Awesome..

Hebrews 4: KJV
"12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

 

[Neostarwcc]

I was also raised Roman Catholic, but never heard a clear presentation of the gospel while attending the Roman Catholic church during my youth. I finally came to receive Jesus Christ through faith several years ago on a late Saturday night. About a month prior to that, my mother in law had passed away and I was thinking very seriously about the afterlife. Soon after she had passed away, I remember asking Jesus Christ that whatever it takes to get me to heaven, just put the answer right in front of my face so that I will know with absolute assurance here is the answer and now it's up to me to accept the truth.

I had no assurance of salvation prior to my conversion because I was trusting in works for salvation and not in Christ alone. Also, just prior to my conversion, I had read through a gospel tract that really caught my attention which led me to thoroughly search through the Scriptures. I knew the Lord was drawing me. Finally, after reading through the book of Romans and eventually the book of Ephesians, I came to Ephesians 2:8,9 and that's when the light came on! I had then placed my faith (belief, trust, reliance) in Christ alone for salvation and knew without a doubt that I had become born again! Praise the Lord!

I remember over the years how several people had tried to explain the gospel to me, but at that time the truth just went right over my head, but right after my conversion, I could look back and say, "that's what he meant, that's what she meant, that's what they meant!" I finally get it!

On Sunday morning, I was water baptized at a Baptist church where some friends of ours attended and I gave about a 5-10 minute testimony just before I was baptized on how I had finally come to receive Christ through faith, but in the past had been trusting in works for salvation and had previously attended two different churches that falsely taught salvation by works.

*1 John 5:11 - And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

It's weird how most of us start out Roman Catholic and then convert. Some never leave the faith like my mom and her parents. It's interesting that you read the Bible and then became saved. I didn't even touch a Bible until I was a year or so in my Christian walk. So I didn't even know what was even in the Bible before I became a Christian. As an Atheist I read part of Genesis online laughed at how stupid it was and never looked at a bible again for a while.

 

[Aimz]

I blessedly grew up around the faith and was baptised as a teen - shortly after backslid till mid 20’s came back to God after swimming and drowning in depression, suicidal thoughts, paganism and tarot. Stuck close to Him ever since. Now my special interest is the protestant reformation not runes and my philosophy is more Hebrew than Greek.

 

[Adstar]

It's weird how most of us start out Roman Catholic and then convert.

Yes i was raised a catholic too.. I am glad i read the Bible and was freed from that religion

 

[Neostarwcc]

Yes i was raised a catholic too.. I am glad i read the Bible and was freed from that religion

Why if you don't mind me asking? Do you think Catholics are not saved?

 

[Stabat Mater dolorosa]

It's sad to see how much negative theology there is in here at times.
Basing ones personal faith om hatred towards the Catholic church makes little or no sense to a rational mind.

I read the bible as a lutheran and as a nondenominational, but never ever have I read as much in it as I do now as a Catholic.

Be careful not to generalize to much and fall into pride.

 

[Adstar]

Why if you don't mind me asking? Do you think Catholics are not saved?

They are a works salvation religion which rejects the sufficiency of the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ to cover ones sins.. Doing penance and spending time in purgatory after ones death to pay for ones own sins are both doctrines that deny the sufficiency of what Jesus did to pay the price for all our sins.. And that's just the tip of the iceberg as far as unbiblical doctrines that at in the teachings of the catholic church..

I cannot believe anyone could read the beatitudes speech of Jesus on the mount and remain a catholic.. It boggles the mind.. But people in this world never ceases to amaze me..

 

[Stabat Mater dolorosa]

Amusing subforum well it's not my haven so I'll leave. Enjoy judging us catholics cause as we all know that's the biblical approach isn't it, lol.

 

[Danthemailman]

It's weird how most of us start out Roman Catholic and then convert. Some never leave the faith like my mom and her parents. It's interesting that you read the Bible and then became saved. I didn't even touch a Bible until I was a year or so in my Christian walk. So I didn't even know what was even in the Bible before I became a Christian. As an Atheist I read part of Genesis online laughed at how stupid it was and never looked at a bible again for a while.

My parents, along with most of my family have remained Roman Catholic and don't have much to do with me since I became a Christian. My older brother is in the same boat with me. In Romans 10:17, we read that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Prior to my conversion, I had a hard time understanding the Bible as a young Roman Catholic. After my conversion, the Bible became alive to me and I read the Old Testament twice and the New Testament eight times within a year after my conversion. I was so hungry for God's word as a new believer that I couldn't get enough!

 

[Stabat Mater dolorosa]

.

 

[Neostarwcc]

Amusing subforum well it's not my haven so I'll leave. Enjoy judging us catholics cause as we all know that's the biblical approach isn't it, lol.

I wasn't trying to bash or judge Catholics. I'm sorry if it came off that way.

My parents, along with most of my family have remained Roman Catholic and don't have much to do with me since I became a Christian. My older brother is in the same boat with me. In Romans 10:17, we read that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Prior to my conversion, I had a hard time understanding the Bible as a young Roman Catholic. After my conversion, the Bible became alive to me and I read the Old Testament twice and the New Testament eight times within a year after my conversion. I was so hungry for God's word as a new believer that I couldn't get enough!

So they disowned you? That's sad. My mother was okay with me leaving the Catholic church. She was pretty much okay with anything as long as I didn't become a Satanist.

 

[Neostarwcc]

They are a works salvation religion which rejects the sufficiency of the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ to cover ones sins.. Doing penance and spending time in purgatory after ones death to pay for ones own sins are both doctrines that deny the sufficiency of what Jesus did to pay the price for all our sins.. And that's just the tip of the iceberg as far as unbiblical doctrines that at in the teachings of the catholic church..

I cannot believe anyone could read the beatitudes speech of Jesus on the mount and remain a catholic.. It boggles the mind.. But people in this world never ceases to amaze me..

I left the Catholic church because I didn't agree with most of their teachings. I still believe they are saved like the rest of us though. Because, they believe in Jesus and rely on him for salvation. Faith is what saves us, not getting doctrine 100% correct like I stated in another thread.

 

[Stabat Mater dolorosa]

@mmbattlestar
Your post wasn't the one I reacted to
God bless.

 

[Neostarwcc]

@mmbattlestar
Your post wasn't the one I reacted to
God bless.

Oh, okay.

 

[brinny]

God bless us, ev'ry one

 

[paul1149]

I was raised in a pre-Vatican II Catholic family that wasn't very religious. My dad read the Bible on his own occasionally, but kept his thoughts about it to himself. He did say a couple of times that it was a good book, but I think he felt constrained by the way things were back then, including in his own family, not to speak out against the prevailing authorities.

I had eight years of RC elementary school. Catechism answers were drilled into us daily by rote, but I left without a firm foundation in the simplicity of the Gospel. But at an early age I did love Jesus in my heart, and that would come back to help me later on.

I drifted into agnosticism and then atheism when I came to my know-it-all adulthood. But then a series of tragedies started me on a quest for God. The eastern religions, the the JWs, who introduced me to the Bible, and then finally Jesus Himself broke on my horizon. It was not without turmoil and pain, and it took a long time, but I finally connected to that love I once had in my heart for Jesus. It was always there, but buried under a lot of junk.

 

[Phil 1:21]

It appears a lot of us have a similar testimony about being raised in a church with we never connected only to later come to Christ after seeing the truth in His word.