How I was saved

[Stinker]

At a time in my life when I was totally broken emotionally and spiritually, I decided to give God a try. I went and bought a re-lettered edition Bible and began reading the New Testament beginning with the 4 Gospels. I had absolutely no Bible teaching so I did not even attempt the black/white pages. Just the section where Jesus's words were in red. There was something that came over me that I will always remember. It was like a source of real strength and enlightenment I had never before experienced. I have never been the same since that short time. Much later on I determined it was what Jesus called the 'new birth' .

After I finished with John's Gospel I went to a church that I knew emphasized baptism because I was extremely eager to get into church. I really wanted to get in on Matthew 28:19 where Jesus said to be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I was so new I didn't even realize that the church I chose to baptize me taught that I was not born-again till I came up out of the water.

I stayed with that church and it's teaching only till lately. After debating at this site my memory came back to jar me. I was arguing against my very own born-again experience! I did give 'the other side' a fair hearing and I examined the scriptures as they were trying to show me. All this revealed that my 'experience' back then was an actual 'born-again' experience, contrary to what I had been taught in this church.

Since all this occurred here it does lay to rest, for me, the horrible thought of dying with the belief that I 'more than likely' am saved, or, 'pretty sure' I'll make it into heaven. You don't ever want to have those kinds of thoughts on your mind at that time....ever!

Now I have confidence like I did back then and I know I will finish this race as a winner.

 

[minisam]

At a time in my life when I was totally broken emotionally and spiritually, I decided to give God a try. I went and bought a re-lettered edition Bible and began reading the New Testament beginning with the 4 Gospels. I had absolutely no Bible teaching so I did not even attempt the black/white pages. Just the section where Jesus's words were in red. There was something that came over me that I will always remember. It was like a source of real strength and enlightenment I had never before experienced. I have never been the same since that short time. Much later on I determined it was what Jesus called the 'new birth' .

After I finished with John's Gospel I went to a church that I knew emphasized baptism because I was extremely eager to get into church. I really wanted to get in on Matthew 28:19 where Jesus said to be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I was so new I didn't even realize that the church I chose to baptize me taught that I was not born-again till I came up out of the water.

I stayed with that church and it's teaching only till lately. After debating at this site my memory came back to jar me. I was arguing against my very own born-again experience! I did give 'the other side' a fair hearing and I examined the scriptures as they were trying to show me. All this revealed that my 'experience' back then was an actual 'born-again' experience, contrary to what I had been taught in this church.

Since all this occurred here it does lay to rest, for me, the horrible thought of dying with the belief that I 'more than likely' am saved, or, 'pretty sure' I'll make it into heaven. You don't ever want to have those kinds of thoughts on your mind at that time....ever!

Now I have confidence like I did back then and I know I will finish this race as a winner.

AMEN. I'm so happy for you! I have a long testimony that I'm planning on tryping up soon and it is very similar to your experience. I pray that God will continue to lead you in a closer relationship to Him! God Bless You!!!