Friday, January 8, 2021

As a disciple of Jesus Christ, I wanted to write my testimony of the truth of God and the glorious salvation He has worked in my life. As it explains in Ephesians 2, I was born dead in my sins, I hated God (Romans 8). Even though I was raised in a Christian home, my parents' faith could never cover the sin in my heart. Even though I was walking in my rebellion against God, I was very young and I had never committed what most people consider terrible sins. But even what we consider small sins, are cosmic treason, disobeying the commands of Almighty God. I went to Church with my family, I joined them as they did ministry, but that could never change the fact that I was still at enmity with God. I am not sure of the exact day of my salvation, but I can testify to the grace of God that has changed my life. As it explains in Romans 3, in my sinful nature I never saught for God. But in His grace, God saved me. None of my works could ever reconcile me to God. Even my righteous deeds were as filthy rags in the sight of God because He is absolutely Holy and Righteous. As fallen men, we are incapable of doing anything that can earn us favor with God. But God is so gracious and merciful. Before the foundation of the world, my Creator God chose me to be His child. I was born a child of Adam and a child of the Devil, and apart from the grace of God, that is how I would have stayed for all eternity. But in His great mercy, God came to me as I was dead in my sins and raised me to new life in Christ. God gave me the gifts of repentance and faith. God the Father predestined me for salvation, and adopted me as His child. God the Son died for me and saved me from my sin through His sacrifice on the cross. God the Holy Spirit dwells within me, leads me into all truth, and sanctifies me. In my life, though I stumble and fall, I know that my salvation does not rest on my works, but it is through the finished work of Christ on the cross. Jesus is enough for me. I do good works because I seek to please Him and because of God's working through me, but my works do not earn me favor with God, they are rather an outpouring of my gratitude to Him. I rest in the finished work of my Savior in my place. Religion could never save me and I could never be righteous on my own, but I stand before God justified and righteous in His sight because the righteousness of Christ has been imputed to me by grace. As a sinner saved by grace, I praise the Eternal Triune God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I rest in the finished work of Christ in my place, He is everything to me, and for all eternity, I, a humble creature will forever worship the Only True God. I testify to these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.