SALVATION TESTIMONIES

By God’s Grace

I had been brought up in a Christian home from young. But being brought up in a Christian home does not make a person saved. This fact, by God’s grace, I have been blessed to learn and appreciate over time.

For Christians in my shoes, it is very easy to take for granted the many stories one hears while growing up in Sunday school. It literally becomes a one-ear-in-one-ear-out situation. Bible stories begin to seem mundane. Sunday school just simply becomes a routine.

As I grew older, the Christian way of life becomes so familiar that Biblical concepts and teachings seem passe and out of date. “Is this even relevant anymore?” becomes the first question that comes to mind when reading Bible passages. “Philosophy XYZ handles this situation so much better” becomes a second statement following the first.

As I look back and take stock on my life and the friends I had around me, I realize that I have lost count on the number of Christians who have experienced the same feelings and who have eventually fallen away from the faith. It is a sad thing to recount these examples.

But as I recount these past experiences, I am also reminded of the many others who are still faithfully serving the Lord and their faith is even stronger than before.

Lately, there have been many worldly challenges that have come my way. Gone now are the carefree days of my youth. I now say hello
to the countless hardships and uncertainties that pave the way forward. I cannot see the way ahead as the storms darken the sky. I am constantly discouraged by the obstacles that block my way.

As I endure these hardships, I am increasingly grateful that I have learnt the stories and lessons of the Bible in my youth. They now are my constant guide and comfort in a struggle-filled world. Truly God’s Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Through God’s precepts I have gained much knowledge and understanding.

Every day I continue to pray for more faith, and more avenues which I can use to lean and trust in God. May God grant my family and me the courage, ability and commitment to serve Him in more ways than I normally can. Ian G.

He Gives More Grace

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Rom 8:28). This verse is constantly in my head as I reminisce my journey in seeking Christ.

I lived in Surabaya, Indonesia for a few years when I was young before relocating to Singapore due to my father’s passing. I was only 4 then, and life had changed dramatically for my family. I remember that Psalm 23 was the psalm carved onto my father’s niche. I never understood its meaning until years later.

God planted many of His people in our midst from the beginning. My mother brought us to church, I suspect it was only because her friends who were staunch Christians urged her to do so. While she was an unbeliever, she brought my brother and me to Sunday School at a nearby Methodist Church. In later years of primary school, I had a friend who prayed with us and even started a cell group. Perhaps it was peer pressure or the desire for a sense of belonging instead of true faith that prompted me to join them. In secondary school, we encountered Christian groups trying to witness to us. There were “Christian performances” we watched, but we gradually drifted away from church and stopped attending.

Throughout the years of growing up, I had never stopped wondering about the purpose of my existence and why such unfortunate circumstances had to happen to my family. My mother remained very bitter about her plight while she channeled her energy into working very hard and expected the same of us. Good academic results were our ultimate goal; so there was little time for leisure or TV. During JC, the questioning became more significant and I wondered if the answer was that a Creator was at work, determining what was to come. I remained in the darkness, but it was not to be.

The turning point came in University when a friend warmly invited me to his church. Having been to charismatic services and encountering overzealous Christians, I was reluctant. However, he mentioned that no one was going to ask me to speak or stand or make me uncomfortable. It was a small, Reformed congregation that I met that very Sunday, and I experienced an unspeakable peace in my heart. I couldn’t explain it, but the peace gave me the desire to continue attending the church. Soon, I fellowshipped with the girls of the church who warmly welcomed me to their pew. Singing psalms, listening to the preaching, studying the Bible, praying, gave me much joy I had never experienced. Finally I understood more about my purpose in life, the sin and struggles of mankind and the deep yearning to learn the truth. As I learnt more about Christ bearing my sins on the cross, God’s boundless mercy and grace, I also saw the love of Christ in His people. The church family became a family of mine. Their encouragement, prayers, answers to my questions and Bible studies helped me grow spiritually.

Looking back, it was evident that God always had a plan for me. He moulded me through the hard and seemingly impossible times. He is constantly refining me through the many struggles, scars, worries and burdens. One of my favourite hymns is “He Giveth More Grace” by Annie J Flint. Indeed, “His love has no limits, His grace has no measure, His power has no boundary known unto men; For out of His infinite riches in Jesus, He giveth and giveth and giveth again.” Tan EJ

God Is So Powerful to Save

I was born into a Christian home in 2005 as the youngest of a family of five. I am 13 this year and I have two siblings. I don’t recall it, but I know that my family attended True Life B-P Church and my parents were serving in the church. I was baptized just before I turned one month old at the Easter Sunrise Service at Labrador Park by Rev Tow.

My family left for Germany in August 2007, and there we attended Rhein Valley Baptist Church. I liked the church and made friends with many other children there. I attended a German kindergarten and learned some German by listening to others speak at the age of three. When I turned four, I went to the International School of Frankfurt. I soon became fluent in German and was talking German to my friends. We moved back in July 2009 and my siblings and I were enrolled in the German European School Singapore.

I was saved sometime between the ages of three and four, when my mother asked me many questions about Christianity, and I understood and believed that day. An incident that showed I believed was when I was five. I was sick with a fever and woke up in the middle of the night. I woke my mother and asked her to pray for me. After she prayed, I was very happy and was peaceful. I also witnessed to our helper and told her that she needed to believe in order to get to heaven. More recently, in 2016, I came back from camp with a very high fever. It was God’s chastisement for not keeping close with Him. I wasn’t reading my Bible every day and I wasn’t really praying much either. Thank God that He brought me back to Him through this sickness.

But even now, I still sometimes doubt my salvation. Please pray that I will not doubt God anymore. I know that I doubt God because my faith is very weak but God is so powerful that He can save us from sin and eternity in hell. I believe that God is holy and without sin. I know that all of us, including me, have sinned against God and are condemned to hell. But thank God that He sent His only begotten Son Jesus to die for all of our sins, to be buried, and to rise from the dead to save us from our sins. 1 Corinthians 15:55: “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” Thank God for this gift and how that once we are saved, we will always be saved. All praise and glory be to God! Tai EE

Thank God for Saving Me

I grew up in a Christian family and was exposed to all the Bible stories, Christian songs and went to church every Sunday. I had a lot of exposure to Christianity. I used to think that these Christian stories were just stories with morals behind them. I lived my life thinking I was a Christian, yet never actually thinking about whether I was even a sinner.

There was once I attended Sunday School lesson in Primary 2 when the teacher talked about how if we are not truly saved, we are bound for hell. That lesson really got me thinking deeply, not only about how hell will be like but also about how to prevent myself from going to that place. I thought about how only people who never break the Ten Commandments or sin in their lives will not go to hell. That made me realise that sinners will go to hell and I was definitely one! I also realised how bad a sinner I was and prayed the sinner’s prayer and accepted Jesus into my life as my personal Lord and Saviour.

Since then, there was a huge impact in my life. Every time I do something wrong, I would feel guilty, and know that I have sinned. Thank God for saving me! Ryan C.

He Is a Merciful God

I was very blessed to be born into a Christian family and going to church was part of my routine each week. I always enjoyed the Bible lessons at church but I was not saved. I never really thought about salvation.

A few years ago, I suddenly thought about my salvation and started wondering if I was really saved. I realised that I did not really believe and I repented of my sins and accepted Jesus Christ as my Saviour. Even though I often fall into temptation, God always brought me back to Him.

I pray that God will help me to grow spiritually and to obey Him because He is a merciful God. All glory be unto God! Hannah C.