Baptism

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Anna><>
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Baptism

Post by Anna><> »

Have you been baptized yet? If so when did you get baptized? And why?

I told my pastor today that I'd like to get baptized and I'm really happy about that. It'll be in less than a month. It's pretty exciting actually.
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Post by American Eagle »

I'm glad for you, Anna! :D

I remember getting baptized at our old church. It was on a Sunday night and we had a special potluck afterwards. \:D/
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Mark Prescott
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Post by Mark Prescott »

I'm baptized. (No, I wasn't baptized at birth) It's funny you mention that, our church just had a beach baptism yesterday. :headscratch:
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Post by Termite »

My dad baptized me in the neighborhood pool. :yes:
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Post by Sapphire »

I was baptized when I was eight years old.
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ric
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Post by ric »

I got baptized like.....when I was 8 I believe. I had this like month long preparation thing, but the only thing I remember about it was that this lady took us to get ice cream while we talked about.....stuff I don't really remember.
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Anna><>
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Post by Anna><> »

Ok guys, I REALLY need some help right now with my testimony. I've been a Christian since I was 5 years old. I don't really remember the exact moment I asked Jesus to come into my heart and save me from my sins but I know I prayed with my mom. Since then nothing really major has happened in my life. I have had almost an ideal life. I mean, I was raised in a Christian family and nobody died or anything extreme like that ever happened during my life. Obviously I still sinned and not everything was perfect all the time, but I just don't know what to say... I don't remember what my life was like before I became a Christian so I can't really say there was a complete change that I noticed in my life. So now I'm just stressed. I have 4 days to write a one page, size 12 font, double spaced testimony. Do any of you have any suggestions for what I should do??
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Whitty Whit
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Post by Whitty Whit »

Anna, what I would do is just say what I can. Ask your mom and see if she remembers stuff you don't. Write what you know. :yes: Pray about it and ask God if He would help you on this testimony paper. Tell the truth about yourself. And a testimony is not exactly what happened in the late past. Tell about what you've been doing in devotions and stuff like that. Tell about your relationship with God. That's what I would do.


Oh yeah. I've been baptized. I was about 7 or 8.
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Post by American Eagle »

Anna><> wrote:Ok guys, I REALLY need some help right now with my testimony. I've been a Christian since I was 5 years old. I don't really remember the exact moment I asked Jesus to come into my heart and save me from my sins but I know I prayed with my mom. Since then nothing really major has happened in my life. I have had almost an ideal life. I mean, I was raised in a Christian family and nobody died or anything extreme like that ever happened during my life. Obviously I still sinned and not everything was perfect all the time, but I just don't know what to say... I don't remember what my life was like before I became a Christian so I can't really say there was a complete change that I noticed in my life. So now I'm just stressed. I have 4 days to write a one page, size 12 font, double spaced testimony. Do any of you have any suggestions for what I should do??
I have come across the same problem; I can't really remember when I was saved. Like you said, though, I know that I'm saved. Being able to describe the time can be difficult without much information. Whitty Whit's suggestion of asking your mom if she remembers anything is good. Another thing you could do is focus on Jesus. Testimonies don't all have to be, "Well, I did x, y and z and now I'm saved." You could tell how powerful God is, how thankful you are for His salvation, etc.
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Post by The Top Crusader »

OR you can make up a life of crime that you were saved from at the age of 5--that's what I did! \:D/

But you should probably wrap it up with something serious or they might drown you. >_>
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Post by Dr. Watson »

Anna><> wrote:Ok guys, I REALLY need some help right now with my testimony. I've been a Christian since I was 5 years old. I don't really remember the exact moment I asked Jesus to come into my heart and save me from my sins but I know I prayed with my mom. Since then nothing really major has happened in my life. I have had almost an ideal life. I mean, I was raised in a Christian family and nobody died or anything extreme like that ever happened during my life. Obviously I still sinned and not everything was perfect all the time, but I just don't know what to say... I don't remember what my life was like before I became a Christian so I can't really say there was a complete change that I noticed in my life. So now I'm just stressed. I have 4 days to write a one page, size 12 font, double spaced testimony. Do any of you have any suggestions for what I should do??
You are not alone, Anna. I have a similar testimony, except perhaps even worse. I remember praying with my mom when I was little--maybe 7 or so. I do remember understanding the gospel for the first time then, so that's a plus. But after a couple of years, my parents were seeing fruits in my life that were concerning. They brought that to my attention and asked if I was truly saved--so I prayed to accept Christ again. That was when I was 11 or 12. However, during my early to middle teens I had zero assurance of salvation. I was very much consumed by fear and was constantly afraid that I had not really "meant" my profession of Christ. I spent years like this. :( Through a number of circumstances, God has given me assurance of salvation.

When did the Lord save me? I haven't the foggiest. Honestly, I don't. :o Which bothers me some, due to the fact that in the Scripture, salvation is referred to a "new birth", a definite, concrete time. Also, it seems like every salvation story in Scripture is pretty clear cut. Take the Apostle Paul, or the Phillipian jailer, or the Ethiopian eunuch. All of them have great testimonies. But where does that leave me? I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ; I trust His work on the cross; I rest completely in His grace, not my own efforts. I have made a decision to follow His will, not my own sinful will. God has given me an affection for Him. All these indicate to me that He has saved me. But when did He? Again, I don't know. Was it the first time I prayed? The second time? Sometime after that? Only God knows.

I also agree that it is hard to see the fruit of salvation in your life because you have always been raised in a Christian family. I am the same way. While I rejoice in the fact that I have been raised in a Christian home, it makes it difficult to see a change that salvation brings. It is unlike an atheist, or axe murderer, or tribal cannibal being saved because in those instances, it is obvious what happened. In your life and mine, not so much. :)

I would echo what American Eagle said: focus on Jesus Christ. If you truly love Him and have been saved by His grace, it should show in your testimony. :D Also, I would be honest about the fact that you don't know when you were saved. God isn't a cookie cutter God who always gives dramatic salvation experiences to people that they remember the date of for the rest of their life. Sometimes, many times, He saves in quiet, inconspicuous ways. In fact, I would count it a blessing that you don't know when He saved you, because that means you are not necessarily trusting in a "day" or "moment" or "one certain prayer" but trusting in the fact that NOW you are resting in the finished work of Christ.


Hope this helps,
Dr. Watson
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Post by Elrohir »

It's not important to remember the date of your salvation. Whoever believes in Jesus is saved. That's present tense. If you believe now, that's all that matters. Emphasis should not be placed on times and places in the past.
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Anna><>
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Post by Anna><> »

Thanks guys for all your advice. It really helped a lot.

I'm so excited to get baptized tomorrow! And I'm getting a couple of my friends to come. One of them isn't a Christian, so could you pray that through my testimony that she might become saved or that it will at least plant some seeds in her heart.

Thanks.
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