Recently a Baptist man contacted us and was upset about a testing we did of his modern pastor brother ,even though it was all biblical and in truth. From that discussion we had, he sent us his own audio testimony that he gave before a group of Baptist people in their Sunday gathering. After listening to it, I felt led to do this article on what a biblical testimony is and what it is not.
First, let me give you a description of the testimony he gave as it is a VERY common one we hear often from people who are deceived by man made religion. Then we will discuss a biblical testimony below.
1) He said he was a Christian his whole life because he believed in Jesus and his Baptist parents always took him to church when the doors were open.
2) When he was 17 he walked an aisle and prayed to accept Jesus.
3) He joined the marines and rather then going into the bible study groups there, he went into drinking alcohol/ drunken-ness.
4) As an adult he got more into alcohol and anger. It ruined his life / several marriages ( he was even arrested once over it ) and he became dependent on booze and he could not find a way to stop it. He admitted his Baptist family, preacher brother and Baptist faith never gave him the help /tools nor did any of them have the words or guidance to correct his issues.
5) His third wife convinced him to try a program called Celebrate Recovery ( CR ) and after months of going to it, he eventually learned how to control his problem via his relationships there.
6) He says he is still an alcoholic (though dry for 2 years) and is tempted to drink today still if he doesn't call someone.
7) He believes that in using their CR program ( some faith mixed with man made counseling ways ) he believes he will over come drinking now and has the tools to do so.
8) He wants to be in ministry to help others with his story.
That was the crux of his testimony ........ that is it!
While we are glad he has learned to control his drinking, I am very concerned that he may not be a true biblical Christian. Let's test his testimony point by point then go to God's Word and see what it teaches about true salvation. Below are biblical facts matched to the points above for a teaching moment for us all.
*1 ) You don't become a Christian by just believing in Jesus, going to church all the time or having good Baptist parents. He believed that meant he was a believer but, this does not save you.
*2) You do not become a child of God by praying to accept Jesus
That is NOT a biblical salvation story and it does not save you.
*3) Going off into carnality and sin is NOT the fruit your of God. This does not show you have the Holy Spirit / hope of salvation.
*4) Living for decades in sin and drunken-ness is more good evidence you're not born of God.
This does not show you have His Spirit or the hope of salvation in you.
*5) Getting off drugs or alcohol is great but, it is NOT the evidence God is in you as a child of God.
Being dry does NOT mean you're of God nor does it save your soul.
*6) If you believe you can fall into alcoholism at any moment, this is NOT evidence that you are a NEW creation in Christ.
*7) Over coming drinking is wonderful but that does NOT mean you have been born of God.
*8) Going into the same unbiblical ministry that failed you is foolish.
Folks lets be honest here.
This common testimony story is just another sad example of man made religion ( CR is an invention of false teacher Rick Warren's church / see links below ) and its false gospel, unbiblical messages mixed with feel good counseling does NOT help a man with his greatest need........ salvation before a Holy God!
Nothing in this man's testimony matches up to God's Word as biblical salvation per the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Let me show you quickly the gospel per God's Word that brings a man eternal life to come.
1) Faith in Christ and His Work on the cross. Ephesians 2:8-9
2) Repentance ... a turning of your mind then life from all your sin to God's Holy Ways. Luke 13:3
3) Begin born again...God promises a new heart and mind or you will NEVER see heaven. John 3:3
4) The fruit you're born of God is that you obey in holiness His Word in all your ways which means you leave false man made religion like the Baptist's. Hebrews 5:9 John 14:15
5) You MUST endure in that faith and God's Ways as fruit your of Him to your end or you have believed in vain. see 1 Corinthians 15 and Matthew 24
Go here to listen to or read the biblical gospel off of our website to see how far it is from these unbiblical testimonies we often hear:
https://www.dontperish.com/the-gospel.html
Now, let me give you a brief biblical testimony how a man found the hope of eternal life in Christ and now he is striving in it daily.
1) He went through his life doing religious ways, believing in God but was NOT born again child of God though it all.
2) When he was a teen, he too walked an aisle and said a prayer to accept Jesus, but he was STILL not a born again child of God.
(See the article below why accepting Jesus in NOT biblical.)
3) He got caught up in all kinds of sin as a young man and without being born of God ( just religious ) he had NO help to battle them.
4) He got worse as he aged and nothing from his faith or religious background could stop the massive sin in his life he was lost and headed for hell.
5) Someone finally preached the biblical gospel to him and he took the faith he had in Christ, was convicted deep in his soul, he saw though his false religious ways. Then cried out to God and repented and the Lord did a work in him and he was BORN AGAIN ........a new man!
6) While he will always wrestle with his flesh, he NO longer calls himself a sinner but a Child of God. And the closer he obeys and walks with God in holiness ( stripping himself down to leave all false, sinful, worldly ways ) the more power he as to live a holy and pure life according to the scriptures God gave us.
7) He now lives per God's Word, he left his false religious denominational system that failed him, he preaches the biblical gospel to all and he gives Jesus Christ the glory for saving his soul if he remains firm in his faith to the end as Christ commanded we do.
8) He now longs to live holy for God, study the Word and obey it, preach the biblical gospel and expose the man made false ways of man made religion, that almost cost him his soul!
Do you see the HUGE difference between that powerful biblical testimony I just gave you and the weak unbiblical Baptist testimony I shared with you?
The Baptist testimony above was really all about leaving one addiction / sin ( drinking ) and it NEVER addressed his real need and his biblical salvation from ALL of his other sinful ways that included false man made religion that failed him. Like a blind man falling into a hole many times, sadly he is still in that Baptist system today.
On love I say this. That man was deceived by the false Baptist accept Jesus system and he is going to hell unless he is born again. He is also deceiving others by passing on to them his false testimony. That is how man made religion is propagated, one lie handed down to the next person and on it goes!
Please.....do not be one of these deceived people. Test yourself!
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
2 Corinthians 13:5
See if you are truly in the faith via the biblical gospel? The obey and live out God's Word fully as fruit your His.
This 10 point test will help you:
https://www.dontperish.com/10-point-biblical-test.html
It is true, godly love tells the truth.
If you do not proclaim in your testimony that you are BORN OF GOD, that is a lot like never talking to or about your wife or children because, you don't even have a wife or children!
You are lying to yourself ( and modern pastors are lying to you ) and you are thus deceived.
Jesus said you MUST be born again to see God's kingdom so why are so many just playing religion? It is because man made Sunday denominational religion ( like Baptist ) is lying to you each week about what it is to be a true heaven bound Christian.
Here are those article links that will help you in truth on this topic:
https://www.dontperish.com/youve-been-lied-to.html
http://spiritandtruthdiscernment.blogspot.com/2017/07/accepting-jesus-is-not-biblical.html
http://spiritandtruthdiscernment.blogspot.com/2016/08/beware-celebrate-recovery-exposed-rick.html
Once you're born of God, you will grow in His truth and you will then COME OUT OF man made religion as it is not of God and like this man it is deceiving millions.
And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
2 Corinthians 6See the biblical resources below and let us know how we can help you?
God be praised
www.dontperish.com
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Here is the biblical gospel:
Here is a 10 point biblical test:
Spirit and Truth Teaching Blog http://spiritandtruthdiscernment.blogspot.com/
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