Pastor Blogs - Do you have a testimony?

A Christian's Testimony:

Many of you want to know how to write a testimony. You can use the following outline to communicate the good news of how the Lord has saved you and changed you for His glory (Romans 11:33-36).

1) JUST CONDEMNATION: Colossians 1:21. Why do you need to be saved? We've alienated ourselves from a holy God through the selfish rebellion of our sin. Don't spend a lot of time on sins of your past, just identify when you first recognized God is holy and you are not. In whom do you trust? Christ as Savior or the good you have done?

2) GRACIOUS SALVATION: Ephesians 2:8-10. How are we saved? Not by some ritual or ceremony or list of good deeds or even some decision you made, because spiritually dead men don't make decisions for Christ. To have a proper understanding of salvation you need to recognize that it is the Lord who saves, not the works of men.

3) ACCOMPLISHED PROPITIATION: Romans 3:21-26. What did a holy God do to make His grace possible? He sent Christ who, as God, satisfied the just wrath His holy character demands for sin and as a human without sin made atonement for us as sinners. You need to recognize that Christ's death is effective and atoning. He did not die a martyr's death to show us how bad sin is. He redeemed a people to the praise of His holy name. Do you have a good understanding of what really took place at the cross?

4) AMAZING REGENERATION: Ephesians 2:1-5. How do you know this is true? By His power He made me alive in Christ, opened my eyes to the truth of His word, changed my heart, and brought me to faith in Christ and His atoning work at the cross. This is when you recognized the truth about you, the Lord, and Christ and fell on your knees in repentance. This may not be a specific day but a period of time in your life. Those who grew up in the church may not be able to pin point a specific moment when they were "born again."

5) PERSEVERING SANCTIFICATION: Philippians 2:12. Where is the evidence that your conversion true? I no longer live with a desire to rebel, but I now have a heart for loving, giving, and serving because I am working out the salvation He gave to me with fear and trembling to the glory of His name. How has your life changed since you have been "born again"?