Originally posted by Berean Todd
I'd love to share. Now I'm not sure if I've ever shared my testimony on these boards before, but this could get a little long, I'll try from getting too much so.
I grew up in what I would call an "agnostic" household. It's not that my parents bred atheists, and they themselves never spoke against God per se. However, God was never discussed, I never attending church (I was baptised as an infant out of respect to traditions of the family, but never again darkened a church door).
In our house intellecualism reigned. My father was an incredibly intelligent person, and my older sisters followed his footsteps, and I after them. I loved science, math, history. I grew into an atheist myself over time; I never had heard the Gospel, never really examined Christianity itself in much depth. I just considered spiritual things silly, and was convinced of the brainwashing all kids get in public schools - evolution, etc, etc.
I really had this stereotypical view of religious people, and especially Christians. However, my junior and senior years in high school I met a couple of friends who were Christians, and the really broke the mold of my stereotype. By this time I was questioning my out and out atheism allready, but I was no more than an agnostic, even though these friends would continually try and get me to come to their churches.
Then I met another Christian - this one would eventually become my wife. Finally I relented and went to church one Sunday, and as soon as I walked in it was like a light came on inside me. I didn't know what, I couldn't explain it, but it was like a part of me that I never knew existed suddenly was right there before my eyes.
No I didn't just "blindly" walk down and accept Jesus there. In fact I began examining it earnestly, and more honestly than ever before. I began reading - the Bible some, but also arguments on both sides. I completely dropped all predjudices, for either side, and started looking at things in the truth. I would go and question the pastor of this church on certain things.
I really did come to a point where I think I realized the truth of God, but I wasn't willing to accept it, there was a part of me that still clung to this "Christians are hypocrites, and judgemental, blah, blah, blah" concept. Some things happened though were some of these Christians I was getting to know really went above and beyond in a couple of personal matters I was going through, and really went beyond anything I could have asked for in helping me out. I saw that, I saw what they had, I realized what I had come to allready believe - that Jesus was the Son of God, that He had died and rose again. And that Sunday, December 13, I walked the isle and gave my heart to Jesus.
Now, I have an equally long testimony I could give of my life since then, but I won't go into that. Let me say this though; I don't think that you can just come to knowledge of God on your own. I believe that , as 1 Corinthians says, spiritual truths are foolishness to man in the flesh. I think the Holy Spirit has to open you up to see the truths of God; however, that being said, I think that if anyone truly drops all pretenses, and earnestly seeks after the truth, then I think that it will be revealed to you.
If you yourself are a seeker, then I encourage you to do that. Drop all pretenses, all predjudices, and examine the claims. Get a Bible, and actually read it - I suggest the books of John and Romans as good starting places for the basis and basics of Christianity. And, no, I'm not suggesting you read only the Bible, but if you need proof of it, search for it - archaeologically, historically, prophetically, scientifically - it's all there if anyone will just with open heart and open mind seek it.
