Testimony of my Salvation

I have been born in a Catholic family in 20th June, 1983. I was very naughty in my childhood. But at the same time I had a deep attraction towards God. I used to read my Bible everyday. As a child, I loved to read the stories of Old Testament. I used to attend at church services and various prayer meetings in different Churches. Being very interested in God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit and the Bible, I decided to become a priest and entered into a Catholic seminary when I was in the high school. I stayed there almost four years. But soon the hollow and false doctrines of Catholicism became clear to me. As I used to read my Bible, I understood the false practices of Catholicism. I argued with the priests, who used to teach me the false teachings which are not in the Bible. They said me, ‘The things you are talking about are in the Bible of Baptists. But they are not in our Bible. You shouldn’t follow the Baptists’ Bible.’ But their answer did not satisfy me and I left the seminary.

Though I left the Catholic Seminary without becoming a priest, I was involved with the Catholic Church. In early 2003 I attended a preaching meeting of Bro. Nathaniel Hazra at the house of Bro. Ashorio Rony Biswas in our locality. On this meeting, for the first time, I had come to know about one’s Salvation and it shocked me greatly. I became so interested that I wanted to know more about Salvation and so I continued my consultation with them.

On 4th October, 2003 I came at the house of Bro. Nathaniel Hazra and stayed there for few days. In those days he showed me God’s plan for a sinner. He taught me about Sin, Repentance, Faith and Believing in Jesus Christ. That time I had a false notion that ‘I read my Bible, I attend at Church services, I pray to God. So that’s enough. If I die today, God will of course take me Heaven.’ I thought like that because I hadn’t any clear idea about sin, repentance and faith. I thought ‘Those people, who do good things, must go to Heaven and they needn’t anything else.’ But as I continued my discussion with Bro. Nathaniel soon I found that I was wrong. The Scripture says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23). And the reward of sin is death. “For the wages of sin is death;” (Romans 6:23a). Being religious one cannot erase his sins. “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” (Isaiah 64:6).

Coming at this point, I was thunderstruck. “What? Am I a sinner? Because the Scripture says, all have sinned. What? Can’t my religious life able to help me? Because the Scripture says, all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; What? Is my reward death? Because the Scripture says, the wages of sin is death; Oh! What can I do? How can I be saved?” I was very upset about thinking my eternal damnation.

But there was hope for me. Bro. Nathaniel showed me that hope from the Scripture, “but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23b). And “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10).

Then everything was clear to me. I found myself nothing but a sinner. All my righteousness was fake. I addressed myself as a sinner to God. I repented. I asked Jesus Christ to save me from my sin. And I received Him as my Saviour and Lord. Oh! What joy I got when I realized that all my sins had been forgiven! I have become a son of God. That was my new birth. I have been born again in the family of God. It was 6th October, 2003. Since then I am in Jesus Christ my Lord. I know, for sure I will go to Heaven.

I am receiving Theological courses from Bro. Nathaniel Hazra here. Beside the study of Theology, I am studying for BA (Hons) degree in English Literature at a University so that I can translate many religious books in my native language especially the Authorized King James Version Bible. Please, pray for me so that God may provide my all spiritual, physical and economical needs and I can complete my studies and continue my little works for God.

With great thanks and greetings in Christ

Augustine Sujon Baroi