I came to know the Lord sometime around April 2011. For several years before this, I falsely believed I was a Christian. I belonged to a ‘Word of Faith’ church that taught that God sent Jesus to die for us to be rich and healthy. I swallowed this junk and believed it for many years. I gave my pocket money, time, and resources to the church repeatedly, believing somehow God owed it to me to give me back whatever monies I gave several-fold. In the midst of all this was my ongoing personal struggle with selfishness, greed, lust, and pride. I thought I could just declare that these were gone and they would be gone. I believed that if I continued to give more in church (time and money), God will overlook my sins.

One day a friend invited me to attend a service at another church were the pastor made a comment “God is not a merchant; you don’t give to Him and insist that He must give something in return.” He showed several verses of Scripture and I went home absolutely disturbed. I had spent over 5 years diligently ‘sowing seed’ and expecting incredible profit from God as a result.

I began to ask questions when I went back to my church notes and noticed that every sermon in the church I attended at the time was filled with how to be rich. My inquiries eventually led me to a little Bible study group (I did not know they were Reformed at the time) where the Lord began to open my eyes.

My first day at the group, the study started with the book of Romans. We studied what it meant to be a bond-servant of God as Paul described himself. I went home, after the study, asking the Lord to save me. In the days that followed, actually opening and studying my Bible, and listening to several sermons, I saw that all those years I had served a false god and proclaimed a false Christ. 

The Lord opened my eyes to see that Christ actually died to save me from my sins and not to make me rich. I saw that there was no other way to be delivered from my sins that held me bound except through faith in Christ alone. I learned to actually study my Bible and not to add to the text (or take away) or pick and choose only what pleased me. I learned obedience, and God in His mercy increased my love for Him, my desire for His Word, and He continues to do so even till now.

Soli Deo Gloria.