And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His own word. Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.”
John 4:39-42
It was through discipleship nearly a year ago that I resolved to write my conversion testimony. To prepare, I read testimonies and spoke to people about their testimonies. Then in August 2024, I finally completed my written testimony.
My testimony is a narrative of events leading to my conversion, but most importantly, it is a witness to the truth that Christ my Savior is the Savior of sinners.The Samaritan woman who encountered Jesus at the well believed when “He told me all that I ever did.” It was Jesus who laid bare the hidden things of her heart.
Surely, many of the Samaritans of the city knew this woman’s story but nowhere near the detail that Jesus knew. But that is not what made the Samaritans believe. They believed because of Jesus’ own word. They said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.”
Ultimately, I came to repentance because of the Word of God and not because of the things that happened in my life. There just wasn’t any other apparent reason that could have made me realize that I am a sinner in desperate need of a Savior in Jesus Christ. The fact is, people telling me I am a sinner and asking me to repent of my sins and accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior did not bring me to repentance. It made no sense because I believed I was a reasonably good person and was in fact the one suffering from the wickedness of others.
So what made it possible that one day I owned up to all my wrongdoings regardless of the circumstances?
It was Ruth 1:20-21.
But she said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?”
Ruth 1:20-21
Whenever I tell people that I am a new Christian, they often ask, “who was responsible for bringing you to Christ?” The question baffled me so much because the truth is I was saved by the grace of God. My salvation is completely in the life and works of Jesus Christ, and not in any person or organization.
No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:44 NKJV
God is the primary cause. The people and circumstances in my life are the means. But all the glory belongs only to God!