Wrong Testimonies

Do You Share Your Testimony of Salvation with Others?
Is Your Testimony Right?  Or is it Wrong??

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Today I am going to be exploring the testimony of Christian salvation. I want to begin by asking a couple of questions:

Have you shared your testimony of salvation with others?

If so is your testimony right? Or is it wrong?

This article / podcast was inspired by a series of videos that were posted in YouTube Christian community during May 2020.

An high profile former new ager (whose name I won't mention here) had a number of times shared her confusing testimony of salvation in her videos and in a number of interviews with other Christian YouTubers.

Unfortunately her testimony raised all kinds of questions and concerns for many people because it focused on a vision she said she'd had of Christ by way of her salvation.

Another Christian YouTuber eventually challenged her regarding her confusing testimony. It ended up being a big mess of back and forth videos, accusations, people taking sides, etc., etc.

After witnessing all of this I immediately removed my own recorded testimony from all social media where I had posted it.  Then I spent a lot of time reflecting on my testimony of salvation.

Was it helpful to others?

Was it in line with the scriptures?

What about my testimony was of the most importance for others to hear? What could be left out because it was not necessary to share with others?

And most importantly did my testimony glorify my Lord and Savior, putting him, rather than my own experience front and center?

The only way to know was to search scripture for the answers. Studying God's word brought not only the answers to those questions, I also discovered how vitally important a correctly expressed testimony of salvation is.

Back to the high profile new ager: Expressing regret for the confusion it had caused, she removed all videos of the confusing testimony she had been sharing. This was absolutely the right thing to do.

She has also more recently disclosed that she was not saved until a year or more after she began sharing her confusing testimony publicly.

So, it turns out that what she was sharing was not a testimony of salvation as she and those listening to it believed it to be.

I will be exploring this point in my next article called The Two Causes of Wrong Testimonies.


If you are a saved ex new ager I encourage you to stay with this article / podcast so you can better understand why having a 'right' testimony is so important.

The testimony of conversion to Christianity...

YouTube is well populated with hundreds of testimonies of conversion to Christ, many of which are shared by ex-New Agers. These testimonies appear to be very popular garnering many views and many people search them out and listen to them.

Which would be and awesome thing if all of them were clear and genuine testimonies of salvation.

But are these testimonies clear and genuine testimonies of salvation or are they, well, just wrong?

And by wrong what I mean is this: are they inadvertently communicating a false gospel to the listener?

The rightness or wrongness of a testimony depends on how it lines up  or does not line up with the one true gospel that saves.

There is only one gospel that is the power of God unto salvation today.

We see this in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 wherein the apostle Paul says:

"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures"

Maybe you have heard alleged Christian testimonies that go something like this:

• I turned from my sin to follow Christ
• I took Jesus into my heart
• I decided that I love Jesus and want to follow him
• I decided to follow God's plan for my life
• I was convicted of and repented of my sin
• I prayed the sinners prayer and was saved
• I decided to follow Jesus
• I felt God's anointing
• I keep the law and commandments of God
• I left behind the New Age to follow Jesus
• I decided to follow Jesus' example and be a better person
• I was saved when I had a vision of Jesus
• I've made Jesus the Lord of my life

Testimonies that are expressed using these sorts of Christian cliches are quite possibly being conveyed by people who are not actually saved, but believe that they are.

And, yes, I know that broaching this topic could annoy a good number of people who truly believe that they are saved Christians.

However... salvation is sober, serious and eternal business. People should welcome the opportunity to be absolutely sure that they are:

1. Actually saved... and
2. If they are saved, that they are sharing their testimony in a way that it is both correct and clearly conveying the gospel of salvation to others, both believers and non-believers.

The above are not statements of salvation and if a testimony is being expressed in any of the ways I have outlined above it is more than just unclear, it is wrong.

A mere verbal claim on Christianity is not enough, and could mean that the person making it could actually die without knowing the gospel.

And that would be a tragedy.

If you think that you are saved are you, too, sharing one of these sorts of testimonies? Reflect on how you tell people you were saved to see if this is so.

It is important to note that how one is saved is not a matter of personal preference, neither in how it happens nor in how the testimony of salvation needs to be expressed to others.

It is a matter of eternity - both yours and the others you are sharing your testimony with - that is at stake.

So, whether you absolutely know you are saved, think you are saved or even if you know that you are not saved you, read on.

Anyone who expresses their testimony in the cliche ways that I've described - I don't care who they are, whether he or she has a seminary degree, is a Pastor, is a famous Christian author, is a Televangelist or even teaches other Christians - that person is giving a wrong testimony and it should not be taken as a true testimony.

The good news of the gospel is not that God has a plan for your life and you are now living that plan or that you have made Jesus the Lord of your life. Nor is it that you left behind the New Age to follow Jesus.

Someone saying that he received Jesus into his life or into his heart or that he has made Jesus Lord of his life is in no way expressing that he has actually trusted in Jesus' finished work on the cross to save him from the bondage of sin and death.

The clear gospel that saves is that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished everything necessary for you to be saved from sin and death when he died on the cross for sins two thousand years ago. The cross took your sin problem out of the way and through Christ's resurrection you have free righteousness on Christ's behalf through faith.

We see this in:

2 Cor 5:21- "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."

Rom 4:24-25 - "But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification."

Rom 5:1 - 5 "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:"

When you trust in Christ's death and resurrection for your salvation adding NO other works or church traditions, such as baptism, confession, prayers, annointings, experiences, repenting of sin, following Jesus, living God's plan, making Jesus Lord of your life, etc. etc. you are sealed with the Holy Spirit.

We see this in:

Eph 1:13 - "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise"

Rom 4:5 - "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."

Adding ANYTHING makes God's grace powerless to save adding any work to Christs finished work on the cross. A testimony that does this is not clear and is confusing to those listening. A testimony like this conveys the wrong message. If your testimony adds to Christ's finish work in any way please read on.

When Christ died on that cross, was buried and raised from the dead, he was made to be sin in your place. All we bring to that is the need for it and the sin debt, which we were all born with. We don't bring anything else but FAITH in what Christ did for us on that cross. We make no payment or exchange for that gift of grace, we simply trust what he did on our behalf.

Two important questions that you need to ask yourself: Do you believe this? Do you trust this gospel?

Wrong testimonies are harmful. They can actually have dire consequences. Wrong testimonies share false gospels.

When famous people and celebrities speak wrong testimonies the people hearing them are at great risk of following those people into false gospels.

False gospels do NOT save. Wrong testimonies can produce false converts  - people who think they are saved - and they need to be called out.

The gospel is not hard to understand. It is actually very clear and simple. God's will is that everyone be saved. And it is his free gift of grace to us that saves us.

Satan's will is that no one be saved. And you bet that he uses wrong testimonies, spreading them far and wide on YouTube, etc. to make sure that people do not hear or are confused about the true gospel of salvation.

As a saved Christian sharing your own testimony do you want to be a part of that evil scheme?

If you are saved and your testimony is in any way unclear then I urge you get it clear. Renew your mind in the word of God (You should be doing this daily, and I am not talking about devotionals or Bible apps that send scripture verses. Pray for wisdom and revelation and get into God's word and study it every day.) Read Paul's epistles. Understand the gospel of salvation. Your testimony does not need to sound entertaining. It needs to share the one and only true gospel of grace.

Start by reading 1 Corinthians 15:1-10 (see scripture below or listen to it here) and read it over and over until it becomes clear and then, if you are going to share your testimony  please convey it correctly and clearly to others.

Your testimony of salvation is very important. Hearing your clear and true testimony might be the reason someone eventually hears the gospel of grace and is saved.

If your testimony is wrong, please get it straight or please don't share it at all. Do not be involved in spreading a false gospel. Souls are at stake.

Also please keep in mind that your testimony is not your's it is ouro Lord Jesus Christ's and therefore always must be clear and doctrinally sound as measured by the word of God. Romans 8:16 - "16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:"

If you are not yet saved and are searching out and listening to the testimonies found on YouTube please read this article again and pick up a Bible or go to Bible Gateway and read the scripture that I have shared with you. Do this over and over. Get saved by reading and hearing and trusting in the one true gospel of salvation. If you want me to be praying for you please reach out to me by clicking here.

In an upcoming article I'll be exploring the two main causes of wrong testimonies - why people share wrong testimonies even when they are saved.

If you want a heads up when that comes out click the box below to receive a notification.

Y'all are in my prayers.

In Christ,

Clare

Here's the scripture:

1 Corinthians 15:1-10  -

1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:

6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

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