Child of the CoC
Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2015 1:08 am
My name is Todd, and I must say that I am so happy and grateful for the true Forgiving, Redemptive, and Loving Grace that God illuminated and revealed to me through websites like this. I left the CoC pretty much when I left home after I graduated from High School. I also fell into a very secular and worldly way of living. Over a year ago, God's grace brought me back to him, and I became a member of a denominational church. However, I still would face theological questions, and discernment would be difficult at times. This was all attributed to the baggage of theological legalistic doctrines that were "ground" into me as a child. It is very hard for a child to be objective, thus we are speculative to everything that is taught us. Even as an adult, if someone asked me if I was saved, I replied, "Yes, I was baptized 25 years ago." At corporate religious events, where there could be a prayer, and those wishing to give their lives to Jesus to stand up..etc..to be saved, well I thought that was awesome! However, deep down I thought and believed there was still more that needed done. They still needed to be Baptized! I never knew of spiritual gifts. When I came to the church I am at now, during a spiritual gifts workshop I asked, "What are spiritual gifts?" This is no lie. I was young when I was baptized. I remember the night..it was a Sunday night, and I walked down and gave my life to Jesus. Right after the service, the preacher asked if I wanted to discuss or talk about my decision. I remember saying, "No, I have to be baptized tonight, because if I die before that, I will go to Hell! Well, our church didn't have a baptismal, so that very night I was rushed over to another church and baptized. My life and thoughts and beliefs of salvation revolved around that teaching. That is until recently when GOD, by pure loving and amazing grace led me to a website that revealed the TRUTH! I always believed that Jesus died for our sins, and came to this world as the incarnate GOD, and that we were saved by such faith. I however conflated it with many of the CoC teachings that were instilled in me as a child. This is no lie or exaggeration. It was at the moment when I came to the truth, I truly FELT and KNEW that I WAS SAVED! It was in this moment that I was saved; because all my life I had been pointing toward a baptismal pool as the method of my salvation, and not the Cross. This is so transformational, I cannot begin to describe what feeling like having the Spirit with me is like from before. I cannot begin to describe what feeling free from the shackles of certain sins is like as well! That is how I know I am now saved! But most importantly, I feel free from LEGALISM. I no longer feel like the Apologist of the Year that tries to go and dissect and refute everything that seems wrong. Thank You for websites like this. There are probably still many like me out there. Children who are no longer with the Church, but still erroneously walk day to day thinking that they are saved. That is a scary thought when I look back on it. Many Blessings!
