back to index2021-4-11 Sydney Bellamy Baptism Testimony
00:00:07.960 |
I'm currently a first year attending UCI and this is my testimony. 00:00:12.460 |
I've grown up in a Christian home my entire life. 00:00:15.600 |
Both my parents are Christian, so they raised my brother and I up in the church. 00:00:19.400 |
We would go to church every Sunday and even though this was a weekly part of my entire 00:00:22.640 |
life, I didn't really go out of a love for Christ. 00:00:25.920 |
Growing up, I just thought this was something you always do and I honestly was just going 00:00:34.880 |
I did believe that Jesus, the son of God, died and was resurrected for the forgiveness 00:00:38.800 |
of my sins, but my reasoning was entirely selfish. 00:00:42.080 |
I didn't want to become a Christian because I wanted to surrender my life and be reconciled 00:00:47.240 |
I just didn't want to go to hell when I died. 00:00:49.040 |
As you'd think, no change in my life occurred after becoming a Christian. 00:00:54.240 |
By the time middle school rolled around, my friend invited me to youth group. 00:00:57.480 |
I started going because it seemed like the right thing to do, but I still didn't have 00:01:03.920 |
But I kept going and I actually started to have an interest in church and in God. 00:01:08.200 |
In eighth grade, I went to winter camp for the first time. 00:01:10.360 |
It was in that time that I realized I never really surrendered my life to Christ. 00:01:14.440 |
I continued to get to know him as such a gracious and loving father and I wanted to be his child. 00:01:20.080 |
For a while, I thought that was when I became a Christian on the last night of camp when 00:01:26.120 |
But after we came down the mountain, that Jesus high just wore off and life reverted 00:01:32.120 |
And even though I wasn't in like the bad crowd or living a rebellious life in my worldly 00:01:36.040 |
eyes, I certainly wasn't living a life for Christ. 00:01:39.160 |
After middle school, my family and I started trying out different churches. 00:01:42.040 |
The summer right before my sophomore year of high school, we settled on a new church. 00:01:46.080 |
By the end of summer, I finally started going to the high school group, but I was extremely 00:01:51.480 |
I started going to Bible study with the girls in my class when school began. 00:01:55.360 |
I instantly clicked with these girls and for the first time found a community that seemed 00:01:59.880 |
I learned how personal a relationship with God is. 00:02:03.080 |
It was then that I reflected on my own life and realized that's not enough to just know 00:02:06.600 |
that I'm a sinner and believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins and that I may 00:02:11.680 |
I needed to make a 180 degree turn in my life and live for Christ and be an image and reflection 00:02:20.520 |
I started going to church not out of obligation, but with a heart that wanted to know God so 00:02:25.720 |
that I could grow deeper in relationship with him. 00:02:28.240 |
Slowly but surely, when it came to doing my Bible study, I actually had a desire to do 00:02:32.200 |
so and learn more about who this holy God is. 00:02:35.480 |
I desired to show others not just through my words, but also through my actions that 00:02:40.840 |
I realized that there was no way for God to work through me without working in me first 00:02:44.480 |
and that I had to die to myself, serving in defiant flesh so that I could be born again 00:02:48.440 |
through the Lord and be his obedient servant and vessel for his word. 00:02:51.840 |
I can't really pinpoint an exact time when I was saved, but I know that I was saved sometime 00:02:57.720 |
At the church that I was currently attending, they did baptisms in a way that was very showy 00:03:02.440 |
and it didn't seem right in my heart to do it there, as it was much more man-centered 00:03:09.080 |
I think for all this time that I've waited, I also just wanted to make sure I did it with 00:03:12.320 |
pure intentions, not just because everyone else had been baptized. 00:03:16.240 |
I've realized what an absolute joy it is to get baptized and make that public declaration 00:03:22.240 |
I can see clearly in hindsight how faithful God was and continues to be in my life despite 00:03:28.280 |
By the grace of God alone, my walk with Christ has continued to strengthen as I try to keep 00:03:33.520 |
Going off to college and coming to Berean has been such a blessing in my life as my 00:03:37.720 |
faith is challenged more than it ever has been, but I'm so incredibly thankful for 00:03:42.080 |
that and all that I've learned, constantly trying to examine my heart and intentions 00:03:48.480 |
I've learned how everything in this life is meaningless outside of God and how having 00:03:52.640 |
an eternal perspective on life is imperative. 00:03:55.480 |
Despite my stubborn and selfish heart wanting to live for myself over all those years, he 00:03:59.360 |
ran after me with a jealousy and compassion that is unmatched. 00:04:02.560 |
I'm eternally grateful that he did because I now know the permanent joy that is found 00:04:06.920 |
in living for him, forgiven of my sins, and walking humbly before him. 00:04:11.320 |
I love Romans 5 verses 1 and 2 that say, "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace 00:04:18.320 |
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction 00:04:23.080 |
by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we exult in hope of the glory of God." 00:04:27.960 |
It's so humbling and overwhelmingly comforting to know that there's not a single thing I 00:04:31.680 |
could ever do to deserve salvation, yet God still chose to give me this gift of eternity 00:04:37.400 |
Though I was dead in my trespasses, he has given me life. 00:04:40.320 |
He is the only good in me, and I will continue to run this race with my eyes fixed on Christ 00:04:47.720 |
>> I'm thinking, do you understand that when you go into the water, you're not even pressing 00:04:55.720 |
And when you come out of the water, you're not even pressing your direction, so that 00:05:07.720 |
That's how you get the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.