back to index2021-10-10 Andrew Tso Baptism Testimony
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I'm currently in BAM, and this is my testimony. 00:00:08.320 |
I was born into a Christian family in Irvine, California, and before I received Christ into 00:00:12.240 |
my life, I lived knowing of Christ but not fully understanding the gravitas he had in 00:00:18.640 |
I was baptized as an infant and took this as an assurance in my salvation just because 00:00:24.280 |
Because of this, my faith and, importantly, my relationship with God was weak, if not 00:00:31.040 |
My time was my own, lacking any thanksgiving or praise to God. 00:00:35.280 |
Sunday services were two-hour chores that made me feel better about myself, and I did 00:00:40.200 |
not seek his love and forgiveness in my daily life. 00:00:42.920 |
The relationship I had with him was stunted, relegated to a conversation before food or 00:00:49.840 |
As I grew in the world, I slowly began to push the thought of him away, repulsed by 00:00:54.260 |
those who said they loved him, focusing more on school, career, and future earthly plans. 00:00:59.360 |
My misdirection led to an ungodly mentality that affected my relationship and my personal 00:01:05.120 |
I was unable to attain the results that I wanted, nor was I able to gain any sort of 00:01:08.960 |
joy from beating others and, quote, "coming out on top." 00:01:13.360 |
I yearned for the idealized version of a successful earthly life that ultimately failed me, leaving 00:01:21.920 |
I filled this void with profane language, anger, and partying, seeking to fill myself 00:01:26.720 |
with something I thought I could find on this earth apart from God. 00:01:29.560 |
With poor decisions in relationships and friends, I was slowly pulled farther and farther away 00:01:34.240 |
from my relationship with him and into the fleshly life that the world had slowly made 00:01:39.680 |
When I was at my worst, God brought a friend to my life my second year of college that 00:01:44.200 |
really pushed me to change the worldly emphasis of my life and kept me accountable while I 00:01:51.320 |
began repairing my relationship that I had severed with God. 00:01:55.080 |
It was at this time as well that I felt the true weight of his atonement for my sins, 00:01:58.920 |
with that weight being lifted from my shoulders, making the faith my own, so to speak. 00:02:03.120 |
So reparations came in the form of reconciling with God, repenting for my wrongdoings and 00:02:07.720 |
my past actions, and I felt secure in his forgiveness and full assurance of my place 00:02:14.060 |
Those idealized versions of myself that I thought were the only way to find peace suddenly 00:02:19.000 |
just now seemed so strange and twisted with the peace I had now found with God. 00:02:23.240 |
Through meeting those in the body, studying, and learning the word with them, I was able 00:02:26.240 |
to build a stronger bond with his family and ultimately God. 00:02:29.800 |
After receiving Christ, many things that used to be chores became blessings. 00:02:32.880 |
As in Matthew 7, 17, "So every healthy tree bears good fruit, and the tree bears bad fruit," 00:02:38.720 |
I've seen the roots of my life removed from these earthly things that I loved and planted 00:02:44.140 |
And as I grew within the community, I became healthier in my faith, bearing more fruit 00:02:49.840 |
As my relationship with him matured, much of that fruit came in the form of serving 00:02:52.800 |
the church and being a witness to others in their walks with God. 00:02:56.740 |
As I progress in my faith, I continually look to build my relationship with God. 00:03:01.400 |
I learn and grow each day in devotion and in his word. 00:03:04.600 |
I no longer seek the approval of man or the riches of this world, but I wholly look to 00:03:08.320 |
him for my peace and joy in life as I know that he is the ultimate source of my salvation. 00:03:13.460 |
This led me to today, wanting to publicly proclaim my faith to Christ and my full life's 00:03:20.720 |
>> And if you understand, if you're going into the water here, you're going to be impacted.