A CUP OF COLD WATER

                                             MY SALVATION STORY - THE NEW BIRTH

'There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”- John 3:3-8.

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I was born in Banjul, The Gambia, to a Methodist family and throughout my growing up years I was taught to do the right thing always because God was watching me. Like most of my friends, I attended church regularly with my parents and siblings and I was involved in many church activities, including Sunday school and Youth Groups. As I was growing up, I lived life by my own moral compass; doing what I thought was right. After I left my country to attain higher education, I attended church occasionally and seasonally; But, I still thought of God every now and then and considered myself morally good and decent.

By 1985, I was married with one daughter, and practicing as a dentist in the University of Benin Dental School, Benin City, Nigeria. By this time also, my second sister and brother had become born again Christians. I did not have much interactions with them simply because we lived in different places. Later, I got to know that they were praying for me and other family members to be saved also. 

On the afternoon of 24 March 1985, I returned home from work, had a meal and laid down to rest. As I was falling asleep, a tract titled ‘Sin unto Death’ (the title was taken from 1 John 5:16b), which I had been given some time ago suddenly came to my mind and a strong urge came on me to read it. Prior to this time, if I was offered a Christian tract by anyone, I would simply walk away because I thought I was godly enough and did not need any one to tell me about how to be godly. I accepted this tract out of courtesy because it was given to me by my brother’s friend. 

I tried to brush away the urge because I did not want to get up and read the tract, but the urge only became stronger. So unable to sleep, I looked for the tract. As I read it over and over again, I began to realise that sin is a fact that all humankind, without exception have sinned against God (Romans 3:23 says: ‘For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God); that the penalty for sin is Death (Romans 6:23 says: ‘For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord’) and that God sent Jesus Christ to die on the Cross and pay the penalty for our sin (Romans 5:8 says: ‘But God commended His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us’). This convinced me that I was, in fact, a sinner and that my good morals were not enough to save me from my sin — I needed to be saved from my sin by a Saviour. I also found out that salvation is a gift from God to all who will believe in Jesus Christ as their Saviour (Ephesians 2:8-9 says: ‘For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast’), and that salvation is God way for humankind to be reconciled to Him. I paused for a while and came to the realisation that if I continued living my life the way I was used to, I would remain unsaved and unreconciled to God, even though I was a devout churchgoer. Immediately, I knelt down by my bedside and asked Jesus Christ to be my Saviour and save me from my sin. 

After that, nothing happened to me physically. I was still the same person. Thinking that I may not have asked Jesus to save me in the right way, I prayed the same prayer again and again to convince myself that I had done it properly. When I was satisfied that I had prayed enough, I got up and went to sleep. This time I was able to sleep. When I woke up, I felt ‘new’, as if I was not the same person.

Since then, I have had the assurance that my sin has been forgiven and that I have eternal life with Jesus Christ—Salvation. I have increasingly trusted God with my life over the years, and He has kept me and I know that He is able to keep me to the end of my life on this earth, and throughout eternity.

Dear Friend, this same gift of salvation is available to you today. Remember that there is only ONE name under the heavens by which any man, woman or child can be saved and that is Jesus Christ. In the Book of Acts, chapter 4, verse 12 we read: ‘Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved’. In the Book of 1 Timothy, chapter 2, verses 5 & 6 we read: ‘For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time’. In the Book of John, chapter 14, verse 6 we read: ‘Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me’. 

Jesus Christ is standing at the door of your heart, knocking. Will you let Him in today? If you sincerely want to be saved from your sin, if you want to be reconciled to God and be assured of eternal life, then Jesus Christ is the only One who can help you. Put your trust in Him today and begin to live the live that God intended you to live.

You could express your trust in a prayer like this. 

"Dear God, I have heard your Word and I confess that I am a sinner. I know that I cannot save myself by any act of worship or good deeds. I know that the blood of animals can never wash off my sin. I believe that it is only through Jesus Christ that I can be saved and I invite Him into my heart to be my Lord and Saviour, to save me from my sin and reconcile me to You. Help me to live as Your child. I want to spend the rest of my life with You. I pray this prayer in the Name of Jesus Christ, Our Saviour, Amen."

If you have made Jesus Christ your Saviour, congratulations! Welcome to His family, and thank you for accepting God’s invitation. Now let your Pastor know, if you have one, or join a church where you can grow in the knowledge and experiences of God.