In Jesus' name I thank God for the opportunity to bear this testimony.

In 1991, I resigned from my job. However, as time progressed, I had a strong urge to go back. After a few sleepless nights, I left my new job and returned to the old one. Two years later, a brother from the True Jesus Church joined the company and introduced me to the true gospel. I now understand that it was by the will of God that I returned to my former job. By God's intervention, I felt His wonderful grace and a gratifyingly humbling experience.

I had been worshipping in a Presbyterian church for over 22 years. Thus it came as a shock to me to be told plainly that the baptism which I had gone through was not in accordance with the teachings of the Bible and that spiritually speaking, I was not saved at all.

While searching for the truth, I attended an evening service in the True Jesus Church at Telok Kurau. The speaker spoke on Nehemiah chapter 13, which talked about the Sabbath being profaned. It dawned on me then that my Sunday-keeping was not acceptable. The fourth commandment is clear in this regard. Jesus Himself observed the Sabbath (Lk 4:16, 31). So did the apostles in the early church (Acts 17:1-2; 13:14, 44; 16:13; 18:4). This led me to question and search the Scriptures. During my struggles, I would sometimes wake up between 2-3 a.m. to study the Scriptures and let God speak to me through His Word.

I had always believed that once a person accepts the Lord Jesus as Savior, the Holy Spirit resides in him and he is saved, and that baptism is only an outward confirmation of a professed faith. I read two True Jesus Church pamphlets given to me and then passed to my pastor one Sunday. I was interested in what he had to say concerning his views on the doctrines discussed in the literature. Two weeks passed without any news from him. When I managed to approach him, he told me that due to his busy schedule he had yet to read the booklets. After one and a half months of waiting, I felt the need to approach him again as it concerned my own salvation. The pastor told me that he had browsed through the booklets and felt that the doctrines were quite similar to the doctrines of the Presbyterian church. As for speaking in tongues, he said it was more inclined towards the Pentecostal view. I pointed out the difference and the necessity of baptism for salvation and quoted 1 Peter 3:20-21. He said, "Oh yes, I'll have to talk to you about that." We were interrupted at this point and the conversation ended.

I felt that my questions were not satisfactorily dealt with. Despite the advice of many of my church members to speak with the pastor, I never had a chance to do so. Thus I decided to zealously seek the Scriptures myself. There were times I did not fully agree with the literature, but my doubts were quickly resolved when I discovered that they had biblical support. Searching the Scriptures convinced me that baptism is for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16) and that one does not necessarily have the Holy Spirit once he accepts Christ (Acts 8:14-16; 19:1-2).

I recalled praying to God, asking Him to lead me to a church where I could grow spiritually and experience Him in a special way. The brother who preached to me had initially thought that it would be difficult to share the truth with me since I had been with my former church for such a long time. God is indeed merciful and faithful. He knows our spiritual yearnings and will always bring them to pass in His right time. Though it took me 22 years to come to the true church, I will always remember God's grace bestowed on me, a sinner. Now that I am truly baptized into His name, my prayer is to continue to seek God's Word and to know Him better.

For those who are presently seeking the truth, may your hearts be open to His leading. Do not study the Bible with a prejudiced mind. Compare the doctrines with what you have learned at your previous church. Let God speak to you just as He has spoken to me.

Jesus said, "But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst" (Jn 4:14). May all glory be given to God.