Greetings

[samualyoder]

For the 1st 12 years of my life I did not get any religious instruction.
When I turned 12 a Baptist minister and his wife visited our house and invited us kids to Sunday school. Mom and the guy she was living with wanted no part of it, but did not kick up a fuss at us going, probably because we were out of their hair for several hours on Sundays.
I thought I got saved at that time because I want forward and said the "sinners prayer" and was baptized in a tank of water later on.
My sinning ways didn't change, I continued with my wicked ways and they got worse as I got older.
So for 52 years I be thinking everything is fine and I be going to heaven when I die.
In 2014 I was watching a Michael Rood video of why Christmas should not be celebrated by Christians and it caused me to think, and think about the other stuff I was doing, so I watch more of his videos and came to the conclusion or the spirit convicted me that I was a tare not a wheat.
Long story short my wife died in 2012 and 2 years later I got "born again" for real. I doubt if I would have acted on the spirit's leading if my wife hadn't died, she was not one for scripture study nor prayer and only went to her church on the big Christian holy days, Easter & Christmas, church socials.
I've learned a lot since 2014 and found out I was bamboozled, hoodwinked with the doctrines I was taught, I definitely was not a Berean when I was indoctrinated into the Baptist faith so long ago, but it is what it is, it takes the spirit to lead one into truth not a pastor or elder.

[creationliberty]

Hi Samuel. I'm not sure if you noticed because perhaps you don't write very well (i.e. you don't have to be great writer to join in with us ), but you did not actually give any testimony that you were converted unto the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no mention of Jesus Christ, guilt of sin, repentance (i.e. grief godly sorrow of wrongdoing); nothing like that is in there.

I'm wondering if that is the reason you put "other" as your belief? That confuses me too.

To summarize, you said that about six years ago, you converted away from celebrating Christmas and Easter, then later your wife died, and after that, you were born again. That is not how someone is converted according to Scripture. I have not yet read anything here which tells me that you are a Christian, other than your claim to be.

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
-Gal 3:24

Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
-2Co 7:9-10
Is Repentance Part of Salvation?

You also put the phrase 'born again' in quotations (e.g. "born again"), and I took that to mean that it was not legitimate. When you put quotations around a phrase, and you are not quoting someone, nor do you put any Scripture reference to indicate you are quoting Scripture, it conveys the meaning that it is something that you find to be invalid or fake.

I cannot tell if these are all things that are coming from someone who is not accustomed to writing, or if it is coming from someone who has a lack of understanding, and that would make a big difference in how I respond. That's why I'm not sure how to respond yet.

[Jeanne]

Hi Samual, it's nice to meet you. You mentioned Michael Rood; do you still listen to him? He's part of the Hebrew Roots movement, which we have nothing to do with, just so you know. We don't celebrate the Jewish holidays any more than we celebrate the pagan ones.

How did you happen to find us here at CLE, and what made you decide to join our forum? These are just little things that will help us get to know you better.