Kristina's Testimony

Have you ever noticed how few people are able to articulate and defend what they believe about faith, politics, culture, or values? Most people, today, have many opinions... for no apparent reason! If you ask the average Joe if they vote and how they vote, they can answer that, but they can't tell you why. Or, if they can tell you why, it is merely a mimic of what they heard over the news on the radio between their favorite songs.

For the Christian, this is a serious problem. In Colossians 4:6, and throughout the Bible, Christians are specifically called to be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks about their faith. Yet, most of us are ill prepared. Many Christians today, are unable to explain what they believe, let alone why they believe it. And homeschool students are not immune to this problem. Years ago, the Lord gave me the inescapable desire to teach debate to Homeschool Students. My passion for the kids, and my desire to facilitate the best possible learning situation for them, is not without a foundation and resource. My energy and desires are directly a result of my faith and walk with Jesus Christ. I have a heart for this ministry, hoping and praying that through it, students would grow in their faith and testimony of our Lord, that they would be better equipped to give "an answer to every man who asks a reason of the hope that is in you."

It only makes sense, that with that goal in mind, that I then should share with you what I believe and how it influences this ministry.

As you've probably figured out by now, I am a born again Christian. I could bog you down with sources and evidence to support historically, scientifically, and logically, the reasons I believe what I do, but now it is more important to know what I believe. You see, the word "Christian" does not mean the same thing to everyone. Some people believe that attending church makes you a Christian. Others believe it comes from living a clean life. Still others believe you perform works and earn Christianity. I believe that none of those answers are quite right. While it is good to go to church, and live a clean life, and do good things as an expression of our love for the Lord, I believe that the Bible is clear that those things don't save you, and I believe a Christian is one who is saved from their sins and has decided to follow Christ as Lord and Savior of their life.

I was saved at a young age, in fact many doubt that someone so young could understand or choose to accept Christ. Yet, when you think about it, it makes sense. Salvation isn't complicated, in fact there are few things simpler.

Think for a moment about "right and wrong." Where did these things come from? I mean, if you consider for a moment, you'll realize that in every culture there is an innate understanding of right and wrong. If you look to history, even from the beginning of time, people knew that some things were right and others were wrong. If you read the story of Cain and Abel, the first two brothers and how one murdered the other due to jealousy, it was understood, even then that murder, jealousy and hatred, were wrong prior to the Ten Commandments. If you speak with someone who does not accept the Biblical view of right and wrong, even they understand that it does exist. If you don't believe me, just try to treat that person in a way that is unkind.... they will instantly identify that as "wrong." So I believe, that our very nature knows right from wrong and understands that some things are wrong and those things are sins. Romans 3:23 states that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. You don't have to spend much time observing the world to know that this is true.

We also know, through our very nature, that there are consequences for doing wrong things. Everyone wants justice. We want to see criminals punished. We expect children to be disciplined. We realize that with doing wrong, comes a consequence. The problem is that sin has a consequence, which includes separation from God because He, alone, is perfect and blameless. How can we ever come to know God and be saved without paying a consequence for our sins? And how can we ever pay enough?

We can't. At this point it seems rather dismal, we've sinned, this separates us from God, we can't ever pay the consequence because it is so great, so do we have hope? Thankfully, the answer is Yes!

Christ was sent, as the only perfect offering and sacrifice for our sins. Christ is God in the flesh, the only person ever to be blameless and without sin. And He was offered as a sacrifice, to pay the penalty for our sins, in our place, upon the cross (John 3:16). He rose again the third day, continued His ministry on this earth for approximately 40 days, and then ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of God. Upon His ascension, the Holy Spirit was left to be "another comforter" to guide and lead Christians (Acts 1:8-9).

Just because Christ died and rose again, how can one be saved? That's the key. Remember earlier how I claimed that we all KNOW we've sinned and that this separates us from God? Well, while we do know that, we seldom admit it (due to pride), or we admit it but think we can fix the situation through clean living and church attendance. The problem is no matter what we do, those things will not bring us into a relationship with God that we truly need.

Romans 10:9-10, states that if we confess with our mouth and believe in our heart that Christ is Lord, we will be saved. This means confessing that we are sinner, realizing that nothing we can do will ever cleanse us of those sins, accepting that Christ died for our sins and rose again, and asking Him to be Lord of our life.

When I was five years old, I knew I'd sinned, I'd heard the story of salvation in church and read the Bible with my parents. I realized that nothing I could do would ever enable me to have a relationship with God until I accepted Christ as my Savior. And so, at the age of five, with both of my parents beside me, I prayed that prayer one night, and that is when I became a born again Christian.

Since that time I've grown in my relationship and understanding of Christ. I believe that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. I believe that the Bible (sixty-six books, Genesis through Revelations) is the divine and inspired word of God. I believe that it is completely true. I believe God created the heavens and the earth. I believe He sent His son, Jesus Christ, as our Savior (John 3:16). I believe Jesus came to earth in the flesh, as the only blameless person to ever walk the earth, was born of the virgin Mary, had a ministry on this earth, and was crucified on the cross, to rise again in three days, paying the penalty for all our sins that we might be saved and have eternal life. I believe in heaven and I believe in hell. I believe in prayer as our direct communication with the Lord, and I believe in the Holy Spirit as our counselor and comforter on earth (Acts 1:8-9). I believe that I can go to church, live a clean life, do all sorts of good things and these won't save me (Ephesians 2:8-9) that only when I confess with my mouth and believe on my heart, then can I be saved (Romans 10:9-10).

But it doesn't stop there. Have you ever watched someone make a bowl on a potter's wheel? They start with ugly lump of brown clay. It looks like a glob of useless mud! Then the potter throws it on the wheel, spins the wheel rapidly, and using their hands begins to mold the clay. The clay changes shape over and over throughout the process, for a moment you don't even think it's going to be a bowl, it look more like a vase or figurine, then slowly but surely, it begins to take shape. The clay becomes a bowl, then the potter begins to embellish it with designs to add uniqueness. Finally the bowl is refined in fire, and then it is ready to be painted and fired in the kiln. The final product is beautiful, and useful. The bowl has a purpose and function. It is utterly amazing that something so fine could come from an ugly, useless, lump of clay. The Bible says that we are like clay, and the Lord is the potter.

It is my prayer, that as the Lord is molding me, refining me, and shaping my life, that I will be a vessel for His glory, that He will use me through this debate program to do beautiful things for the kingdom, and that likewise the students will glorify Him in all that they say and do, that we may see the Potter's work at hand and know, that while it appears that it's just a lump of clay, that with the Lord in control, the outcome will be beautiful.