Testimony, Andrew Bergsma

I'm sure that the brethren would like some younger brethren to take the liberty to tell how, when, and where God saved them. And I'm not a young brother, but salvation is a young thing. I was saved on the 11th of October 1951 in the city of Vancouver under the preaching of Brother Maxwell, Sidney Maxwell, and Theodore Williams.

My background is as a Calvinist. We knew what it was to read the Bible at every meal and pray before and after the meal. We walked to church because we weren't allowed to go into a car or a streetcar 22 blocks away, and we did that thinking that was the right thing.

And so from youth we were confronted with the Word of God. We knew that we were a sinner in a general way, but not a lost sinner. And if you're in the meeting this afternoon and you have never had a time in your life that you truly trusted Christ as your Savior, you have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and you need a Savior.

Without Him you are lost. And so it was that night that I attended the conference, and see we grew up not knowing that it was possible to be saved, that is to know your sins forgiven, and have the joy and peace of salvation. We thought you had to kind of live a Christian life, and at the end of the journey God would have mercy upon us because look at the way we're living.

So that is a religion of works. It's not relationship with God, it's a religion of do, and done is the work that saves. And that night after the preaching of the gospel on that Memorial Night, I sat down between Mr. Maxwell and Mr. A.W. Joyce, the one that has gone on before Truth and Tidings magazine, and he opened the scriptures to John 3 and verse 36, and he read it to me.

He that believeth on the Son hath, H-A-T-H, present possession, not waiting to the end of life, you could know now. So he asked me to read it through, and I read it through a couple of times. Then I saw very clearly from that scripture that the whole human family was divided only into two large groups, those that believed to the saving of the soul and have everlasting life, or they're still unbelievers and shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth upon them.

It seems so simple, and so I told Mr. Joyce and Mr. Maxwell, when he asked me, where are you in that verse? I says, I am amongst those that have not believed to the saving of the soul, but I want to, and I really can't tell you what happened. Nobody can. It's a question between the soul and God, but the Spirit of God made it clear that by resting on the finished work of Christ, that the work of Christ 2,000 years ago, that saves.

God was satisfied with that work, therefore he raised him from the dead. And then the work of Christ saves, and the Word of God assures. And I again read that scripture, he that believeth on the Son, H-A-T-H, hath everlasting life.

Now listen, 59 years have come and gone, and I was a sportsman, soccer, the Dutchman is good for his soccer playing, I would have never given it up. I would have the biggest TV in the room to watch World Hockey, not hockey, but soccer. But there's something about God's salvation, he not only saves from the penalty of sin, but our God satisfies.

Now none but Christ can satisfy, no other name for me. There's love and joy and lasting peace, Lord Jesus found in thee. Are you saved this afternoon? Have you had a time in your life that you trusted Christ and knew the joy and peace of sins forgiven, and manifesting the fruit of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, gentleness? Against such there is no law.

May God bless his Word to your heart. And young men, now is your opportunity to come forward and tell when and where. Don't sit idly, just come up and tell us how it happened.

For the glory of God and the blessing of those that listen. Amen.