My name is Joel. I am 23 years old and this is my testimony.
It is through the teachings of Mr. Alan Manson that I am now converted to the doctrine of Initial and Final Salvation.
Looking back on my life as a professing Christian, I have to say just one thing: God is faithful although I was unfaithful to Him many times.
I want to take this occasion to thank my spiritual ‘father’ – Alan Manson for saving me from eternal damnation by his teaching of Initial and Final Salvation that requires spiritual “works” to be evident in the Christian’s life— just as the Bible plainly states
"For as the body without the spirit is dead, so FAITH [alone] WITHOUT WORKS [of faith] is DEAD [faith] also." (James 2:26)
I believe that although I went to church and did many ‘religious things’ that failed to fully satisfy my spiritual life, I was deep down not serious about my faith, and through this inevitably became spiritually blinded.
However, one day I was randomly surfing through YouTube, and I happened to see Mr. Manson’s video about Initial and Final Salvation, as shown below.
At first, I only looked at some of it, because when I came to the part where it says at times we can start off on the Narrow Way but then take a detour and return to the Broad Way, that really worried me.
This realization struck me very hard,
I felt that you are a crazy man who is making up his own theology, because what I had been taught was that once we accept Jesus as our personal Savior and ask him into our heart then that’s all there was to it. In other words Once Saved Always Saved!
At that moment I was very confident Mr. Manson was wrong. But the next day, I was prompted by the Holy Spirit to view the video again; but as it progressed, I became disquieted in my heart when I saw the illustration which shows that for a Christian to remain “spiritually dead” in the ‘Religious Life’ after obtaining the Initial Salvation, this means that one is cut-off or removed from God.
I soon realized I was just a ‘religious Christian’ producing “Dead Works” (Heb 6:1), because although I had been “saved and water baptized”, I had not progressed in my spiritual life. Had I continued to stay in this state, I would have appeared unto God as a “Still Birth” and not a “Live Birth” (John 3:3-8) as a child of His into His kingdom.
Again I watched the video, but somehow it put more doubts about my behavior and attitudes in my personal life. The video’s message now challenged my walk with God.
I sent the video to one of my friends and asked him for his views on the video.
He responded by saying it’s completely wrong; but I decided to explore more about the video — and that’s how I reached his website and found the article Eight Stages to Initial and Final Salvation, as shown in the image below.
This realization motivated me to commence a great deal of bible study—and I must say, I came to the truth that God wanted me to discover. It was a true inner eye-opener I would say.
Since that day, I have tried my best to be a workman approved unto Christ (2 Tim 2:15), and no longer living the ‘spiritually dead‘ religious life I once followed.
Since then, my Lord Jesus has shown me one more truth as an example of how to grow in grace and work for the Lord. In this, He revealed how the hated tax collector Zacchaeus was given a new heart by God after he had a true encounter with Jesus Christ—which is something similar as to what had happened to me!!
The main point that struck me in this passage was how the salvation of Zacchaeus brought about a radical shift in his life. He became a “new creature in Christ” (Gal 6:15) – a “new man” (Eph 4:24)!!
"And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. 4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house. 6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham." (Luke 19:1-9)
If we notice closely from the highlighted verses above, he grew in both “grace” (2 Peter 3:18) and “works” (John 14:12)!
Zacchaeus not only followed the law of returning four times the amount that he had robbed people (2 Sam 12:6), but he displayed grace and true work by saying he will go one more mile further and give away half of what he has,
From this evident change of heart in Zacchaeus, Jesus replies that “salvation has come to you” (Luke 19:9). What a beautiful demonstration of how salvation results in works approved by GOD.
Zacchaeus was now controlled by LOVE whereas previously he was led by GREED. This was the BIG revelation to me from God in relation to this passage from the Bible.
Thank you, sir, for providing this ministry to the Christian community! I would say that not everyone would like your blog posts, but if they let go of their ‘religious strongholds‘ and look closely at what you teach by opening their spiritual eyes (Matt 13:15), they too will then know the truth and those truths that will set them free from their religious views—just as I was set free from mine.
I have tried sharing your blogs and the true gospel that you preach with many other Christians, but most have rejected it. Please keep me in your prayers,
God bless you and your family.
Joel Biju
Navi Mumbai
Mob: +91 704 546 2951
