Bryan Elliff’s Testimony

Bryan Elliff’s Testimony

I grew up as a “PK” or preacher’s kid. The Elliff household has always been one that revolves around the Bible and the things of God. During my growing-up years I heard the essential biblical truths hundreds or possibly thousands of times. As a result of this, I did not doubt the authenticity of the Bible except for some brief periods.  

As far back as I can remember I have wanted to be a follower of Christ. As a result, I asked God to make me a true Christian repeatedly in my preteen and early teen years. But I never seemed to see the evidence of a changed life. My problem was not: “Is Jesus speaking the truth when He says, ‘Repent and believe in the gospel’ in order to become His child?” It was; “How do I repent and believe in the gospel?” I could not assure myself that I was repenting and believing.

In the summer of 2004 I was playing baseball, enjoying my three-month break from school, and partaking in one of my favorite summertime activities, that is, reading until two o’clock every night. During a search for new reading material, I came across a book titled Rainbow Garden by Patricia St. John. In this children’s book, one I should have read years earlier, one of the characters came to Christ when she devoted herself to reading the Scriptures every day. In other words, it was in this way that God made Himself known to her and gave her assurance that she was a Christian. Reading the Bible on a regular basis was something I had never consistently done before, so I decided to try it.

I began to read two chapters, one in the Old Testament and one in the New Testament, every day. Then, out of those chapters, I wrote down the verse that I liked the most. This continued for several months. Gradually, as I read, I began to realize that when the Bible said something, I believed it. And when the Bible commanded something, I wanted to follow it. Finally I came to the understanding that I actually was a believer in Jesus Christ already—trusting in His words, His death for me, and the person of Christ Himself as my salvation. Thanks to what God had done in me, I could now see the marks of a true follower of Christ in my life.

1 Peter 1:23 says, “. . . For you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God”. It was through God’s Word that He gave me the confidence that I was actually a genuine Christian.

The exact point in time that I was converted is still a mystery to me. But, as my dad says, “If I get to heaven and God tells me that I was converted to Christ at some other time, I’m not going to argue with Him.”

I was baptized as a public display of my new life in Christ in an ice-cold swimming pool on the 5th of October, 2004. It is now my great desire to live and die for the glory of God and to enjoy Him forever. 

You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy
At You right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 16:11