I want to start by saying that before I became a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, I was a Buddhist/Taoist, not by choice, but because I was born into a family which engaged in idol worship. For most part of my life, I have held idolatrous beliefs. The little-g gods that I worshiped were always a mystery to me, because I could never fathom who they really were. I just knew to worship them because the elder members of my family and my parents worshiped them. Apart from calling myself a Buddhist or Taoist, I would sometimes refer myself as an Atheist because I also believed in evolution, the millions and billions of years, and dinosaurs taught in the school. I believed that religion and “science” were interconnected in some mysterious ways. Yet, beneath that Buddhist/Taoist/Atheist facade was a heart yearning for spiritual knowledge, and that was also the reason why I also read books about Numerology, Astrology, Palmistry, and Face-Reading which were popular in my growing-up years.
1 Peter 4:12 "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:"
All these things were the main themes of my spiritual life, until my life took a deep plunge when I was in my early 30s. It was then, that my “faith” was put to the test of fire. I sought the little-g gods that I served, but it doesn’t matter how much I sought them out, I could not find an answer to my problem. I could not resolve it in my heart. I was crushed before reality, and there was no hope for me. This was not the end of the fiery trial, and in May 2009, I was suddenly put out of job and had nowhere to go to. All the things which happened to me killed something in me, to the extent that the once confident self now became weak. I had lost all the pride that I once had. I had lost the confidence to face people in interviews while trying to sell myself, now that I am a defeated person. I remained unemployed for months. For months, I was without a job. Because of desperation, I was driven to do some very superstitious things, until one fine day, when I was cheated of a few hundred dollars and then I realized it later. On that day, and I remember it was thundering and raining very heavily, I looked up to the sky and cried out with all my heart in Mandarin “天啊 (God)!! Why…?? Why…??!!”. “Why have all these things happened to me??!!” was my cry. I literally cried out to a God whom I believed was in heaven, even though he was not known to me previously.
Very strangely, and soon after that incident, in December 2009, I caught an advertisement in the newspaper, and I applied for the job. I was then called up for an interview and it is so by coincidence that the ones who were hiring were my ex-colleagues. By grace, I managed to get back to working life again. So, life was gradually getting back to normal. It was then when my wife who had started attending New Creation Church asked me to join her in the Sunday service. I reluctantly did so, but I told her upfront that she could be a Christian all she wants, I would never be a Christian. Then Sunday after Sunday we were in that church, and I was not moved, until one day, when the congregation was singing and I paid close attention to the words of the hymn that I was moved to tears. That was the moment of change in my life when I started identifying myself as a Christian. For the next one to two years, I served in the children ministry of that church. Nevertheless, I would still continue to go to the Chinese temple on occasions to pray to the deceased of my family, especially to my parents who had died early in my life.
Things started to change again in July 2011, when I left my job for a better offer. Soon after I switched to my new job I started to regret. Things were not as rosy after all. I was put to very difficult tasks and had very mean bosses who would yell at me and threaten me. It was during then, that my mother-in-law had two unsuccessful surgeries performed on her spine, which caused her to become bedridden. My parent-in-laws moved to Singapore, and we had my mother-in-law placed in a nursing home which costs us more than $3,000 a month. It was also during this time that we brought my father-in-law to the church to attend the Sunday service. He too, became a Christian.
In January 2012, again, I was retrenched from my job. The nightmare which haunted me back in 2009 returned to haunt me. Now with additional financial burdens, things became worse. But this time round, I told my wife with conviction that there was nothing I could do except God who did it for me. It was not my battle to fight, but the battle belongs to the LORD. You see, my life as a Christian revolved around the pastor, not the Bible. Every single week I would religiously purchase sermons from the previous week and listened to them. I loved those sermons because they were all very encouraging. They all speak of a God who is extremely gracious and not only wants to alleviate us from the problems of this present life, but also wants to make us healthy and wealthy. All these things were promised to us, the moment we become believers. That was what I believed then. It was preached from the pulpit as truth from the Bible. BTW, I hardly read the Bible as a Christian in that church. The Bible to me then, was foreign and hard to understand. I only relied on the words of my pastor, Joseph Prince, the senior pastor of New Creation Church. I believed him 100%, and I also loved the church for its grandeur and music. That was until sometime between January and March 2012 when things took a turn once again.
Between January and March 2012, while looking for a job, and praying to God, I had the opportunity to spend more time with my father-in-law who stayed with us. He was a new believer then. I told my wife to get a Bible for him. I remembered I told her specifically to get a modern bible version for him so that it is easier for him to read and understand. So, she went to the bookstore in New Creation Church to purchase a Bible. Instead of the New International Version or New King James, she actually bought him a 1611 King James Bible. When she got the Bible home, I was a little upset with her because she did not follow my instructions, and so we had an argument. In her reply, she said that the bookstore assistant told her that the New King James were out of stock. So perhaps in her eagerness to close the deal, the bookstore assistant told my wife that the 1611 King James Bible and the New King James are the same. To prove the point to me, my wife flipped open the 1611 King James Bible, and started to read out loud from the Book of Proverbs.
Proverbs 1:1-7 "The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; 2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; 3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; 4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. 5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: 6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. 7 ¶ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction."
She continued reading, and when the pure words of the LORD came out from her mouth, I was stunned in the spirit… for the first time. I didn't tell her of course, but I have never heard such gracious words. Then I quickly dismissed the thoughts and asked her to stop reading. The truth of it was that it was too much for me to bear. I said to her: “Let me have that Bible.” Then I got her to buy a New International Version for my father-in-law instead. I kept and used that Bible to this day. By March 2012, again by the grace of God, I got back into employment. This time round, it was coincidentally the same ex-colleague who helped me back to employment in December 2009. I not only found a job, but I was even given a much higher pay than previously. My faith in God increased. However, in this new role I had to travel to California for a period of time for on-the-job-training. That means that I would not be able to attend the Sunday service in New Creation Church for at least a few months. I was grieved at the thoughts of leaving my family and the church for a season, but for their sake I had to do it.
It was during then, when I had nothing to do in my free time after work, that I started to go to youtube and search for things pertaining to Christianity. I wanted to find out more about God. I wanted to attend church badly. That was when I chanced upon some Christian teachings online that I never knew existed. I was particularly drawn to teachings about Creation and the End Times. It was also during this time that I started to notice people arguing online about the Holy Bible. This, to me was something new, because the mega-church that I attended preached from all kinds of Bible. So, in that sense, every bible is the same. Every bible is the word of God. I started to become curious. I returned to Singapore after my training was over. We continued to attend New Creation Church but I would still visit youtube for topics on Creation, End Times and Bible controversy because these things had piqued an interest in me. Sometime between 2013 and 2014, I chanced upon teachings online about the supernatural numerical patterns found in the 1611 King James Bible. I remember asking myself: “How is that possible? What are the chances like??” At that point, I was very much persuaded that the 1611 King James Bible is the true word of God. I picked up the King James Bible my wife bought for my father-in-law, and started reading it voraciously. I searched the word of God diligently every day. BTW, if you happen to think that my conversion to the King James Bible was an easy thing, I want to share this with you, taken from a conversation with someone who asketh me for a reason of the hope that is in me:
“I just want to add that I started off using modern bibles when I first became a Christian. As you can read in my testimony, I specifically asked my wife to buy my father-in-law a modern bible version because I was worried he would not be able to read the "old English" too. It was not an easy switch for myself also, especially because I'm not a native English speaker, and I never knew what the "thees" and "thous" were about. I did not study Shakespeare either. Plus the fact that I was never well-versed in the Bible. For most part of my life, I was an idolator. I never knew who Jesus was. And even after I joined NCC, the Bible was foreign to me. For 4+ years of my time in NCC, I hardly read the Bible. If I do "read," it was just for show. My heart was not there. The intellectual baggage was heavy, and I could not carry it. But I started bit by bit. Surely I could do it bit by bit. Everytime I encountered obstacles, I prayed. I asked God for wisdom and understanding… God showed me. He was good to me. I was a new believer then, and I wanted so much to know about him. I cried out for wisdom and understanding. God answered my prayers beyond what I have asked for. He showed me here a little, there a little, line upon line, line upon line, precept upon precept, precept upon precept. That was how far I have come. To this day, I have not stopped learning. The Bible is so rich and full of wisdom and knowledge. It is impossible for anyone to be able to comprehend everything in their lifetimes. So, everyday I learn. I keep learning. Slowly but surely. Sometimes God will give more, sometimes he will give less. But he will surely provide. I could not thank him enough for all he has done in my life. These words come from the bottom of my heart. I can only humble myself before him.” — Max Wang
Through much prayers and diligent studies, I was fully persuaded that the 1611 King James Bible is the pure word of God. If everything the King James Bible says is true, then every modern bible version is a counterfeit. That fact is I used to read from modern bible versions before I made the switch to the 1611 King James Bible. My reason for making the switch is very simple. If it is the true word of God, read it and love it with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might. If it ain't the true word of God, it is a counterfeit. Don't read it. Throw it away, burn it, don't even touch it with a ten-foot pole, just like how we don't eat fake food (plant-based meats, lab-grown chicken, insect proteins, etc). It will be harmful to your soul. The word of God is truth. Just like the light of the world, the pure word of God will manifest itself as light in a city set on an hill that cannot be hid. If God opens your eyes, you will be able to see that light, and love that light, and with that light, you will be able to see clearly what is truth and what is not by the Spirit of God testifying from the word of God. You will be able to tell the difference between the real thing and counterfeits pretending to be the real thing, and by the love of the truth, you will hate all counterfeits like what the psalmist tells us in:
Psalms 119:104 "Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way."
If your reaction to the modern counterfeits was to throw it in the garbage bin, it was because “I hate every false way.” Jesus tells us he is “the way” to God in John 14:6, and he is also the Word of God. There is only one way to God, and it is by the true word of God. Therefore “every false way” speaks of counterfeit bibles pretending to be the true word of God meant to deceive and turn people away from the true Light. My new conviction made me hate “every false way.” Because of this new conviction, I was forced to take a stand. I had to choose between the 1611 King James Bible and that mega-church I was attending. I chose life and blessing:
Deuteronomy 30:19-20 "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them."
In fact, for the first 4-5 years of calling myself a Christian, I thought I was a Christian. However, there was no real conviction in me - I have to admit that. I prayed the sinner's prayer, went to church on Sundays, but all I cared was the things that God can provide for me. I wanted to be wealthy and healthy. All I cared for was a comfortable worldly life. To be honest, I have not loved the word of God, neither have I cared for what the Bible says. I didn't even read the Bible!! To me back then, the Bible was foreign and hard to understand. I only relied on the words of my ex-pastor, Joseph Prince. He was the Bible for me. I only needed to listen to his words, and to me back then, that was my one-way ticket to heaven when I passed on from this world into the next. All I cared for was myself, my flesh, my pleasures, and my own interpretation of God. I was that “simple man” in Proverbs 1:4. I cared not for the wisdom of God. I didn't know what the fear of God is, because my ex-pastor did not teach us the meaning and I didn’t bother to search it out.
John 1:12-13 "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
Everything about my Christianity was according to the will of my flesh — I am a Christian because I identified myself as one. Not according to the Bible, and definitely not according to the word of God. The sinner's prayer I prayed was also not genuine from my heart. Rather, I saw it as a seal of guarantee that I will go to heaven after I prayed that prayer. I have not understood the meaning of “justice.” I had no understanding of what sin was. I don't even care whether or not I was a sinner!! All I cared about was blessings, health, wealth, and success. That was the love of money. That was still idolatry. That was me going from one form of idol worship to another, all the while having the impression that it was the love of God. The Devil is that subtle. That was until things began to happen in my life, and then, my eyes began to be opened to the 1611 King James Bible - the pure word of God. Yes, I am not ashame to call the 1611 King James Bible the pure word of God, for indeed, it is. It was by this conviction that I was stirred up to study the 66 books of the Holy Bible, to know the word of God from its source.
Luke 8:15 "But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience."
It was through an honest heart and much diligence in studying the word of God for myself, in that sense, watering the “seed” that was already planted on the good ground of my heart (though it was not my will to do that), that I started to notice a change in me. It was not just a change in my attitude, but there was a whole new man living in me. I began to love the word of God. I began to understand things in the word of God. I began to commune with the LORD my God with words from the 1611 King James Bible. I began to pray with faith and watch God do things in my life. At that point, I knew that I am already fully surrendered to my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, because I know and am convicted that the word of God is God, and Jesus Christ is LORD!!
Romans 4:21 "And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform."
At that point, when Jesus Christ is LORD in your life, you know that he is also your Shepherd. He takes care of you. He heals your broken heart. He loves you as his own. He fulfilled the judgment of the wicked (you) on your behalf because you believed in him!! That's when you are sure and certain that you will go to heaven when you die one day, when this sinful sheath of your body expired, and your soul be joined with the rest of the body of Christ in heavenly realm, to be with your Lord and Saviour for ever and ever. To this very day, I'm still holding forth the word of life, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him. That was the whole mystery of the gospel that I was a part of, and now I am sharing my testimony here with you, and whosoever will hear me. May the LORD help you in your journey to find the truth!
Read also:
Max Wang's Testimony of Conversion