My Sins Are Forgiven
By John Tan
Having grown up in a Christian family, I have been reading the Bible even before I became a believer. At that young age, no one questioned my profession of faith, and I deceived myself into believing that I was a genuine born-again Christian even though I knew deep down in my heart that something was wrong and I did not have the assurance of faith.
I was a professing Christian but was in slavery to many sins. I was full of pride and I sought approval from the world. Through reading the Bible, the Holy Spirit convicted me of the weight and severity of my many sins, as well as the final and terrible judgement to come upon all unbelievers, including false professing Christians. I was very miserable as I recognised how high the stakes were and wholeheartedly believed that I was headed for hell.
Driven by desperation, I pleaded countless times to God for mercy. In John 6:37, Jesus made an unwavering promise to anyone who would put their faith in Him: “Whoever comes to me, I will never cast out.” And true to His promise, the turning point came when I was isolated in my room with Covid-19 and God convicted me to finally acknowledge that I was a wretched, unworthy sinner, which absolutely crushed the sense of pride I had. I wept uncontrollably as I felt the weight of my sins being lifted off me and the result of months of prayer that were finally answered.
I was 14 years old then, when I personally received Christ in 2022. The moment I truly believed in Jesus, I felt a wonderful peace, assurance, and joy that my sins had been forgiven through Jesus’ love for me and His sacrifice on the cross.
That same year, my family and I began attending HVMC, having found out about the Sunday services through pamphlets that were distributed. I started to attend the youth services and have been regularly participating in the Youth Ministry, where I have developed close friendships with other youth through participating in youth camps and other fun activities. HVMC is especially important to me as the local church is the place where I can regularly have fellowship with other Christians. I have also met many older and mature believers who have set good examples on how to live the Christian life.
On 29 March 2026, I was baptised, as I wanted to make a profession of my faith in Jesus Christ. I feel convicted that this is in obedience to God because it is a clear and explicit step for all believers. I am very blessed that my parents have exposed me to the Word of God at a young age and this is God’s loving providence in my life.
John’s parents, Tan Kee Hong and Magdalene
I am encouraged by my Dad’s exhortation to me, on my baptism, from 1 Timothy 6:12 - “Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses.” My Mum is grateful for the HVMC community which has helped me on my journey of self-discovery and deeper understanding of who God is.
God has removed the sins in my life that I previously could not overcome. I can testify that I am but a recipient of God’s grace and His loving kindness, and I would like to give God all the glory. I can now say with confidence, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23).
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