Livia Turk’s Testimony Of Salvation

Since I was born, as far as I understand, I was already called a Christian, because I was born and raised into a family and society where the people around me were active in church. Also, they said, that I had already been baptized when I was still a baby—of course I don’t remember that event. My parents are the ones who decided for me to be baptized at that time, not me.

Every Sunday I went to church, and also other church services held on other days besides Sunday. I was always taught to do good wherever I was. I grew into an adult with the idea that as long as I did good, and was diligent to go to church and follow the activities organized by our church at that time, and also believed in Jesus, I would be saved. So I strived to the best of my ability to do those things, but in reality I always failed. I’d pray to God to forgive me my sins, and I’d promise to try again to become a good person, and more diligently attend church. However, I still continued to sin, and confess again my sins to God so my sins I’d already committed could be forgiven, and I’d promise again to try again to be a better person. It wasn’t as easy as I thought, as I sinned again and again until I just didn’t care anymore about what I did, because I thought that although I tried with all my might to do good, and strived to be perfect, certainly I’d just fall again into sin. Even so, I was very worried at that time, thinking, What if I die before I confess those sins of mine to God? Will I go to Hell? Is it possible my good deeds are enough to bring me to Heaven?

But God loved me very much; he introduced me to a person who really, truly understood the Bible, and (more than that) who gave his testimony to me about the everlasting life that he already had. (That person was Caleb Turk, who is now my husband.) I was pretty amazed by that at that time, because I thought, Isn’t eternal life going to be awarded after we are tried and judged according to how many sins or good deeds we do?

Caleb invited me to join a Bible study with some of my friends, and also some of his friends. From that Bible study, lead by his own father, Dr. Louis A. Turk, I learned many things. One day Dr. Louis A. Turk taught us from the book of Romans, that “There is none righteous, no, not one…”

Romans 3:10 (KJV) As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

I thought, That means my efforts all this time to do good for salvation were in vain. Because according to Isaiah chapter 64, verse 6, “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags”.

Isaiah 64:6 (KJV) ¶ But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

He also gave an analogy that I’ve never forgotten, that is about the glass of pure and clean water. Our lives are like that glass of water: fit to drink, except if it’s been contaminated with something dirty. Even just one drop of sewer water, if mixed into that clean water, automatically will make that water become dirty and not fit to drink. Our sin is like that dirty water. No matter how much clean water we add into that already contaminated water, it won’t make it pure and clean again. On the contrary, the clean water that’s added will become dirty by the drop of sewer water that was already mixed in. I realized, if my works were that glass of water, then the water was already very dirty and very unfit to drink. My good works were only “as filthy rags”. Every day I always thought about how unfit I was to think that my good works could save me.

I already very often had read and even memorized John 3:16, but I only recently truly realized that, that verse is very amazing!

John 3:16 (KJV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Only by truly believing in Jesus, I could be saved!

After a while I thought about the sermons that were delivered by Dr. Louis A. Turk, and also about the personal Bible studies with Caleb almost everyday, I became aware how much I was a sinner, and headed down the road that many people take that leads to Hell. I was worried, and felt burdened with my sins. I knew if I died that moment, I would go to Hell, and I was scared.

I knew Caleb as a person who was always happy in any situation. I asked him why he always smiled and was happy like he had no burdens at all. He answered because of Jesus. He saw that I was greatly burdened and sad, and he invited me to talk with his father (Louis A. Turk). (Because, at that time, Caleb wasn’t yet fluent in the Indonesian language.) And so we went to his house and met with his father. I told him about the unrest of my heart, my fear, sadness, and heavy burden because of my sins. Then I told him I wanted to be saved. I prayed while kneeling on the floor in the living room, with tears running down my face. Dr. Louis A. Turk lead me in prayer. As I remember, I said, Lord Jesus, I realize that I’m a sinner, and I want you to save me. I believe that you died, and rose again the third day to pay for my sins. I invite you to enter my heart and save my soul forever.

That afternoon, on the 26th of June 2007, I repented (in the sense I would no longer depend on my works to save myself because that is vain), and I prayed to invite Jesus to enter into my heart, and surrendered my life totally into his hands. I know only he is capable to save me, and keep me saved. Since then, my burdens have been lifted, and I’m thankful I am saved. I no longer worry. I know I have everlasting life as John 3:36 says:

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life…”

John 3:36 (KJV) He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Because of John chapter 3, I also know that I have been born again. I now strive to do good, but not to save myself from my sins, because I’m already saved. I do good because I truly love him, and want to please him.

I was baptized a few months after I received Jesus as my Lord and Savior, as a visual and public testimony of my salvation, not to help me get saved as when I was baptized as a child.

For those of you who are still striving to do good to save yourselves, realize that everyone has sinned: “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10).

Romans 3:10 (KJV) As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

Don’t deceive yourselves (I John 1:8), only Jesus is capable to erase sins and save us all.

1 John 1:8 (KJV) ¶ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

As Jesus said:

John 14:6 (KJV) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.