Christian Huls, who lives near Memphis, Tennessee (USA) is a young Bible college student and a supporter of the Answers in Genesis ministry. In addition to his studies in Bible and apologetics (i.e., defending the Bible), he actively participates in the Evangelism Explosion (EE) witnessing program. Although he has only been a Christian for two years, he has matured in his knowledge of the Word and has seen a dramatic transformation in his life. Here is the testimony that we asked him to share with our Web visitors, which includes the importance of the creation/evolution issue in leading Christian to become a Christian…
I was raised in a Catholic family and we attended Mass every Sunday. I went to Catholic grade school, where I was taught the theory of evolution as fact. At the age of 11, I began questioning my faith. [Eventually] I gave up all my childhood beliefs, which included the belief that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. Then, free of any moral restraints, I began to live the way I wanted.
By the time I was 15, I was a complete atheist. Adding the building blocks of secular history such as the Crusades and the Spanish Inquisition to the foundation of evolution, I concluded that Christ’s very existence was a fabrication used for power and oppression.
A friend introduced me to meditation, from which I formed my own New Age philosophy on life. I carried out evolution to its next logical conclusion-that man would evolve to become God. The beauty of it was that it didn’t infringe on my life style to believe in a God that we ourselves would one day become. Whatever I did was right in my own eyes as long as it didn’t seem to hurt anyone else.
I believed that enlightenment came from all writings and all religions, and that there was no absolute truth. This idea gave me a false hope and a reason to live. I now had a responsibility to become the best that I could be for the “betterment of mankind.”
As my ego grew, I sincerely believed that I might play a role in our transition. I began reading everything I could get my hands on, especially science books such as “Hyperspace” and “A Brief History of Time.” I even proselytized several friends, and many converted.
A few people attempted to share the Gospel with me, including my fiancé’s sister and brother-in-law whom I considered very fanatical because they are Baptist. I also engaged in conversations and debates about truth, spirituality, and other related topics with a Christian co-worker of mine. He continuously argued that the Bible is the Word of God; therefore it is the only source of absolute truth.
Nevertheless, I continued refuting his argument, questioning why the Bible should be set apart from other religious writings. I believed that since anyone could write something and claim that it was an inspiration from God, that it would be naïve, at best, for us to blindly accept it. Even if it were true, I had a hard time believing that this was the case with the Bible since it didn’t agree with the theory of evolution.
One day our discussion led to the topic of evolution. He suggested that I listen to an audiotape on the scientific problems with evolution. When I finally listened to it, my eyes were opened. It presented the typical arguments against evolution, such as the fossil record, the false “ape-men,” the scientific laws of entropy and abiogenesis, the impossibility of chance, and several young Earth evidence. I was skeptical at first, so I listened to the tape a second time, taking notes and investigating all his claims. I knew the two scientific laws, but I had never applied them logically to evolution since I had been brainwashed into believing in billions of years and chance. The rest of his arguments, such as the lack of missing links in the fossil record and the evidence for a young Earth, were verifiable. He was telling the truth and I couldn’t deny it.
I suddenly believed all those Biblical stories that I had learned as a child, such as the Flood and the parting of the Red Sea, were true. This meant that my philosophy on life was wrong. It was a humbling experience.
My fiancée and I agreed that we were not living as we should and that we should start going to church. We decided to visit [a co-worker’s] church. They taught that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God, that Jesus Christ was God in the flesh, and that He died on the Cross for our sins. We began to attend regularly. Within two years, we became members and got married. Although our pastor would mention the term “relationship” [with Christ], the full meaning didn’t dawn on me until much later. I had only attained the intellectual assent of Jesus Christ, but I was still trying to lead a good life in order to get to Heaven.
One evening my wife and I were discussing the subject of prophecy. On a curious whim, we read the Book of Revelation together. I had always been fascinated by that particular book as a child-even a little scared. This time it upset me again because I didn’t understand any of it, except for the verse where Jesus promises a blessing to those who read it.
… [I] began reading a fictional book based on Revelation….and immediately related to the main character, who went through a dramatic change. He began reading the Bible, not because he thought he should, but because he wanted to. He began worshipping regularly, fellowshipping with other Christians, and praying all the time.
The most convicting thing to me was when something was wrong, the character would get together with other believers and they would all get on their knees together and pray. I was uncomfortable just reading about that! I knew that something was wrong. The same ego that thought I might help change the world was humbled. I stopped reading, got down on my knees, and I asked Jesus to forgive me. I asked Him to save me! It was December 1998.
My life was transformed immediately and I grew very rapidly in my faith. I had a hunger for God’s Word, and I read or listened to most of the Bible in a few months. In addition, I read several books about the Bible and theology. I started listening to the local Christian radio station on a regular basis-I couldn’t bear to listen for more than a few minutes in the past, but now it seemed that I couldn’t hear enough.
The emptiness that I had been trying to fill was replaced with fulfillment in Jesus.
A week after I received Jesus, my wife asked me, “Why are you so different lately?” I told her why, and the next day she affirmed that she, too, had prayed the previous evening! The emptiness that I had been trying to fill was replaced with fulfillment in Jesus.
Since that time, I have been growing and resolutely studying apologetics. Every time that I had a question that caused me to doubt my faith, I wouldn’t rest until I found the answer. I would search the Scriptures and any resource that I could find relating to that topic. It seemed as if I would just finish researching a particular subject when my brother-in-law would raise the very same question! It’s amazing how God works, preparing me to answer his questions and refute his arguments. This relationship has been flourishing for two years.
Six months after we received Jesus, my wife and I found our church home where I am now involved in the Evangelism Explosion training programs [founded by AiG ministry friend, Dr D. James Kennedy]. I have a growing burden for the lost, and I want to share the Good News with everybody, especially those who have been indoctrinated and misled as I was about science, evolution, and the reliability of God’s Word.
I continue studying apologetics in order that I may “be ready always” to make a defense to everyone who asks me to give an account for the hope that is in me (1 Peter 3:15). Since very early in my Christian walk, I have felt that the Lord is calling me into the ministry. It seems He is guiding me towards apologetics and youth evangelism.
Editor’s note: In communicating with Christian, he also expressed to us his desire to see more creationist materials getting into non-Christians’ hands to help break down barriers, and he stated that he appreciates AiG’s role in this “creation evangelism.”
Answers in Genesis is an apologetics ministry, dedicated to helping Christians defend their faith and proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.