The Christian Witness

With the rise of secularism and other religious belief systems, people’s worldviews are drastically changing. In today’s society, Christians are being viewed more and more as offensive, intolerant, and even irrelevant. Evangelism is seen by many to be extremist as well as a threat to others. It is becoming much more difficult to have conversations with the outside world. The perception for many Christians today is that they are becoming marginalized in the practice of their faith in the communities around them. Thus, leaving them feeling overwhelmed, misunderstood, and immobilized as they are labeled as hypocritical, judgmental, and even bigoted.

Of coarse, we do live in a very diverse and pluralistic society where secularism and other religious belief systems are becoming much more prevalent. So, does this mean that we shirk back and seek to blend in as we ride the wave of popular culture, or do step up to the plate ready to go to bat with the understanding that we have the hope that everybody is so desperately searching for? More so today, we need to engage with people who are different than us, and in order to do so we need to gain a better understanding of the Christian faith and our own personal witness. We are called to be witnesses much like the Apostles were. We are not called to convert people, rather to be witnesses for Christ. It is not a time to avoid conflict and confrontation. Rather, it is a time to fully engage with culture and society that others would come to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 NIV.

We all want to share our personal testimony with somebody else in hopes that they would hear the Good News of Jesus Christ and come to a saving knowledge of Him. Our desire is that those who do not believe would come to know Jesus Christ as their God and Savior just as we do. We want others to share in the hope that we have in Christ. There is so much more in this world than all our stuff, something so much more than our hopes, our dreams, our aspirations and our fears, our troubles, and pain. Someday, when it all falls apart and it will and when the walls come crashing down and they will, we as believers can take comfort in God’s love for us. “And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Romans 5:5 NIV.

So, let’s examine this topic of the Christian Witness for a minute in order that we can better equip ourselves to give a more accurate presentation of the faith. Our desire is that our encounters with others will be positive and fruitful. “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” 1 Peter 3:15-17 NIV.

We are not in the business of selling Christianity. That is by presenting a product to a perspective onlooker, overcoming their objections, and seeking to close the deal. In our zeal and passion to share Christ with others, it’s easy to get caught-up in this snare. We are not to view people as potential prospects where we can practice our sales pitch on them all the while working to persuade them to buy our product. When attempting to sell Christianity in this manner, people are reduced to customers or clients and the relational human element is lost. “God has a wonderful plan for your life”, “God wants to prosper you”, and “God wants to bless you” are all catchy and inviting messages for which there may be some degree of truth. But, they can easily be twisted into marketing strategies used to entice curious onlookers to buy-in. 

Rather than going for the quick sale or the close the deal approach, we must take the time to invest in people and this is where things can get a bit messy. We must prompt ourselves to engage in the lives of others, not just in the pleasant and attractive but also in their brokenness and pain. With others we have to allow ourselves to be put-out and inconvenienced by reaching out and building friendships and relationships. And only then can we build that bridge, earn their trust, and gain an ear that we may share our personal witness coupled with the witness of Jesus Christ. It is not our job to convince people or convert them to Christianity simply because we can’t. That is the work of the God alone through the power of the Holy Spirit. What we can do is make very real connections with people where they are at in their lives. And just maybe our personal story in the faith is that linking point that allows us to engage with them in their everyday lives. This is where relationships are built and moments to share Christ’s story arise.

We are called to be salt and light sharing the hope of the forgiveness of sins, eternal life and salvation to a lost and hurting world. We bring the seasoning of the Gospel message and the light of God’s Word to people so desperately in need of His gracious loving favor. God uses us to reveal Christ to the world. The only thing that can save people is the love of God found in the sacrifice of His son on the cross. “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:13-16 NIV.

There are two elements that should constitute a proper witness or testimony about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: our own personal witness, and the witness of Christ Himself. Some of us would tend toward giving a personal account or witness for why we believe, while others would give a theological or doctrinal accounting of the faith that we hold onto. At times, there exists a divide between the two approaches,and often times one will polarize to one side to the exclusion of the other. The theological witness is all about the rescue, that is Christ’s work of saving sinners from sin, death, the devil, and the Law. It’s what Jesus did in His dying and rising from the dead on our behalf. The theological witness, found alone in the Gospel, is that which moves us to believe and grants us salvation. Our personal witness is where the effects of that rescue show up. It’s what it means to us, where faith is real, evident, and present in our own lives.

The faith that we hold onto is truly a very personal experience for each and every one of us. We all have had different experiences and have different stories to tell about what it means to be Christian. This is a very legitimate and substantial reality for each of us as we all experience and have personalized something a little bit different. And, each of us may explain it somewhat differently according to our own individual encounters in the faith. My personal witness for why I believe may sound completely different from yours and that does not make mine any more right or wrong than yours. It’s different simply because it is personal to me in what God has done in my life. God’s grace in our lives by what He has done for us in His son’s death on the cross is Christ’s witness and that is what motivates us to share our witness. Our personal witness is found in what God has done and is doing in our lives and just maybe that is what piques another’s interest and grabs ahold of their ear so we can then share the witness of Christ. 

I would explain my personal witness something like this. First of all, being a Christian has resolved for me the dilemma of death. Death for me was something that I always anxiously feared. But now in Christ, death has been conquered. The fear that once gripped me is now gone. Yes of course, I am no martyr, and surely I don’t want to die for death is truly a horrific and wrenching matter. For me, death is now understood as a transition into life eternal with God in Heaven. Wow, what a relief and what hope there is found in these words. “Death has been swallowed up in victory” and “I have come to give you life and life eternal”. 

Secondly, my being a Christian is filled with hope. As I mentioned, I have hope that death will not hold me in the grave at the end of my physical life here on earth. But, I also have hope on many levels as I move through the day to day experiences and struggles in this life. My life has meaning and purpose because I now know the answers to those great nagging philosophical questions of life. How did I get here? Why am I here? And, where will I go in the end? Such tremendous peace is found in knowing the answers to these questions. How satisfying is life now that I can give an account to these perplexing uncertainties of life. No doubt, there will be trying and tragic times in this life, but in the end all things will be made right for those who are in Christ Jesus. So, what is your personal story as to why you believe? After Jesus and His disciples went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes, He healed a demon possessed man. He then told him. “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” Mark 5:19 NIV.

So it goes for our personal witness and how powerful and unique they all are. But, I would like to move the discussion to the other side of the Christian witness to Christ’s witness. Our personal testimony as powerful as it is, proves nothing about the truth of our faith, though it does give a human element to it. Personal experience can validate nothing in regard to the truth of the faith that we hold on to, but it can humanize it. There are many who claim to have had a personal encounter with the God of this Universe and therefore for that reason alone assert that their faith is real and true. As genuine and heartfelt as this assertion is, it simply is not sufficient to move one to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Those who claim that their faith is true simply because they have experienced it is no defense at all, regardless of what religion they proclaim, even Christianity.  

It is necessary for us in our witness to tell our personal testimony for it can be very helpful for others to see that what we believe has very real and personal implications. But, no sooner than we share our own personal story, do we need to get our narrative out of the way so we can get on with Christ’s. The theological significance of our Christian witness is equally as important as is the personal, but in the end, it is without a doubt definitely the weightier of the two. It is not an “either or” proposition when it comes to sharing Christ with others. Rather it is a “both and” venture. 

Our Christian witness should be built around both theological truth and our own personal encounter in the faith. Walking the middle of the path helps us avoid veering off the road and getting stuck in a ditch on either side, that is holding to one method to the exclusion of the other. Yet, it is critical to clearly distinguish between the two. They should never be confused with each other. Our personal witness allows us to share our faith in a way that puts a personal human touch on it. The theological witness of Christ is found outside us and is rooted in the Gospel alone. And the Gospel alone is responsible for bringing us to faith and making us Christian.

If all we share are our own personal reasons for why we believe what we do about Christ and the faith (which are extremely personal and relevant for each of us), then what others hear is nothing more than subjective existential experiences that differ not from any other persons encounter with any other religion. On the flip side, to share only the theological witness of Christ may actually bring one to a saving faith in Jesus Christ because the hearing of the Gospel has the power to save. “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” Romans 10:17 NIV, “By this Gospel you are saved” 1 Corinthians 15:2 NIV. Yet, our personal witness just might be that element that breaks down those barriers between us and our neighbors. Thus, allowing us to build those bridges of communication, trust, and relationship. And from there we might befriend one who is open to hearing the Good News of God’s love for us. 

All religions do make some sort of truth claims as a means to authenticate the validity of their religion. All except the Christen Faith are stricken with serious problems as they are found to be internally inconsistent (possess contradictions), lacking empirical verification (evidence), wanting when attempting to address the worlds current state of affairs, and hollow when answering the great philosophical questions of life. 

The silver lining is that Christianity has the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. This thing really did happen. It is a real event that took place in time and history. It is factual and can be verified through many sources, even those found outside the Bible. This event,though miraculous and unbelievable as it is, as a matter of fact really did happen. It took place just a little over 2000 years ago right outside the city walls of Jerusalem. This resurrection event of Jesus Christ validates His life, His miracles, His words He spoke, and His claim to be God in human flesh. The fact that Jesus could raise Himself from the dead could only happen if He were God Himself. Therefore, if He was God, then we can rely upon every word that He ever spoke, and He had some very significant things to say. “Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth.” John 18:37 NIV.

If Jesus Christ was not raised, then whatever personal testimony we have with Christianity amounts to nothing. If it were to be proven that Jesus never rose form the grave, then our faith is in vain and we have nothing to offer. Nothing more than any other religious individual out there who professes a personal experience or encounter with their religion or god. “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” 1 Corinthians 15:14 NIV.

We have the truth on our side, and it is factual and verifiable because it is rooted in history. They don’t! That’s what makes our witness real and truthful and theirs misleading and false. The reality is this, that we could not have a had a real life-changing encounter with the God of this universe, the Christ on our behalf, if He had not first come to us as God born in human flesh, die on a cross, and then rise from the grave. Our personal testimony must be coupled with Christ’s testimony (the Gospel) in order to give it credibility and distinguish it from all other personal religious experiences. All other competing belief systems that are vying or contending for the souls of people. 

In Acts, when word of Judas’s death came to the Apostles reducing them to eleven, they selected Matthias as his replacement. They were committed to the preaching of Christ crucified and risen, the proclamation of the Gospel even in the face of fierce persecution. So, they were bent on selecting one who was of the same mind as they were in their endevours. “For one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection” Acts 1:22 NIV. As the Apostles were relentless in their efforts to move about the different regions under intense persecution, they continued to preach the Gospel. “the apostles continued to give their testimony about the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” Acts 4:33 NIV.

In our zeal and fervor to want to get out and share our Christian faith with others, let us step back for a moment and express to ourselves our own personal experience with the faith and know it well. Equally as important, let us gain a proper understanding of the faith that we hold onto as recorded in history and revealed in the Bible. Let us share our witness real to life as we have experienced it, and real to the truth as God has revealed it in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Our witness begins with our own encounter in the faith and must end in the proclamation of the Gospel, Christ crucified and risen just as it was for the Apostles.

Being a witness isn’t always easy. You might say: “I’m not good at it”, “It’s hard to do”, or “It sucks when I fail”. Just remember that Christ died a horrific death on the cross to take away our sin and grant us salvation and eternal life. We are no longer held accountable for our sins, for we are now forgiven in Christ and are born again as children of God. Death no longer hangs over our heads as something to be feared, and we now have hope and purpose in our lives. The Gospel is the reason that drives us to move and bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to others. 

The Church grows and people come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ when one person tells another, and that person tells another and so on. The Gospel changes lives when it is breathed out upon people. Maybe for us it starts by bringing this message of Good News into the closest places of life, our family, friends, and co-workers. Maybe it begins in our own neighborhoods, our communities, or even to the world at large. But, wherever Christ’s Word and Gospel goes it brings hope and salvation to all who believe.

After Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared before the Apostles for a span of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. He then commissioned them to be His witnesses “you will be my witnesses” Acts 1:8 NIV. They were a testimony of all the things Jesus had said and had done, and to His crucifixion and resurrection from the dead. The Apostles called many to repentance as they many were baptized and “the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” Acts 2:47 NIV. We as followers of Christ now have the very same calling to be witnesses for Jesus. God has called His Church and His people to bring His message into the world and He uses us to deliver Christ to people. We are called to lead people to the cross of Jesus just as it was for the Apostles. We bring the message of Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins that people would come to experience God’s grace and know of His amazing love for them. 

Our witness when appropriate and by the guidance of the Holy Spirit must be followed with a call to believe. “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” Acts 16:31 NIV. And yes, for us Lutheran’s as well! We as Lutheran’s have shied away from any such notion for fear of being labeled as Semi-Pelagian or Armenian and succumbing to the idea of Decision Theology. Yes, the truth is that we cannot make-a-decision to believe in Jesus as our savior on our own accord. This alone is the work of God. It is He who moves us to repentance. It is the telling and the hearing of the Gospel that has the power to move and change people, and it is the work of God through the power of the Holy Spirit who drives us to repentance, creates faith, and makes us Christian.  

Let’s pause here for just a minute before we get too far ahead of ourselves. It is the Holy Spirit who works repentance and brings salvation to man. The Law works to point out the magnitude and severity of his sin, the Law as found in the Ten Commandments and also written upon his heart. It reveals his inability to keep it, that is the Law, and shows him that he cannot resolve his sin problem on his own accord. The Law works contrition, a sorrow, guilt, and anguish over his sin and prepares him to hear the Good News of the Gospel. The Gospel now turns him to Christ in faith as he receives the forgiveness of his sins. The Holy Spirit is at work by the application of both the Law and the Gospel bringing salvation to man. 

The Gospel recues us from our sin, turns us toward God in faith, and grants us salvation. The Gospel creates in the human heart the very response that it calls for. It creates faith, the very faith required to believe. In other words, the Gospel creates faith in people and turns them to believe in Christ and take hold of what God has promised them, the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. The Gospel accomplishes what it offers. It makes people Christian.

Simply put, God turns us away from ourselves and sin as we passively receive from Him the gift of faith and eternal life. The wild card is Romans 1:16 NIV “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes”. That is the telling of the Gospel breaks the human will. The spoken Word of the Gospel has the power to soften hearts, change minds, and turn one from I don’t believe to I do now believe that Christ’s death is sufficient to save me and forgive me all my sins. 

Remember, the theological witness is to share the work of God in Christ in His dying and rising from the dead for the rescue of sinners. Our personal witness is to share the love and grace of God that He has worked personally in our own lives. Know the difference and get the Word out!

Lord, open our eyes to those who need us and give us your compassion for them. Lead us to share with them your love and kindness in Christ. Grant us insight, wisdom, courage, and fearlessness in our witness. Give us a keen understanding of the culture and communities around us. Grant us relationships and help us establish connections that would lead to avenues of conversation to make an impact upon peoples lives. Amen

 Believe it!