Theme: Evangelistic Outreach
“let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven”. Matt 5:16[/su_note]
“I witness to the unsaved by the way I live, not by what I say.” Have you heard someone say that? Hang it all, have you said that?The idea expressed here is that if people can see the Gospel in the way you live then they don’t need to hear it actually articulated. So think a moment. How will anyone know that it’s because of God that you do live the way you do? How do they get to ‘praise your Father in heaven’? Perhaps they will just think that you are a fine fellow and that’s all. Even if they did make a connection between your life-style and your belief in Jesus, how would they know what to do to change their lives? Do we expect people to observe us and then… what? Rush off to church?Paul had this to say: “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” (Rom 10:14-15) I am not suggesting that we need to ‘preach’ to people as in lecture them, or subject them to passionate oration. But the principle is clear – how will they know unless someone tells them. And here’s the thing; if your life example has won you the right to speak then only you can do the speaking.
Of course there are too many Christians around who have a lot to say, and spout a ‘gospel’ message to all who will listen, but then live as if they themselves have been untouched by the message they proclaim. This is hypocritical and a terrible witness to the Gospel. But we cannot use this as the reason why we don’t tell others about our relationship with Jesus. The choice isn’t to either walk the talk, or talk the walk – the truth is that we need to both walk and talk the Christian way. Don’t you think so?[Technical note to reader: If you would like to comment, simply click on the hyperlink below that says ‘X Comments’, a new page will open where you will be able to write your comment]
1 thought on “Life-style and testimony”
Thank you for challenging us to walk and talk the Christian way again Chris. Our lives consists of so many parts – at home; infront of friends & family; at church; at work and in many other areas. We wear a different mask for each play (most of us anyway). It is so easy to say, “my work environment is not conducive to walking and talking the Christian way”. How do I challenge the guy who blasphemes all the time at work, especialy so since he is my team leader, or how do I resist the temptation of an affair if it all comes along so free and easily? Since we were granted free choice by our Heavenly Father, I guess it boils down to making that choice again – to let the “words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to the Lord”, to be the mirror every day in which anybody will see Jesus. But it’s lonely out in the world at times and we get isolated and distracted and then we need reminders such as this to help us to discard all those different masks and to make a choice to be the same person every day and in every situation and to reflect Jesus in everything we do or say. Praise the Lord for His mercy and His Grace and especialy His patience with us.