Be a Witness by Ann-Louise Gremminger
The word “witnessing” seems to have become both overused and misused in Christian circles today. Some will pass out a few tracts and say they have been “out witnessing.” Other zealous people will approach strangers and ask, “Do you know for sure if you’re on your way to heaven?” They will then proceed to quote a few scriptures, often using what is commonly known as the “Romans Road.” While there is nothing necessarily wrong in those things, they do not fit the definition of a witness.
The English word “witness” has several meanings. It can be used to denote:
1. An individual who has seen an event with their own eyes
2. A person who tells what they have seen
Consider what Jesus said in Acts 1:8. “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me..”
What kind of witnesses are we to be?
John understood. Many years after Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, John wrote,
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.” (John 1:1-3)
Writers are often advised “write what you know.” That’s exactly what John did. He was a WITNESS to the things Jesus did and BORE WITNESS of what he had seen and heard. In other words, he saw it and told what he saw.
Peter did the same, saying, “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” (2 Peter 1:16) Peter told what he had seen. He was a true witness.
Jesus said, “Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.And ye are witnesses of these things. (Luke 24:46-47)
To truly be a witness for Christ, we have to tell what we know and what we have seen. We know who He is; we have seen Him at work in our lives. The most effective kind of witness is one telling the story first hand.
Tell your story. What has Jesus done in your life? Be a witness for Him and of Him. Have you been saved? Have you experienced God’s grace and mercy? Have you felt the touch of His love? Have you seen Him at work in your life?
Tell it. Be a witness to what God has done for you.
“I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed… therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God. (Isaiah 43:12)
And we are witnesses of all things which he did. (Acts 10:39)
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The word “witnessing” seems to have become both overused and misused in Christian circles today. Some will pass out a few tracts and say they have been “out witnessing.” Other zealous people will approach strangers and ask, “Do you know for sure if you’re on your way to heaven?” They will then proceed to quote a few scriptures, often using what is commonly known as the “Romans Road.” While there is nothing necessarily wrong in those things, they do not fit the definition of a witness.
The English word “witness” has several meanings. It can be used to denote:
1. An individual who has seen an event with their own eyes
2. A person who tells what they have seen
Consider what Jesus said in Acts 1:8. “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me..”
What kind of witnesses are we to be?
John understood. Many years after Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, John wrote,
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.” (John 1:1-3)
Writers are often advised “write what you know.” That’s exactly what John did. He was a WITNESS to the things Jesus did and BORE WITNESS of what he had seen and heard. In other words, he saw it and told what he saw.
Peter did the same, saying, “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” (2 Peter 1:16) Peter told what he had seen. He was a true witness.
Jesus said, “Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.And ye are witnesses of these things. (Luke 24:46-47)
To truly be a witness for Christ, we have to tell what we know and what we have seen. We know who He is; we have seen Him at work in our lives. The most effective kind of witness is one telling the story first hand.
Tell your story. What has Jesus done in your life? Be a witness for Him and of Him. Have you been saved? Have you experienced God’s grace and mercy? Have you felt the touch of His love? Have you seen Him at work in your life?
Tell it. Be a witness to what God has done for you.
“I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed… therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God. (Isaiah 43:12)
And we are witnesses of all things which he did. (Acts 10:39)
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