12/06/25 WITNESSING TO SOMEONE IS PERSONAL

12/06/25 WITNESSING TO SOMEONE IS PERSONAL

Sometimes people resist or reject a Christian's attempt to witness to them by saying, "Religion is a personal matter." (Don't worry about the word "religion" here. We know what they mean. They are referring to their "spiritual life" or their relationship with God.)

And yes, it is a personal matter. But that does not mean it is a private matter or a secret matter. "Personal" is not to be confused with "intimate." Health, safety, economics, and morality are all personal matters, but that does not exclude them from being addressed in public or interpersonal communications. But this is a different discussion.

I want to point out that witnessing (sharing our own testimony concerning Christ and His salvation is not only personal for the hearer, but it is also personal for the Christian who is witnessing.

This is part of the problem with many who want to be "spokesmen" for God. They see themselves as "recruiters," "salesmen," "way showers." Actually, a witness is like one hungry person telling another hungry person where to find bread, or one traveler who has expert guidance available helping another person who is lost.

Witnessing for Christ is not policing for Christ, or judging for Christ or sitting on a jury for Christ or executing the sentence for Christ. Witnessing is offering to those who are enslaved to sin a way out of sinning and offering to the terminally ill healing and deliverance from their malady and offering to the guilty an advocate and a new life, and offering to the prisoner deliverance and freedom. We are not God's legal representatives; we are God's diplomatic corps, offering reconciliation to His enemies.

But our responsibility is not simply reporting; our responsibility is to tell folks the Good News in love. The old saying, "I don't care how much you know until I know how much you care," applies to those who are God's ambassadors. Witnessing is not simply giving a news update or book report. Witnessing is giving of ourselves to other people. Witnessing is putting our lives on the line for another person's salvation. Remember, the Greek word for "witness" is the same word as "martyr."

We need to be in a right relationship with God to be a witness to others. In fact, Christians need to be emptied of self and filled with the Holy Spirit in order to be Biblically qualified. Remember, after Jesus told the disciples to go into the world and be His witnesses, He told them to wait for the Baptism (purifying fullness) of the Holy Spirit.

This is essential because being a witness for Christ is not simply about words; it is about the life transforming power of God in the life of a believer. Our whole life is our witness, not simply our words. Our life needs to be totally surrendered to God at all times. People will decide whether our message is valid by the way we live. The New Testament constantly addresses this issue. We are to surrender completely to Christ, and we are to walk consistently in His light. We are to do good works so that men might see Christ in us and glorify our Father in heaven.

Do not think that the main thing is to broadcast the Good News, we are to live the Good News. We are the examples of Christ's saving power. God not only commands us to be holy, but He also makes us holy if we totally surrender to Him. We are directed to become living sacrifices, not conformed to the world, but transformed into the image of God's Son. We are to love God with our whole being and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. This is not just an appearance; this is the reality of Christ in us. This is not superficial; it is our inner man reaching out in love to those who are in need.

This kind of life is not cheap or flippant. It is not simply a form of godliness; it is true salvation with the power of the Holy Spirit.

This is very personal, but people should be able to see the salvation of God through our behavior.