Why Giving Your Testimony When Evangelizing Is Biblical

The term testimony in a legal sense is a statement made under oath—one person, a witness, attesting to firsthand knowledge of that which is in question.

Testimony in the common sense is assertion of what a witness has seen, heard, handled, or experienced firsthand.

The Apostle John, in 1 John 1:1–4, gives readers a testimony to what he witnessed:

That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you...

The Apostle Peter, in 2 Peter 1:16–18, also gives testimony to what he witnessed:

...but were eyewitnesses of his majesty

The Lord, in Acts 1:8, gave a forth-telling of what would happen after He ascended:

...ye shall be witnesses unto me

Paul gave testimony of his encounter with Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus on at least two occasions as we read in the book of Acts (Acts 22:3–16, Acts 26:9–18). The Lord told Paul what He would do with Paul:

For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard” (22:15).

...for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen... (26:16).

It was a life-changing moment for Paul when he personally met the Lord Jesus Christ. And the Lord said that He would use Paul and Paul’s testimony to deliver the Gentiles from their sins (Acts 26:18).

The idea of giving a testimony has its roots in Acts 1:8 and continued with the apostles, and until now, people give their testimonies—their firsthand accounts of what Jesus Christ has done for them; how Jesus Christ saved them from their sins and made them whole.

Apparently, the Lord is pleased to use Christian testimonies in turning people from their sins to faith in Him.

Sadly, many Christians today vehemently focus only on Matthew 28:19–20 and neglect Acts 1:8. They are too busy making (or forcing) disciples, instead of nurturing their own relationships with the Lord. That appears to be part of the idea in Revelation 2:4 when the Lord rebuked the church of Ephesus.

This is why there must be a balance between teaching and sharing. People absolutely need the Word of God (cf. Romans 10:17, 1 Peter 1:23), but they also want to hear what the Lord has done in our lives.

These days, too many Christians talk a good talk but lack the witness of Jesus Christ in their lives—and the world sees it, and the name of God, His Son Jesus Christ, and Christianity are shamed by such contradictions (cf. Romans 2:24).

So, to answer you question more directly, the theological roots for giving one’s testimony are found with the Author and Finisher of our faith—the Lord Jesus Christ who shared His relationship with the Father. In turn, believers today testify of Christ in their lives, in spirit and in truth.

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Written by Jerry Smith

Image source: https://www.istockphoto.com/portfolio/nhungstudio

How You Can Share Your Christian Faith with More Confidence

Humanly speaking, a person can gain confidence through observation and repetition.

One excellent way to build confidence sharing your faith is by partnering with a more experienced Christian. Many churches today have tract distribution ministries, knocking on doors, street preaching, home Bible studies, and other similar activities. You could ask a more experienced believer to allow you to join him in one or more of these activities and mentor you. 

In time, you will gain confidence because you have observed how this person manages different circumstances. Soon, you can try being the lead on such occasions and your mentor can give you feedback.

One day, you will be able to share your faith with more confidence, whether in a group or privately with family, friends, colleagues, neighbors, or even strangers. You will have been trained to share the Gospel through observation and repetition.

Spiritually speaking, a Christian can gain boldness in sharing his faith through a personal relationship with Christ, prayer, filling with the Holy Spirit, and love for his neighbors.

1. A personal relationship with Jesus Christ

In Acts 1:8, the Lord told the disciples that they would be His witnesses throughout the world. One can only be a witness when they have witnessed something. 

If someone has never been saved himself, he cannot share with others his personal testimony. Paul shared his personal encounter with Christ on at least two occasions (Acts 22:3–15 and Acts 26:12–18). 

A believer who has had a personal encounter with Jesus Christ will naturally be a witness and want to tell others (e.g. John 1:40–42, John 4:28–30). 

However, as time goes by, the fire tends to dwindle and we lose our first love (Revelation 2:4), which is why we must continually nurture our relationship with Christ (cf. 2 Peter 3:18). 

2. Prayer

Paul asked that others pray for his boldness so he could make known the Gospel (Ephesians 6:19). The disciples in Acts 4:29–30 prayed for boldness to speak the word of God. 

Prayer for boldness along with open doors (Colossians 4:3) is an important element of sharing the Christian faith. 

3. Filled with the Holy Spirit

In Acts 1:8, the Lord told the disciples that they would receive power after the Holy Spirit came upon them and they would be His witnesses. On the Day of Pentecost, Peter and the other disciples fulfilled that statement when the Holy Spirit descended upon them and they spoke with great power (Acts 2). 

In another instance, the answer to the disciples’ prayer in Acts 4:29 was that they were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:31) and spoke the word of God with great boldness. 

To gain more boldness to speak, seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit. 

4. Love for neighbors

The Lord tells us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves (e.g. Mark 12:31, Galatians 5:14, James 2:8). Sharing the Gospel with someone is an act of love. When you love your neighbor more than yourself, you will speak without fear of what you look like or sound like because the message is urgent. It is a life and death message.

When someone is trapped in a burning house, you do not consider your shyness—you tell him plainly how he can escape the fire. In Acts 19:8, Paul spoke boldly in the synagogues because he had a message to share with his fellow Jews whom he longed for to be saved (cf. Romans 9:3), not because he enjoyed the rejection. 

When we think of ourselves and our shyness, we are exhibiting self-centeredness, but when we look outward at the needs of others, we are no longer thinking of ourselves. You will realize that you have an urgent message people need to hear, and as the Lord opens doors, you will be ready to share it. Paul spoke plainly (2 Corinthians 3:12) because people needed to hear the message.

Conclusion

Humanly speaking, confidence can be developed through observation and repetition—putting yourself repeatedly in faith-sharing situations. 

Spiritually speaking, boldness to witness to others comes from a (close) personal walk with Jesus Christ, prayer, being filled with the Spirit, and loving your neighbors.

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Written by Jerry Smith

Image source: https://www.istockphoto.com/portfolio/ryanjlane

Your Heavenly Father Knows What You Need, But Seek Ye First The Kingdom of God

When you are an online teacher and lose your internet connection, the Lord knows you need it to work.

When you work outside and your car breaks down, the Lord knows you need it to get to work.

When you need to make a living to provide for your family, the Lord knows you need a job.

Christians can rest, knowing that God knows their needs (Matthew 5:8) and is able to provide them.

He knows all things (e.g. John 16:30, 1 John 3:20, Hebrews 4:13).

But how we respond to our needs and crises indicates whether we are seeking first the kingdom of God or not.

Do we panic, get angry and rage (cf. James 1:19)? Then we are not seeking first the Kingdom of God. 

Do we respond in faith that God knows our needs and will provide? Then we are seeking the Kingdom of God. 

Do we yield to God's will for us (Matthew 6:10) or live with weak faith (Matthew 6:30)?

Do we react (flesh) or do we respond (Spirit)? 

The Lord, speaking in the Sermon on the Mount, said,

... your Father knoweth what things ye have need of (Matthew 6:8).

... Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on (Matthew 6:25). 

... shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith (Matthew 6:30). 

He spoke of the birds not worrying about their needs, yet God provides for them (Matthew 6:26). 

He spoke of the lilies of the field that do nothing, yet the Lord arrays them in fine attire (Matthew 6:28–30). 

And leads to the lesson to be learned . . . 

... but seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you (Matthew 6:33). 

And what is His righteousness? 

Jesus Christ, the righteousness of God (1 John 2:1). 

If we seek Christ first, seek His face in our hardships, and seek to nurture our relationship with Him, we will exude Christlike attitudes and behaviors (cf. John 15:4). 

The Lord says, follow me, do not worry about what you need, because the Father in Heaven knows exactly what you need. Not only that, but He knows exactly how to provide it—often in ways that we do not expect—to His glory. 

God can be honored in our trials when we seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. 

One way, we promote the kingdom of God and His glory, the other way we act just like the world: worrying, angry, searching for solutions at all costs. 

One way, we worry ourselves into health complications, the other way we show how great our God is: all-knowing, compassionate, provider, merciful, and gracious. 

One way we rage and ruin our testimony, the other way God is glorified in our Christlike behaviors. 

One way, we act like the world (Matthew 6:32), the other, we act as God's peculiar people (1 Peter 2:14).

Conclusion

This was a convicting post to write. I am writing it as I wrestle with one of the problems listed at the beginning of the article. 

It takes grace to walk in faith. 

In those times, stop, seek God, pray for grace to respond instead of react. Of ourselves this is impossible because we are fallen creatures. That is why when we do not react, but respond in faith, it is a supernatural occurrence that glorifies God on this earth. It shows our reliance upon His power, His mercy and grace, and His provision. 

Rather than seeking to solve the problems on our own through worry or effort, we look to God to provide the answers. Seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness first, is an act of humility (cf. James 4:10). 

If you are reading this and moved to comment, please do. But understand this, God knows what you need, just put Him first, not by the power of the flesh, but by the power of humble submission to His will. 

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Written by Jerry Smith

Image source: Photo by Kyle Glenn on Unsplash

Jesus Knew No Sin

The term knew in this context carries the idea of experiential knowledge. It is used in the Bible to refer to a personal knowledge of sin rather than simply understanding what sin is or observing it.

We read in 2 Corinthians 5:21 in the King James Bible:

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

We know that God sees all things (e.g. Psalm 69:5, 1 Corinthians 4:5, Hebrews 4:13). He knows the depths of wickedness of our hearts (Genesis 6:5, Jeremiah 17:9–10) and minds (Psalm 94:11), and He sees the wicked deeds of mankind (Genesis 6:5). So God does indeed understand what sin is and is faced with it continually. He knows what sin is.

But when we read that Christ knew no sin, it means He never sinned (1 Peter 2:22), and reinforces a foundational truth of the Christian faith: Jesus Christ came to earth in the likeness of man (Romans 8:3, Philippians 2:7) and was tempted in every way yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15, John 8:46)—He was the spotless Lamb of God (1 Peter 1:19, Isaiah 53:7, 1 John 3:5).

Jesus was like us but separate from us (Hebrews 7:26) because He knew no sin (i.e. he never sinned).

We, as a corrupt race of humans on the other hand, are not only guilty of sinning, but are well-acquainted with sin (cf. Isaiah 53:3–5, Romans 3:10–18, Isaiah 1:1–6). Paul gives a list of sins in Galatians 5 to remind us of the variety of ways that mankind lives in sin (Galatians 5:19–21).

Jesus Christ committed no sin, but was made sin for us, that we might become righteous in the eyes of God. Through faith in Christ, we become sinless in Christ—that is, God sees us in Christ as He sees His own Son (cf. 1 John 3:6 and 1 John 4:17).

So how can we emulate Christ in not knowing sin—the answer is that we allow ourselves to be conformed to the image of Christ.

Galatians 2:20 tells us that we are crucified with Christ and our new life is in Christ who now lives in every believer. We are told that we are new creatures in Christ in 2 Corinthians 5:17. We read in Galatians 5:16 that if we walk in the Spirit, we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Finally, Romans 8:29 tells us God’s plan is that we be molded into the image of His Son Jesus Christ.

When we yield to the leading of the Lord and humbly follow His path, His Spirit lead us into righteous thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors. We can recognize the leading of the Lord through studying His word. As we yield to the word of God, the Spirit of Christ leads us into the mind of Christ (cf. Romans 12:2, Philippians 2:5, Colossians 3:16). For more reading, Ephesians 5:1–20 and Colossians 3:1–17 provide practical guidance on how believers walk in the Spirit. We can even view these passages as evidences of walking in the Spirit.

As we conform to the image of Christ, we will naturally emulate Christ. We do not have to try to be like Christ—that is human effort—but we can let Christ live through us (e.g. Philippians 2:5, 2 Corinthians 7:1,10:17; Galatians 5:25, Ephesians 4:26–29,31 ...). The more we let Christ live through us, the more we become like Christ. Nevertheless, while we are in this world, we will always struggle with sin (Romans 7:17,21; Romans 8:23). But remember, it is not through effort on our part, but in denying self that we can emulate Christ; otherwise, it becomes a work.

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Written by Jerry Smith
Image source: www.LumoProject.com on FreeBibleimages.org

Does God Need Prayer to Work on Earth?

Does prayer give license for God to work on earth? The answer is no.

God is sovereign and all-powerful (Psalm 115:3, Daniel 4:35, 1 Timothy 6:15, Revelation 4:11, 5:12) and works all things after His own will (Ephesians 1:11). To suggest that God requires an open door, so to speak, to work on earth, suggests that He is bound. Since God is sovereign, all-powerful, and works everything according to His will, that could not be the case.

Does God need us so He can do work on earth? The answer is no.

God does not need anything from us (Psalm 50:10–12), but He does tell us to pray (Luke 18:1, Philippians 4:6–7, 1 Peter 5:7) according to His will (1 John 5:14–15).

Because we are commanded to pray and are given examples in Scripture of Christians praying and receiving answers (e.g. Acts 4:24–31, Acts 5:12–17), we can conclude that God has ordained will-aligned prayers as one instrument to accomplish His work on earth.

When we pray according to God’s will, He graciously allows us to be involved in His divine work, but He does not need our prayers to work out His will. Even without our prayers, God is able to accomplish His will (cf. Ephesians 3:20).

Since all things happen according to the will of God, we must discover His will through careful study of the word (John 15:7, 2 Timothy 2:15) combined with prayer (James 1:5–7, cf. Ephesians 5:17) and humble yieldedness to it (cf. James 4:7,10). So, it is not God who changes, but we who change (cf. Psalm 37:4).

An answer to the question, Does prayer change God’s mind, on the GotQuestions.org website provides an excellent example of this concept using a father and his daughter who wants a car.

Conclusion

In the end, Jesus gave us a perfect example of how we are to conduct ourselves. He showed us that prayer was important (e.g. Matthew 14:23, Mark 1:35, Luke 6:12, John 17), and even taught us how to pray (Luke 11:1–4). Even though we may not perfectly understand the Lord’s ways (Isaiah 55:8–9), we can follow the example that Christ gave us and obey the word of Christ that tells us to pray, in full faith, knowing that God sovereign and will answer according to His will.

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Written by Jerry Smith
Image source: Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash

Are We Enjoying Evil?

I was watching a movie the other day where a thief was portrayed as the hero and the policeman trying to catch him was the bad guy. But this was not the first time. Another movie portrayed a murderer as a hero and the people he killed as the bad people.

We have TV shows glorifying serial killers, drug dealers, and even vampires as heroes, while everyday, law-abiding, moral, and at times God-fearing people are seen as antagonists in the light of the protagonist.

But God tells us:

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter (Isaiah 5:20)!

It seems in modern times, at least in Hollywood movies, people who follow the rules are seen as oafs, losers, squares, and even enemies of these immoral, unethical characters. But not so long ago, heroes and heroins behaved themselves with virtue.

Have we lost our morals? Have we forsaken God so much that we now call evil good? If so, God says, "woe" unto us. The word, "woe," in modern times means intense mourning, but in biblical times it meant simply shock at what was being called attention to.

As Christians, we ought to be careful not to partake in other men's sins (cf. Ephesians 5:7) or vicariously partake in sins through having pleasure in those who do such things (Romans 1:32). We must question ourselves as to whether we enjoy watching a criminal take vengeance on a policeman who helped put him in prison.

Do we enjoy a vampire tearing the head off of someone who insulted it? Do we take pleasure in watching a thief get away with thousands of hard-earned dollars from a rural bank? Where will it end—when right has become wrong, evil has become good, and immoral acts have become acceptable?

Written by Jerry Smith
Image source: https://www.istockphoto.com/portfolio/marcduf

Do Pastors Need Charisma or Public Speaking Skills to Preach?

Does a preacher needs charisma or public speaking techniques to deliver a message from the word? 

The answer is no on both counts.

In the list of qualifications for a pastor, no requirement is given to be charismatic or a skilled orator. But we do read that he should be disposed to teaching (1 Timothy 3:2). We also read how Peter gave a powerful message from the scriptures after the Holy Spirit came upon him on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2, and three thousand souls listened and believed (Acts 2:41), with no mention of his skill, only that he preached the word. 

Paul prayed for boldness to speak the word in Ephesians 6:19 not charisma, not a good joke, not public speaking skills. In fact, Paul spoke with frankness (2 Corinthians 3:12) and spoke only what the Lord would have him speak (i.e. the word of God); not with man’s wisdom, but with God’s (1 Corinthians 2:4,13). Another example comes from Acts 4:31 where the disciples received boldness to speak the word after praying and being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Jokes or anecdotes can lighten things up, get the attention of the congregation, and may enhance learning. The Lord seems to have used humor at times in His messages (cf. Matthew 7:5); Paul evinces humor in 1 Corinthians 12:21 for example, and we read a humorous account in Acts 20:9–12. However, there do not appear to be cases where believers actively sought charisma or public speaking skills—they sought boldness to speak the word.

Can a preacher use charisma and utilize public speaking skills when the word of God is at the heart of the message? 

The answer is yes, but he should not rely on or prioritize them above the word of God.

In terms of relying on our own skills, the Bible reminds us that how people respond to a message is in God’s hands: i.e. it is God who gives understanding (Proverbs 2:6); God who shines light into our minds (2 Corinthians 4:6); it is not by the physical but by the Spirit of God that we build (Zechariah 4:6); God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8); that the flesh profits nothing (John 6:63); that we should not put our confidence in man (Psalm 118:9); that the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God (1 Corinthians 3:19), and the philosophy of this world is ineffective in the spiritual world (Colossians 2:8). We can learn from these verses that even the most charismatic individuals or the greatest of speakers have no effect without God.

In terms of having the word of God as the core of any message, the Bible reminds us that believers are born of the word of God (1 Peter 1:23, James 1:18); Christian faith is built up from the word of God (Romans 10:17), and Christ called the word of God truth (John 17:17). Therefore, any message given in church should be on what the Lord has to say.

Humanly speaking, being pleasant and sounding appealing could not hurt because people have limited attention spans (e.g. Acts 20:9–12). Being affable and speaking clearly just seem practical when speaking to an audience. For them, it would be difficult to sit and listen to someone who was unpleasant or unclear. And Paul told Timothy to make full proof of his ministry in 2 Timothy 4:5.

For those reasons, a pastor should be concerned with how to present his message. If the Lord reveals to a pastor that his personality could use some development or that his speaking skills could use some polish, why should he not prayerfully ask God to help him improve or pursue a course in homiletics? However, we must remember that any response to the message is in God’s hands.

Conclusion

A pastor, or anyone who preaches the Gospel or teaches the word is not required to be charismatic or a polished public speaker. We do not readily see examples where believers prayed for or actively sought such things in order to connect with their audiences.

In the end, some will believe, and some will not (Acts 17:32–34, Acts 28:24), not because of charisma or speaking talent, but because it is God’s work. Therefore, a pastor does not need to rely on his charisma or skills, but he can develop them as God reveals the need, while keeping focus on the word of God in his messages.

Written by Jerry Smith

Image source: YouTube screenshot video found on sanderson1611 page