New World Christian Ministries
Bellingham, Washington
All Material © 1986 - 2003, NWCM &  Ray Hermann

A Fine Witness

    George is an elderly gentleman, who lives in the southern United States. He is retired and lives alone. A few years ago, he lived in a house which was sandwiched between the homes of two religious-minded people. One day, George confessed to me how he hated to see the neighbor on his right, because the man was always preaching religion to him.
    "Listen, my friend," George's neighbor would say, "you can't be saved until you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior.  Let me help you give your heart to the Lord."
    "All he has on his mind," said George, "is trying to convert me and I resent it."
    Now, George didn't feel that way about the neighbor on his left - a nondenominational Christian student of the Bible. Why? Well, that Bible student realized that his job wasn't one of conversion - it was to witness.
    "Ye shall be witnesses unto me...." said our Lord (Acts 1:8, KJV).  A witness, according to Webster's New World Dictionary, Third College Edition, is someone who can give testimony, or someone who is called upon to give evidence. That is the kind of witness we should be - to testify and give evidence about Jesus Christ.

Witness by Demonstration

    We do our best to show, in our lifestyle and in our actions, the things we have learned in God's Holy Bible. We do our best to live by the commandments given by God and demonstrated by His Son, Jesus.  And, when given a proper opportunity, we tell others about the Good News and all the wonderful truths concerning God's divine plan for humankind.
    But what we don't do is try to cram this information down someone's throat. We don't hammer away at their beliefs to get them to accept Bible truth, and we don't twist their arm to get them to convert to our way of thinking. No matter how sincere and well-intentioned our zeal may be, it would do little good to antagonize someone in an attempt to persuade a change of heart.
    This man, George, is now a real Christian - a student of God's word. He became one, not through the irritation of forced conversion, but because of a real desire for a closer relationship with God and His son. This desire was aroused by seeing, in someone else, the kind of person he wanted to be.
    All people are free moral agents and each must make up his own mind concerning these matters. George did so.  But not all people will chose as George did; many will chose not to learn Bible truth.  It is not for us to make these decisions for others - it is for them, alone.  God will reward those that choose now, but won't punish those others for their wrong decision; their opportunity for everlasting life has yet to come.

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© 1991, Ray Hermann
(Any use of this article must contain the "by-line" and proper copyright information; a link to this site would be appreciated.)
First published in The New World Journal, Winter 1991

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