How can I be an effective witness for Christ in a lost world?

But let us not, in wrong narrow-mindedness, think only of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul writes to the Galatians: “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (Gal. 6:10). The power of our testimony for the Lord depends more on our actions than on our words! The world may not study Scripture, but often it knows how to judge our behaviour. How many a soul has been broken down, not only by the pure gospel, clearly presented, but also by the mercy shown!

Yet in many ways the teaching of the New Testament has been degraded to something merely earthly and social. Instead of repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus, only charity is preached, and this often with a political flavour. This, however, is not the meaning of the “Sermon on the Mount” or the gospel of the grace of God! On the other hand it is no testimony to the grace and mercy of our God if one thinks that preaching the gospel is the only task of a Christian with regard to the world. As our Lord Himself helped those in their different needs to whom He presented the good tidings, we too can tell our neighbours of Him and at the same time show them the power and blessing of our faith practically.

But let us not, in wrong narrow-mindedness, think only of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul writes to the Galatians: “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10). The power of our testimony for the Lord depends more on our actions than on our words! The world may not study Scripture, but often it knows how to judge our behaviour. How many a soul has been broken down, not only by the pure gospel, clearly presented, but also by the mercy shown!

Yet in many ways the teaching of the New Testament has been degraded to something merely earthly and social. Instead of repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus, only charity is preached, and this often with a political flavour. This, however, is not the meaning of the “Sermon on the Mount” or the gospel of the grace of God! On the other hand it is no testimony to the grace and mercy of our God if one thinks that preaching the gospel is the only task of a Christian with regard to the world. As our Lord Himself helped those in their different needs to whom He presented the good tidings, we too can tell our neighbours of Him and at the same time show them the power and blessing of our faith practically.

Now love to the brethren is an evidence of divine life. First to ourselves, ‘We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren’ (1 John 3:14); secondly to the world, ‘by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another’ (John 13:35). Thus, then, love amongst Christians is a positive testimony for God in the world. Do you desire to bear testimony for Christ, to preach the gospel? Good! it is a good aspiration. But all are not gifted for this. Yet there is a testimony which everyone can display — even the humblest: he is greatest who shows it most, and the most splendid gift is naught without it. It is love! Love ‘in truth’ (2 John 1; 3 John 1), manifested amongst believers, preaches Christ to the world.

Now love to the brethren is an evidence of divine life. First to ourselves, "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren" (1 John 3:14); secondly to the world, "by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another (John 13:35). Thus, then, love amongst Christians is a positive testimony for God in the world. Do you desire to bear testimony for Christ, to preach the gospel? Good! it is a good aspiration. But all are not gifted for this. Yet there is a testimony which everyone can display — even the humblest: he is greatest who shows it most, and the most splendid gift is naught without it. It is love! Love "in truth," manifested amongst believers, preaches Christ to the world. E.J.T.

Another thing would follow. If we thus loved one another it would turn to a testimony before the world, according to the words of our blessed Lord: "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." How blessed a testimony this would be! We sometimes have special prayer-meetings for the gospel, that the word may be in power, and surely we cannot wait too perseveringly on the Lord in prayer. But be certain of this — if love one to another is active in its manifestation in any assembly, souls will be both drawn and reached, and God will be glorified. As has often been said, we affect others more by what we are than by what we say. If therefore we desire to attract souls to the ministry of the gospel, love is the best advertisement.

Moreover a company marked by love would be so passing strange in a scene governed by lust and selfishness, that the very world would realize that such must be the disciples of Christ. The world cannot appreciate the faith and hope of the Christian circle, but divine love and its effects they can at least see and admire, if they cannot imitate. Thus a company marked by love to one another, after the pattern of Christ, would become a witness to Christ in the world from which He is absent, so that Christ, if glorified with the Father in heaven, would be glorified in the saints on earth.

208 Then we get the effect of this as regards the testimony. Paul was made a minister of two things; and so are we, whether in private dealing with souls, or in public ministry. I have learned this love which reconciles, and I will carry it out to every creature. I carry the love of Christ so in my soul, that, if a want comes, I have what will minister to it — so living in the love of God, with the sense of it in our souls, that it comes out naturally. If I meet souls, do I carry God to them? This is the Christian testimony; we carry this in our own souls, as made meet and reconciled. No matter what comes, difficult times, etc., if I can only carry it out, there is that which, if any one has ears to hear, is heard in the heart. I may be rejected of course, as Christ was, but that is the character of the testimony — the light too, as well as the love.

Without attempting the impossible, improving the world around us for the world is doomed, we live in holy separation from it, while awaiting the realisation of the hope. And while we wait we carry on a witness to the Saviour God in the power of the Spirit of God. We do this, not only orally but as living morally changed lives (see Romans 12:1-2).

Again, let us remember, that it is what we are, not simply what we say, that is the witness before men. The apostle could say. "For me to live is Christ." It is the life that is the true and most impressive witness to Christ. At the birth of Christ the religious leaders in Jerusalem had a very correct knowledge of Scripture, and could direct the wise men from the East to Christ, but they had no heart for Christ, and never took the way themselves. Their words witnessed to Christ but not their lives. Alas! it is possible to become a mere finger post that for ever points the way but never takes the path.

In verse 5 the unconverted are spoken of as "them that are without." There are those within the Christian circle and those without it, and it is very important that we should be right in our relations with those without. We are set in a place of testimony in regard to them. First our general behaviour towards them is to be marked by wisdom. That being so we are sure to have opportunities for witnessing which we are to redeem by seizing them as they present themselves.