The Daily Word of Righteousness

Evangelizing and Witnessing, #5

What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. (I Corinthians 3:5-8)

The Gospel of the Kingdom is a seed. It is to be cast abroad by every means, as the Lord leads. But no one knows how it will spring up, except God. To try to control this process, to attempt to preach a certain formula for salvation and then seek for closure so a "decision is made for Christ," is neither true evangelism nor true witnessing. It is proselytizing, nothing more and nothing less.

We might as well be Jehovah's Witnesses or Mormons if we are going to go out and in our own strength and knowledge try to persuade people to accept our line of reasoning, even though we think it is scriptural. This is not the way of the Lord.

The Lord Jesus has not commanded us to fish for men. Rather He said, "I will make you fishers of men." A big difference here! Has the Lord been making you a fisher of men? Follow Him!

If you let the Lord transform you He will make you a tree of life. As you become a tree of life you will win souls to the ways of God. You will be counted among the wise and will shine as a star throughout the ages to come.

God wants witnesses. God wants people who can reveal to the world His Person, His will, His way, and His eternal purpose in Jesus Christ.

The nation of Israel was God's witness to the world of the true Nature of God. The Ten Commandments were a witness to the world of God's holy Person and will for man.

The Hebrew Prophets were God's witnesses to Israel and to other nations of what He was thinking concerning them.

John the Baptist was trained for many years and then came forth from the wilderness to bear witness of Jesus Christ.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the greatest Witness of all, showing clearly in His personality and His mighty works the Person, will, way, and eternal Kingdom and purpose of God.

The Apostles of Christ were witnesses to the Jews and the rest of the world of what they had seen, heard, and touched.

The Christian churches are to be witnesses, the lampstands of God, the lights of the world. The surrounding communities are to see the Glory of God in the churches.

Every believer is to be a witness of God wherever he is, not trying to force the "four steps of salvation" down the throat of every person in sight, including the Jews. Rather he or she is to show a pattern of good works, meekness, humility, truthfulness, patience, uncorruptness of speech, that the Father in Heaven may be glorified.

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. (I Peter 2:12)

To be continued.