How are we supposed to witness?

[Bruce.Leiter]

In Acts 1:8, Jesus says to the disciples, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” This verse says why, but how are we supposed to witness? What must we say, for example?

 

[jonathanbrickman0000]

Ask for such events. He will bring them, if you do. When they do, here is the way:

When they come to arrest you and put you on trial, don't worry what to say. Just say what you're told at that time, because it's not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.
Mark 13:11

 

[WIP]

how are we supposed to witness?

I figure that our witness is in how we live, what we speak, what we think, and what we do.

For example, are we bearing good fruit?
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits."
Matthew 7:15-20 ESV

Are we good salt or bad salt?
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men."
Matthew 5:13 NKJV

Are we projecting the light of Christ to those around us?
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."
Matthew 5:14-16 NKJV

 

[for_his_glory]

Our witness to others is giving our personal testimony how we came to Jesus after receiving the Spiritual renewal found in John 3:5-7 after we repented of our sin. I use Colossians 3:1-17 to show our obedience to God in all that Jesus will help us change in our life. We can only give to others that of what we already know as a surety of our faith that is in Christ.

 

[Bruce.Leiter]

Ask for such events. He will bring them, if you do. When they do, here is the way:

When they come to arrest you and put you on trial, don't worry what to say. Just say what you're told at that time, because it's not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.
Mark 13:11

Yes, Jesus and you are right. But is it possible to prepare for those opportunities, and how can we overcome fear and other obstacles to our witnessing?

 

[Bruce.Leiter]

I figure that our witness is in how we live, what we speak, what we think, and what we do.

For example, are we bearing good fruit?
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits."
Matthew 7:15-20 ESV

Are we good salt or bad salt?
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men."
Matthew 5:13 NKJV

Are we projecting the light of Christ to those around us?
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."
Matthew 5:14-16 NKJV

Very true, WIP!!

 

[Bruce.Leiter]

Our witness to others is giving our personal testimony how we came to Jesus after receiving the Spiritual renewal found in John 3:5-7 after we repented of our sin. I use Colossians 3:1-17 to show our obedience to God in all that Jesus will help us change in our life. We can only give to others that of what we already know as a surety of our faith that is in Christ.

True, but should our witnessing be about their obedience or about what God has done for us?

 

[WIP]

True, but should our witnessing be about their obedience or about what God has done for us?

What is the definition of a witness? It is someone that speaks the truth as they know it without embellishing or exaggerating. A witness does not accuse or cross-examine nor is he/she an attorney.

A great example of a witness from Scripture is found in Acts, chapters 25 and 26, where Paul shares about his conversion before King Agrippa.

The way I see it, not one of us can convert anyone. All we can do is plant the seeds of truth and let the Holy Spirit take it from there.

 

[for_his_glory]

True, but should our witnessing be about their obedience or about what God has done for us?

It's more about what Jesus has done for us, especially how we came to know Jesus and having that personal relationship with Him. We can never go above that which Christ has already done for us and given us to speak to others as we can only give what we know. Some will ask questions and we need to be ready to give them an answer. I tell them at times I do not have and answer, but will find the answer in scripture so we can discuss it together.

Basic salvation, faith, trust and obedience to the word of God applying His word to our life is all we need to share with someone we are witnessing Christ to. Usually when I am witnessing Christ to someone who has not received Him yet, I ask them to read the book of John as this will teach one about who Jesus is and our relationship to Him, then I ask them to read the book of Acts as this will teach them about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

 

[follower]

CJB
Now when they arrest you and bring you to trial, don’t worry beforehand about what to say. Rather, say whatever is given you when the time comes; for it will not be just you speaking, but the Ruach HaKodesh.

possible to prepare for those opportunities, and how can we overcome fear and other obstacles to our witnessing?

 

[Whatever]

What is the definition of a witness?

The Greek word in Acts 1:8 is martus where we get out word Martyr from.
In the great hero's of the faith chapter 11 in Hebrews, the next chapter starts with:
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses martus . . .

where we get out word Martyr from.
At the end of chapter 11 it says this of these heros:
Hebrews 11:39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise . .

The Greek word behind testimony is martureō. It comes from the martus above.
Here is what Strong's says about it: to be a witness, that is, testify (literally or figuratively): - charge, give [evidence], bear record, have (obtain, of) good (honest) report, be well reported of, testify, give (have) testimony, (be, bear, give, obtain) witness.

You can talk to skeptics who don't believe the Bible. But this takes educating yourself in all kinds of things people will bring up to "prove" the Bible is full of contradictions or errors.

"Evidence That Demands a Verdict" is a book by Josh McDowell that provides a defense of Christianity through historical documentation and scholarly research, addressing key questions about the Bible, Jesus, and the Old Testament. It aims to equip believers with evidence to support their faith against skepticism.

Josh McDowell and others have written a ton of books to answer all these questions.
Here is his web site:

Christian Apologetics Comprehensive Christian Apologetics Directory

The Apologist Project is a nonprofit on a mission to break down barriers to belief through a curated, AI-infused Christian apologetics knowledge community.

apologist.com

Here are some good ones dealing with science and evolution:

Answers in Genesis

Answers in Genesis is an apologetics ministry, dedicated to helping Christians defend their faith and proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ effectively.

answersingenesis.org

Home - creation.com

Creation or evolution? It makes a big difference! Over 10,000 trustworthy articles. Evidence for biblical creation.

www.creation.com

The Institute for Creation Research | The Institute for Creation Research

www.icr.org

Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry

Home

Explore Christian Apologetics, theology, and critical answers to today's questions about God, the Bible, and the Christian faith at Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry.

www.carm.org

That ought to keep you busy for a few years.

 

[WIP]

The Greek word in Acts 1:8 is martus where we get out word Martyr from.
In the great hero's of the faith chapter 11 in Hebrews, the next chapter starts with:
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses martus . . .

where we get out word Martyr from.
At the end of chapter 11 it says this of these heros:
Hebrews 11:39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise . .

Yes, and what is a martyr? A martyr is one that gives his/her life for what they believe.

Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you."
John 15:11-14 NKJV

You can talk to skeptics who don't believe the Bible. But this takes educating yourself in all kinds of things people will bring up to "prove" the Bible is full of contradictions or errors.

I don't necessarily agree. There is no need to defend our faith except as Peter told us.

Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.
1 Peter 3:15 NKJV

Sanctify means to set apart or treat with reverence or high honor. And the defense he speaks of is not to argue with unbelievers but rather to simply explain the reason we believe as we do and to do it with meekness and fear and not haughtily or with arrogance. This takes us back to what it means to be a witness. There is no reason for us to get defensive with unbelievers. Just share the truth with confidence for the Holy Spirit will give us the words to speak when we need them.

 

[jonathanbrickman0000]

Here we have a rather well-fleshed description of the very opposite, of the great witness. God is quite disgusted by such.

15 I have known your works, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish you were cold or hot. 16 So—because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to vomit you out of My mouth; 17 because you say—I am rich, and have grown rich, and have need of nothing, and have not known that you are the wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked; 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold fired by fire, that you may be rich, and white garments that you may be clothed, and the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed, and with eye-salve anoint your eyes, that you may see. 19 As many as I cherish, I convict and discipline; be zealous, then, and convert;
Revelation of John 3:15-19

 

[WIP]

Here we have a rather well-fleshed description of the very opposite, of the great witness. God is quite disgusted by such.

15 I have known your works, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish you were cold or hot. 16 So—because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to vomit you out of My mouth; 17 because you say—I am rich, and have grown rich, and have need of nothing, and have not known that you are the wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked; 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold fired by fire, that you may be rich, and white garments that you may be clothed, and the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed, and with eye-salve anoint your eyes, that you may see. 19 As many as I cherish, I convict and discipline; be zealous, then, and convert;
Revelation of John 3:15-19

I'm not talking about being lukewarm. I'm talking about making God a part of our daily lives such that those around us know of our faith without us having to say a word. When I have met someone that projects the love of Christ, I know that person is a Christian. People like that are known by their fruits as they let the light of Christ shine around them. Most people that work at it, do so with haughtiness and arrogance. They try to invoke argument and puff up their own chests with pride. When this happens, it doesn't draw others to Christ but more often pushes them away.

 

[Whatever]

Sanctify means to set apart or treat with reverence or high honor. And the defense he speaks of is not to argue with unbelievers but rather to simply explain the reason we believe as we do and to do it with meekness and fear and not haughtily or with arrogance.

Yes, but:

1 Peter 3:15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,

I'm not saying that you have to argue with people, but what do you say to somebody who laughs at you for believing an old book written thousands of years ago when modern science proves the earth is billions of years old, the sun was here before the earth (Genesis: the earth was here first and the sun, moon and stars were made on the 3rd day), Dinosaurs turned into birds (Genesis: Birds were made on the 4th day and land animals "beasts of the earth" were made on the 5th day.)

If you want to be a witness for the King of kings and Lord of lords, then you will want to do more than just explain why you believe.
Apologetics is to remove intellectual impediments to Christian faith, thereby enhancing believers’ confidence in, and weakening skeptics’ objections to, the gospel message. We seek to provide the best answers to the most challenging objections to Christian faith in a manner that is most effective with inquirers and most glorifying to God.

Its more than just your little testimony.

 

[for_his_glory]

Yes, but:

1 Peter 3:15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,

I'm not saying that you have to argue with people, but what do you say to somebody who laughs at you for believing an old book written thousands of years ago when modern science proves the earth is billions of years old, the sun was here before the earth (Genesis: the earth was here first and the sun, moon and stars were made on the 3rd day), Dinosaurs turned into birds (Genesis: Birds were made on the 4th day and land animals "beasts of the earth" were made on the 5th day.)

If you want to be a witness for the King of kings and Lord of lords, then you will want to do more than just explain why you believe.
Apologetics is to remove intellectual impediments to Christian faith, thereby enhancing believers’ confidence in, and weakening skeptics’ objections to, the gospel message. We seek to provide the best answers to the most challenging objections to Christian faith in a manner that is most effective with inquirers and most glorifying to God.

Its more than just your little testimony.

When we let the light of Christ shine through us as we testify of Christ Jesus and how we came to have that personal relationship with Him is all we need when we speak to someone who does not Christ Jesus. It shows the works that Christ has done for our self and that gives hope to those who are seeking.

 

[WIP]

what do you say to somebody who laughs at you for believing an old book written thousands of years ago when modern science proves the earth is billions of years old, the sun was here before the earth (Genesis: the earth was here first and the sun, moon and stars were made on the 3rd day), Dinosaurs turned into birds (Genesis: Birds were made on the 4th day and land animals "beasts of the earth" were made on the 5th day.)

You say, "This is what I believe and why I believe it."

I'd like to point out that science does not prove the age of the earth. The deductions are based on theories and those that believe those theories believe them as strongly as you may believe in what God says. Also, day as it is used in the Genesis account does not necessarily mean day as we define it today, which is based on science.

Apologetics is to remove intellectual impediments to Christian faith, thereby enhancing believers’ confidence in, and weakening skeptics’ objections to, the gospel message. We seek to provide the best answers to the most challenging objections to Christian faith in a manner that is most effective with inquirers and most glorifying to God.

Apologetics is the science of defending a position. That is not the same thing as sharing one's faith or explaining what or why one believes. Apologetics is used in debating where two or more people present a position and the others try to refute it and prove them wrong.

When you read the words of Jesus in the Bible, can you find anyplace where He does anything more than just speak the truth? Does he argue and debate with His opposition or does He just state His position as a matter of fact? Same with Paul. You won't find a diatribe of back-and-forth debating between him and others that don't agree with him. He states his position and just leaves it there.

Something else to keep in mind. Everything we believe is based on faith. There is no way to prove to anyone that God exists and that is why it is pointless to engage in a debate with an unbeliever as you will only put yourself into a pickle. All we can do is share the gospel truth. If you can show me that I'm wrong about this, please share.

 

[Bruce.Leiter]

Yes, but:

1 Peter 3:15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,

I'm not saying that you have to argue with people, but what do you say to somebody who laughs at you for believing an old book written thousands of years ago when modern science proves the earth is billions of years old, the sun was here before the earth (Genesis: the earth was here first and the sun, moon and stars were made on the 3rd day), Dinosaurs turned into birds (Genesis: Birds were made on the 4th day and land animals "beasts of the earth" were made on the 5th day.)

If you want to be a witness for the King of kings and Lord of lords, then you will want to do more than just explain why you believe.
Apologetics is to remove intellectual impediments to Christian faith, thereby enhancing believers’ confidence in, and weakening skeptics’ objections to, the gospel message. We seek to provide the best answers to the most challenging objections to Christian faith in a manner that is most effective with inquirers and most glorifying to God.

Its more than just your little testimony.

What is the definition of a witness? It is someone that speaks the truth as they know it without embellishing or exaggerating. A witness does not accuse or cross-examine nor is he/she an attorney.

A great example of a witness from Scripture is found in Acts, chapters 25 and 26, where Paul shares about his conversion before King Agrippa.

The way I see it, not one of us can convert anyone. All we can do is plant the seeds of truth and let the Holy Spirit take it from there.

My experience with witnessing is that when we say before we share our beliefs or experiences, "It's been my experience" or "I believe that...." and make it clear that we aren't going to argue them into believing too, people receive our testimonies and experiences well, because we are respecting them for being fellow humans.

It's also been my experience that it's important to try to find some point of contact with the person. For example, one unbelieving friend that I had for three years had a sense of humor and liked to discuss ideas. Those were the only qualities he had in common with me, but God used me to save him at 81 years old.

 

[Who Me]

but how are we supposed to witness? What must we say, for example?

One of the easiest ways is on a Monday morning to talk about church on Sunday, or about a Christian blog, Web site, article, film even tv show etc etc.

If that doesn't enable a Jesus centered Co versatile, wait for a conversation about the latest disaster and at some point put in your threepence worth that it is a God hating society that produces people who will do that!
Talking about news, politics, even the behaviour of sportsmen with gospel biased eyes can turn any conversation around to God.
Problem is if one only talks that way then people stop talking to you or say, yeah, yeah and carry on.

 

[Bruce.Leiter]

One of the easiest ways is on a Monday morning to talk about church on Sunday, or about a Christian blog, Web site, article, film even tv show etc etc.

If that doesn't enable a Jesus centered Co versatile, wait for a conversation about the latest disaster and at some point put in your threepence worth that it is a God hating society that produces people who will do that!
Talking about news, politics, even the behaviour of sportsmen with gospel biased eyes can turn any conversation around to God.
Problem is if one only talks that way then people stop talking to you or say, yeah, yeah and carry on.

I say that "I believe...." and leave it at that. Or, I say, "This is what I have experienced..." that's related to the subject at hand, letting them know that they can believe or experience what they want to, thus giving them respect as fellow human beings.

We Christians are called to be seed-scatterers of our experiences with God and our beliefs about him, whereas a few of us have been given the spiritual gift of evangelism, leading people to Christ. God wants us to love and respect them, not try to argue them into the kingdom.