Your Life Is a Witness

On a recent trip to Central Asia, an RC team worked to build relationships in hopes of starting gospel conversations. During the visit, one member of the team, Henry Allen,* engaged a local student in a conversation about shared passions and career plans.

Henry shared that he is a university student studying the Christian religion. Similarly, the local student, M*, wanted to study the Islamic religion in university. Henry and M connected and decided to meet back up.

Later when they talked, Henry asked M to share his story. M began with his childhood upbringing in the Russian Orthodox church. M later decided to investigate the religion on a much deeper level. However, M was dissatisfied with those who simply practiced the religion but did not live accordingly. M soon left the faith and turned to atheism. Following this, M studied Hinduism and began to practice that faith. After a year or so M turned to Islam. Now M desires to be an iman, a Muslim leader who guides followers in the Islamic religion. After hearing M’s story, they talked for nearly three hours about Islam and Christianity. Through this conversation, Henry shared the biblical gospel—which differs greatly from Russian Orthodoxy—with M.

Nevertheless, one thing stood out in M’s story: he left Christianity because of the lives of others around him. He knew the doctrine and understood the teachings; yet, he did not see others who truly followed Christ. This is why how believers live their lives today is so important. In this postmodern culture, people leave Christianity because of a misrepresentation of the faith. This is done in many ways but here are a few examples. First, Christians teach love yet promote hate (intentionally or unintentionally). This is commonly expressed in church hurt or in the political sphere. Second, a lack of deep understanding of Christian doctrine. Many Christians cannot answer the difficult questions which can lead others to doubt the reliability of the faith. Third, the church is viewed as a social practice. The American church has become more of a weekly event than a family of faith. This is why biblical community and discipleship are necessary. Christians must be wholly devoted to Christ and His church.

The biblical author James instructed Christ-followers wisely about how believers should live. He wrote, “[b]ut be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (Jas 1:22). James is writing to Jewish Christians who became stagnant in their faith which he addressed with a call for entire devotion to Christ. Believers today face the same struggle; yet, they can heed the words of James and strive to be doers of the Word of God. This devotion is holistic, meaning it impacts every aspect of life (word, thought, and deed). James later expanded on how this is practically carried out. He wrote, “[r]eligion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world” (Jas 1:27). Christians should strive for pure and undefiled religion that meets people where they are in order to share the Gospel with them and minister to their needs. Additionally, it looks like living differently and set apart from the world.

Brothers and sisters, your life is a representation of Christ and the Gospel. Therefore, strive for total devotion to Christ in pure and undefiled religion in these three areas:

1.   Truthfully share the love of Christ, being intentional with relationships and actions towards others (Eph 2:10; 4:15).  

2.   Earnestly study the truths of Scripture to be prepared to make a defense (1 Pet 3:15)

3.   Actively participate in the gathering of believers (Heb 10:23-25)