Evangelize vs Witness
Today, it is extremely critical that every born again believer in Jesus Christ be literate of the distinction between evangelism and giving personal testimony (better known as witnessing).
The definition of witnessing is to testify to one’s religious convictions. This usually takes the form of explaining to someone what the Lord Jesus Christ; the Holy Spirit or the Father have done in one’s life or in one’s circumstances. This is witnessing to the goodness of the Lord or the deliverance one experienced from the hand of the Lord. It is testimony that affirms the presence of the Lord in one’s life and how that has caused changes in one’s behaviors, attitudes, thoughts, etc. It acts as an “advertisement” so to speak to the one hearing the testimony. It sturs awe, amazement, hope, anticipation, and desire in the hearer to seek the Lord for themselves. “If He can do it for me, He will surely do it for you”.
The definition of evangelizing is to preach the gospel to. This pertains to telling someone specifically about Jesus Christ – not you; His mission, purpose, life, death, burial, resurrection and provision of eternal salvation. It is the gospel message that convicts, soften hearts, brings contrition and repentance. It is through the gospel message that one understands how to secure eternal forgiveness and eternal life. So remember to ask yourself the next time you are having a discussion with an unbeliever if you are witnessing or evangelizing. Both are beneficial but they are not synonymous. Remember that it is only through Jesus Christ that one is saved – not through your personal testimony.
Posted on July 28, 2018 Categories EvangelismTags Calvary, Christianity, eternal life, faith, forgiveness, Gospel message, Jesus Christ, justification, Lord, repent, rescue, Salvation, Savior, sinful, sins, unrighteousness, wrathLeave a comment on Evangelize vs Witness
Is what you see, what you get?
Jesus tells us of an account he had with a fig tree when he was hungry. It can be found in Mark 11:12-14 (NLT):
The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus felt hungry. He noticed a fig tree a little way off that was in full leaf, so he went over to see if he could find any figs on it. But there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit. Then Jesus said to the tree, “May no one ever eat your fruit again!” And the disciples heard him say it.
Jesus expected to find figs on the tree to satisfy His hunger because the tree advertised it was carrying figs evidenced by its foliage, but when Jesus didn’t find figs, he cursed the tree. What Jesus expected to find, he didn’t.
When people look at you, a professing born-again believer in Jesus Christ, what do they see? Do they see the evidence of your union with the Holy Spirit or do they see your association with the world?
The fruit of your foliage is supposed to be the fruit of the Spirit:
(love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.)
Is that what people see when they examine you?
Be who you say you are; a born-again believer in Jesus Christ. Let the phrases: “it is, what it is“ or “what you see, is what you get“ be true of you.
Memory and Forgiveness
In this blog, I am going to present an academic view and a practical perspective, on how the capacity of our memory influences our decisions to forgive and forget an offense that someone has committed against us.
Have you ever thought about how the memories you have concerning an offense influence the decisions you make about forgiving or forgetting?
Ever consider what power your memory exerts over your behaviors, emotions, and thoughts?
If the truth is told, without memory there would be no need to worry about forgiveness, because you would not be able to remember that an offense ever occurred.
What do I mean by that statement?
Well, before I can give insight into the meaning, I must first lay down this foundation:
All memory does is to recall all of our experiences; specifically our past experiences.
MEMORY recalls THE HISTORY OF OUR LIVES
Now here’s the academic view:
The Merriam-Webster dictionary classifies the word memory as a noun and uses a definition that fits our context: It says that:
“Memory is the power or process of reproducing or recalling what has been learned and retained especially through associative mechanisms.”
It goes on to say that:
“Memory is the store of things learned and retained from an organism’s activity or experience as evidenced by modification, structure, or behavior or by recall and recognition.”
As this definition implies, memory is the foundation for all learning, conditioning, habits, behaviors, and thoughts.
Without the capacity of memory, you would only know how to live for the moment, and that moment would be a new moment, every moment.
For when that moment was over, without a memory, you would not be able to recall it. It would be gone, non-existent; like it never happened.
But through the process or power of memory, you are able to recall what happened at that moment that had just passed.
You see, memory is needed to bring back to mind those things of your yesterday.
Memory is always past tense, and it is a very critical component of what your present and future tenses can be.
Now consider this interesting insight about “man.”
His experiences of yesterday are the things that influence his here and now; his today.
His yesterday experiences give meaning to his present, here and now, and consequently, help him decide what he has to do in his current situation or in the future.
Therefore “man,” in addition to always learning new things from moment to moment is always in a state of reacting to things or modifying things by recalling past experiences of those things every second of every day of his life.
His world is one of not just continual enlightenment as he relates to those things that are in his environment, or with people whom he interacts, it is a world dominated by present and future decisions that are influenced by past experiences.
The acronym:
“(M)y (E)nlightened (M)ind (O)nly (R)emembers (Y)esterday” …
Is a phrase the Lord gave to me to use for the word “memory.”
Therefore, with regard to forgiveness; when someone offends me, it immediately becomes a historical event one second after it happens.
The incident is then immediately stored in the mind of both the offender and the offended.
It is locked away with all of the particulars that were connected to it; (such as words, emotions, actions, thoughts, sights, smells, sounds, etc.) – all locked away. It is now historical.
It is something that happened in the past. It can never be physically relived, only mentally remembered. It is something that has happened – not something that is happening.
So, thus far, we have successfully laid the foundation that gives meaning to our opening statement which was: If the truth is told, without memory there would be no need to worry about forgiveness because you would not be able to remember that an offense ever occurred.
Therefore, one must rely on the recollection of this historical data in order to bring resolve to the issue of offense. Without this information, without this memory of the offense, no knowledge of an offense would ever exist.
Think for a moment about this precious capacity of memory we have. What a wonderful capacity the Lord has given to us.
It is something we use to remind us of where we have been, what we have done, what we have said, what we have learned;
It is something we use to remind us of where we have failed, where we have succeeded, where we have error, where we have fault;
It is something we use to remind us of where we are strong, where we are weak, where we are vulnerable, what we like and what we don’t like.
I believe with the utmost assurance that the capacity of memory is one of the many vital capacities the Lord has equipped us with for growth and maturation not only as human beings but as Christians.
Let us take a look at another academic view of how the Lord tells us to use this capacity of memory in the area of forgiving and forgetting.
First, let us build another foundation by looking at the definitions of both words – Forgive and Forget
The word “Forgive” is a verb (an action word) that has three definitions which say:
To cease to feel resentment against (an offender): pardon.
To give up resentment of or claim to requital.
To send forth, send away, let go from
The implication of these definitions is that a volitional, purposeful, and intentional decision is made to cease to feel resentment; to give up resentment and to let go from oneself.
The word “forget” is also a verb (an action word). BUT we must use its proper form if we are to understand how God uses it in context with the verb forgive. That verb form would be the intransitive form of the verb which says:
To cease remembering or noticing. The implication is that a volitional, purposeful, and intentional choice has been made not to remember or bring to mind the offense.
Now, let us put all of this together.
Memory influences our decisions to grant forgiveness or to forget an offense because it precisely brings to mind the entire travesty of the offense, which could and many times does hinder any of our efforts to resolve and/or reconcile our relationship with the one who has offended us.
As the offender, our memories are of all the precipitating circumstances that brought us to the point of committing the offense.
As an offender, our memories could be of that desire we had for selfish gain at the expense of another; or that desire we had to hurt, harm, or destroy the person because of prideful motivations we had, or maybe our memories are cloudy and confused from an unwitting innocence.
As the offended, our memories are of all the emotional hurt, physical hurt, financial loss, personal violation, betrayal, injustice, anger, disappointment, which we suffered.
Memory recalls these historical facts – brings them to mind, BUT it stops there.
Memory only reminds us of those facts. Memory does not make us act on those historical facts; something else does.
So that brings us to the crossroad. Regardless of whatever perspective we come from (offender or offended), the question is what decisions are we to make concerning the historical facts of the offense, what are we to do?
Now the practical perspective is this:
As born-again believers in Jesus Christ, we are to simply be obedient to what Jesus has commanded us to do in the area of forgiving and forgetting an offense.
Even though many will say that there has to be more to it than that, in reality, for the born-again believer, it is the only practical answer.
And just how is that played out?
As the one who was offended – you must make a volitional, purposeful, and intentional decision to choose to forgive and let go from yourself the feelings of resentment toward the offender (when you have had your heart healed and restored by the Lord), and to also volitionally, purposefully, and intentionally choose to biblically forget by not bringing the offense to mind.
As the one who did the offense – you must make a volitional, purposeful, and intentional decision to go and be reconciled to the person you have offended by confessing your guilt and asking for their forgiveness.
Understand that reconciliation can only come from the offended, not the offender.
The syntax is: “go and be reconciled”, not “go and reconcile” – Matthew 5:23.
You might be saying right now: That is not the answer. Elder, you have no clue.
Well, you are 100% correct. As a human being, I have no clue, BUT my creator and Lord does. He has the just, righteous, and holy answer.
To the offended: He tells you in Matthew 6:14-15 –
“that if you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
To the one who offended someone: He tells you in Matthew 5:23-24 –
“that if you are standing before the altar in the Temple, offering a sacrifice to God, and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, 24leave your sacrifice there beside the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.”
You see after all the emotions have died down and you have returned to your ability to think rational thoughts, then as a born-again believer in Jesus Christ, you are left with only one thing to do and that is to obey what Jesus has commanded.
You are to forgive and forget offenses committed against you as the Lord has commanded you, even though the knowledge of the historical facts are locked away in the memory banks of your mind.
And those facts will always be there because they are facts that actually occurred. But it should be your heart’s desire to do what God has commanded if you are born-again.
Scripture says:
“And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, He has identified you as His own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:30-32)
“Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” (Colossians 3:13)
Therefore “Memory”:
Stores all of our past experiences.
Reminds us of those experiences.
Reminds us also of what the Lord has commanded us to do, especially in the area of forgiving and forgetting an offense.
Reminds us also of the love, grace, and mercy of our Father in heaven and what He has done for us in forgiving our sins and reconciling us back to Himself.
So now you can see what role memory plays in our decision making.
MEMORY ONLY ACTS AS A REMINDER OF WHAT HAPPENED
The heart is what motivates us to do in response to our memory. And our heart’s desire should always be to honor the Lord and bring glory to His precious name by following His command to forgive as the Lord has forgiven you.
So, take some time and marinate on this instructional message and I pray that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Amen
There is an interplay that has to happen in the life of the offender if he/she is ever going to be forgiven of an offense. That interplay is between being rebuked and responding in repentance.
Rebuking someone is a “taboo” nowadays. Many people feel it is a form of judging and therefore shy away from it. Well, this only shows the extent of their illiteracy as it pertains to kingdom dynamics.
To rebuke is to criticize adversely or sharply. It brings the person face to face with the wrongness of their words, actions or motivations and opens the door to conviction.
Without conviction concerning the wrongness of one’s actions there can be no desire to change. No desire to repent. Without conviction an offender could believe that their wrongful actions are fine and acceptable behaviors.
Conviction of conscience, mind and heart are what brings about change or repentance in the life of an offender.
Going a little further, this rebuking process happens on three different levels.
Within the person’s conscience
From the presence of the Holy Spirit residing in the person
From another person.
Regardless of where it originates from, it does go on, everyday, in every person. Most people just don’t want to admit to it.
So, if rebuking has been done in the proper manner, the offender should be at a point of conviction that they have offend God first, and not the person, for their wrongful actions. Why? Because any and all sins against our neighbors are violations of God’s commandment.
That being said, the offender repents to God initially. What does that mean? It means they have changed their understanding and comprehension of their wrong doing. That they have realized, accepted and replaced their sinful motivation for a godly motivation toward the one they have offended. He/she confesses their waywardness in this situation and asks to be forgiven of God.
According to 1John 1:9 we know that God will forgive the offender and purify him of all unrighteousness.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (NIV)
The next thing for the offender to do is to address the person he/she has offended. This is where the command in Luke 17:3 comes into play:
…if thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. (KJV)
The last point that needs to be made is that man can only affirm what has already happened in heaven. Forgiveness happens there first by God and then through the authority He has given to man (John 20:23) it is carried out here on earth.
“If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” (NIV)
So you see forgiveness happens only after repentance has occurred in the life of the offender; and that repentance is the change in moral reorientation of the soul where the offender acknowledges the error of his/her ways and turns toward the divinely prescribed way of truth and righteousness of God.
God’s commands are still alive and powerful. They still move the believer in the path of righteousness for His name sake.
Don’t be deceived by the world’s philosophies or pattern of thinking. Listen to what the Holy Spirit says to you in your heart; do what He tells you to do and honor your Father in heaven as a result of your obedience.
Repentance is still a requirement of the Lord; even today.