Faithful or False Witnesses?

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Dear Friend,

Both Old and New Testaments call Christians to be faithful witnesses. "Ye are my witnesses," said the Lord to our predecessors in covenant relationship with God, the Jews (Isaiah 43:10). And "Ye shall be witnesses unto me," said Jesus to the original Christians (Acts 1:8). Then witnesses we shall be!

But what kind, that's the question? Faithful or false witnesses? There is no third option. Our Christian witness will depend entirely on the kind of character we develop in our Christian life, day by day, decision by decision, action by action. And a key part of that character development is . . . what kind of witnesses we consistently choose to be in uncomfortable settings. When we're caught off guard. When we're confrontation weary. Or when for whatever reason we just don't feel up to the task, but there it is: the task is up in front of us.

So, let's begin by noting there are two kinds of Christians, those who want to hear something pleasing, whether true or not, and those who want to hear the truth, whether pleasing or not. The first kind seeks to remain comfortable but, in the end, will be most uncomfortable when examined and reprimanded by the God of truth. The second is willing to endure the discomfort of conviction and change to be right, yet, in the end, will be most comfortable - fully approved, favored, and rewarded by the God of truth.

Paralleling this, there are two kinds of ministers, those who seek above all to please people, and those who seek above all to please God. The first kind want to avoid trouble and rejection and enjoy human favor, but, in the end, will get into trouble with the God of truth, be dismissed from His service, and ultimately be rejected by the very people they sought so earnestly to appease! The second, while his or her witness will indeed sometimes provoke rejection and trouble from stubborn, proud Christians, will ultimately enjoy life's richest rewards - Christ's personal approval, His supernatural peace, strong confidence, special closeness to Christ, deeper fellowship with Him, more personal knowledge of His ways and workings, inspiring insight into His Word, honors from Him, and enlarged ministry to His people - all from the God of truth, for whom they were true and faithful witnesses.

Scripture gives us ample examples of truth tellers and ear ticklers.

The child prophet, Samuel, feared to tell his senior minister, Eli, the unpleasant message God gave him of impending judgment. But he mustered his youthful courage and told him anyway. Joseph gave a favorable interpretation to Pharaoh's chief butler, and in the same breath delivered a most unfavorable one to his chief baker - that he would die in three days! Though the Cushite messenger ran slower than his faster rival messenger, Ahimaaz, nevertheless, upon his arrival he told David the full truth about Absalom's tragic death. And that chief faithful witness, the apostle Paul, reminded the Ephesian elders he had declared to them not part or most but "all" the counsel of God during their three years together. These were the truth tellers.

But the false witnesses are on equally clear display in the Bible. Ahimaaz was in such a prideful hurry to be a messenger of the king that he succumbed to fear when standing before David and, to avoid David's possibly angry reaction, flatly denied knowing anything about Absolom's dreadful death - though Joab had explicitly told him. Ahab's 400 prophets swore God told them Ahab would prevail in the battle of Ramoth-Gilead though, as Micaiah testified, they were all lying, probably to keep their comfortable positions on Ahab's honored and well-fed staff. Jeremiah called out the false prophets of his generation for promising impenitent, idol-worshiping Judah "peace, peace" (Jeremiah 6:14), when instead of peace, fiery war, bloody death, and sweeping destruction were at Jerusalem's gates. And Paul warned of false ministers coming in the last days to appease with unsound, false teachings Christians who had rejected true, sound doctrine. These are the ear ticklers.

All these biblical truth tellers and ear ticklers have forged their respective characters and received their due rewards. But for us, the question is still open: what kind of witnesses will we be?

My fellow ministers, as preachers and teachers of God's Word, we must not yield to the almost constant pressure to twist, limit, or edit key portions of our messages that we know God's people need to hear merely because the probabilities are high that some, maybe many of them, will reject them. Like Samuel, though fear tries to intimidate us, we must summon God's grace and our grit, and tell the vision anyway. Why? The God of truth demands it. The Truth incarnate deserves it. The people of truth depend upon it. Christ's kingdom is being built by it. His bride is being prepared by it. His appearing is made closer by it. And your readiness is increased by it.

As individual Christians, let us remember every one of us is called to be Christ's witness. Our "witness" may be one of many kinds: religious, political, social, judicial, or personal counsel. Whatever our opportunity to testify to the truth may be - to a friend, coworker, fellow Christian, spouse, child, sibling, parent, or stranger on the street - there is one common denominator: We will realize that God wants us to say something that's true and much needed, yet we will also sense that it, and we, may be rejected!

In that crucial spontaneous moment, quickly inwardly pray for strength, grace, and wisdom, but do not fail to speak! God wants obedience, not sacrifice. Others need your witness, not your silence. Whether you feel fortitude or fear, energetic or nervous, bear witness to the truth as God gives you the discernment to see it.

If you do so, these firm facts will follow. Those who hear you will be helped, even if they are not happy. The knowledge that you are developing godly character will afterwards comfort you, however uncomfortable you are at the moment. In the end, you and those to whom you witness will be forever the better. And the chief Witness will be pleased and honored.

And one more thing. People's sharp criticisms, should they come, will be eclipsed by God's sweet compliments and their brief frowns by His abiding smile: "And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words . . . nor be dismayed at their looks" (Ezekiel 2:6).

Seeking His abiding smile,

GregSig2

Greg Hinnant
Greg Hinnant Ministries

Last modified on Monday, 13 February 2023 14:42
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