Christians: What do you mean by 'being a witness'?

Question

Is it good enough if you are just a good and decent person to people? Or do you have to make a point of verbally telling people what you believe and try to convince them of it?

Do you try to talk to people about your faith when it has not just naturally come up as a topic of conversation, or do you try to push it on people who don't necessarity want to hear about it?

Answer 1

The ultimate testimony to being a witness to Christ is how they live. If a person is a true Christian, then their life changes for good. They display the fruits of the spirit, love, patience, kindness, etc. etc. Their family and friends and associates peceive a visible difference.

Being 'good' and 'decent' doesn't even come close. Lots of peple are 'good' and 'decent' but do not testify to the life-changing difference Christ has made in their lives.

And like anything life-changing, how could you possibly keep it a secret? When a person becomes a Christian they want to shout it from the tops of the highest mountain and share it with everyone, because it's such good news! If you found a cure for Aids, would you keep it to yourself?

I agree that it can be very off-putting when those who do not believe find others trying to push their beliefs upon them. Not good. But Jesus did tell us to spread the good news.

Answer 2

My life is a witness that speaks louder than words.

Usually when someone who does not know I am a believer asks me what it is that is so different about me and why I am always smiling and in an upbeat mood, I will answer by saying, "I'd love to tell you the answer...ask me again tomorrow." If they ask me again the next day, I know they really want to know and I will share as much as they want to hear. I have to be very careful, because sometimes I talk too much and sometimes that can be worse than not talking at all.

Answer 3

Being a good witness can simply be living your life in a manner that reflects God living in you. ie: being loving and helpful when needed. Giving to those in need, putting others ahead of yourself, etc. Witnessing can also be verbally expressing God's love and salvation.
I never try to push the conversation on people. For example, when I was going thru some very troubling times in my life someone commented on how well I was taking it. I simply gave all the praise and glory to God for His wonderful grace and mercy to carry me through.
Simply things like that will let people know that God is very real and living within you.
God bless, honey!

Answer 4

Jehovah tells his people to preach. Matthew 24:14 "And this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come."
So we are commanded to preach.

Let's just say for the sake of argument that there is one true belief. Don't you think God would want everyone to have an oppotunity to hear it so that they can make a choice for themselves? That is why it is so important to preach.

Answer 5

We know that the only way a person can be saved from hell is through faith in Jesus Christ. We further know, that this kind of faith comes only through the proclaimation of the Gospel.

If I have a cure for cancer, and I know you have cancer, I'm not going to wait for you to "bring it up", I'm just going to tell you about the cure.


The problem that we Christians encounter, is that everyone REFUSES to believe that they have the disease. If they were convinced that they HAD cancer, they would GLADLY receive the cure.


The disease you have is sin. It will eventually kill you. Don't believe me?
Let's see if you are a sinner. Have you ever told a lie, ever stolen anything, ever used God's name in vain? Jesus said, " Whoever looks upon a woman to lust after her, has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Have you "looked with lust? "

If you answered "yes" to any of these then that proves you have the disease.

The Bible says:

all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

And

for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

And

1Cr 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,


1Cr 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.


And

Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are [these]; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,


Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,


Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told [you] in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Do you do " such things" ?

I'm only trying to convince you that you are infected with an eternally fatal disease for which ther is only one cure: Repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus died to take your punishment, then He rose from the dead and defeated death. If you repent and trust in Him, God will grant you everlasting life.

Answer 6

A witness is someone who testifies to a truthful matter over and over as necessary. Being a Christian means literally "being Christ-like". True Christians imitate Jesus Christ's example by preaching and teaching the good news of God's Kingdom. He did so even though the message was not popular. Whoever wished to hear him did so. Whoever did not refused to listen. But that did not stop him, he continued to preach the message day after day by preaching in public places, in private with interested ones, and by house to house ministry. Therefore, true Christians imitate Jehovah God and His Son Jesus by being a "witness" or testifying to other people their truthful statements they read in the Bible over and over as necessary. Please contact any one of Jehovah's Witnesses if you wish to find out more.

Answer 7

Yes, we are to witness with our words as well as deeds, but the deeds must match the words. As for coming up naturally, most people are open to discussing a wide range of spiritual matters when they know the other person is respectful and willing to listen to their viewpoint. It's called "earning the right to be heard."

Answer 8

I would prefer to see a person living their religion by their actions, not by words telling me how great is God. I'm reminded of the passage (granted this is about praying, not witnessing, but it says to me my relationship with God is mine and I will share it with your thru my actions):

Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray while standing in synagogues and on street corners so that people can see them. Truly I say to you, they have their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you. When you pray, do not babble repetitiously like the Gentiles, because they think that by their many words they will be heard. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him....

Answer 9

Lol, your idea of what it means to be a witness for god is all off, (no offense) being a witness for God is NOT about YOU or how "good" you think you are, or what YOU do for him, its about being a good witness in the sense that YOU need to speak of what the Lord has done for you, made you see, done for others, and just testify about how wonderful and mervciful and loving the lord god is.

Answer 10

How about lean, but don't push.?? Being a decent person is certainly a good start. (and farther than many people get)