Why do we as Christians care so much about the Bible? Because it is God’s truth for a truth-starved world, and because in the Scriptures we find Jesus. And this makes us want to tell others about Him. Today’s excerpt from The Joy and Rejoicing of My Heart is found on pages 62 and 63:
“We are considering what is required of us as followers of Christ who feast on the Scriptures with joy and rejoicing and wield the Sword of the Spirit within the context of our spiritual warfare. The joy and rejoicing of heart we know as we study the Word of God seeks expression in our daily lives. We begin with ourselves, but then we want to bring the Word of truth to bear on all aspects of life, and for all the people we care about who are captive to or may be enticed by the Lie of unbelief.
“Like Paul at Athens, we propose to set the truth of God before people for them to consider as an alternative to their mistaken views about life. We do not judge others; we let the Word of God do that. Our purpose is to help them understand God’s plan and purpose for their lives. To that end, we seek to engage them in affirming conversations about the truth of God as it relates to their everyday lives.
“But our purpose is not simply to affirm those who are still captive to the Lie. Our purpose is to alert them to God’s truth, to informthem of where they stand in relation to that truth, and to call them to turn from their mistaken ways to embrace Jesus and His covenant and Kingdom as their new pathway for life.“To that end, we must do more than just propose; we must also proclaim.”
For reflection or discussion
1. What does it mean for you to “alert” and “inform” people of God’s truth? How do you do that?
2. What’s the difference between “proposing” God’s truth and “proclaiming” it?
Jesus appointed us to be His witnesses, and that entails both living His Word and telling His truth to others. We must prepare for this daily and ask the Lord to give us opportunities to fulfill our appointed calling. The more we are grounded in God’s Word, the better able we will be to live as His witnesses. Share today’s podcast with a friend, then get together to discuss it. Your copy of The Joy and Rejoicing of My Heart awaits you as a free PDF download at The Ailbe Bookstore. And while you’re there, download the book Let God Be True as another resource to strengthen your witness
