Be My Witnesses

There is an undercurrent, seldom expressed but often implied, in our society that when a person “gets religion” he should do the decent thing and enter the church. The honest thing to do is surely to join with the like-minded. To be suitably labelled with reversed collar or other distinctive garb ensures the safety of normal people from dangerous trends in conversation. In fact not to become one of the “religious” is most disrespectful of ones fellow creatures. Without the dress code to give the game away normal decent people are at risk!  There is the possibility of them getting under the radar so to speak and ask the awkward question or go where no man has gone before and utter the startling words “are you saved?” Of course decent people don’t need to be saved – the very idea! Have we not been through the ceremonies? Has there not been a whole plethora of clergy involved to say nothing of the might of the church already?  Any notion of a possible lack in my religious armour is laughable. Let the “born again” ones bang their heads against the might of my defences! I have been conversion-proofed!  I have the certificates to prove it! So what to do when they bring up Jesus? I tell them my story. How I come from a long line of religious. I’ve been up the mountain, round the lough, down the catacombs and into the relics!  And don’t bring up that original sin business; I got rid of that long ago. But the Bible teaches that the reason we die has to do with sin[1]. The reason Jesus died proved that he was bearing our sin. The reason Jesus could rise from the grave proved that he had made atonement for our sin and was himself sinless[2].  To be saved from our sins, especially our unbelief[3] is why Jesus came to earth. Believers are called to be witnesses to Jesus[4]; who he is; why he came; what he did; and how simple faith in him, in God’s eyes makes a sinner into a saint[5]. So if you are a believer – be what you are, a witness. If you are not a believer trust in Jesus who calls you to your true vocation to witness for him where he has placed you. [1] Romans Chapter 6 verse 23. [2] 2 Corinthians Chapter 5 verse 21. [3] St John’s Gospel Chapter 8 verse 24. [4] Acts Chapter 1 verse 8. [5] Philippians Chapter 4 verse 21.