TITUS 3:1-2 – Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. “
THEME OF THE DAY: MARKS OF A GOOD TESTIMONY. Every true Christian yearns to represent Christ well. To model Jesus in our homes, neighborhoods, and churches is a constant desire and pursuit in the children of God. And when it comes to being a witness for the Lord Jesus, the question isn’t “If we are witnesses” but “Are we accurate witnesses reflecting Him well?”
Our Lord never left this in doubt. Before He ascended back to heaven, He gave us this statement and promise – “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). With the promise comes the responsibility to use its power to be the witness for Christ God would have us to be.
In today’s scripture, there are seven marks of a good testimony for the Lord Jesus. Within them, we find the balance of attitudes, conduct and speech. We will identify a few, but take today’s scripture as a whole and evaluate ourselves by all of these qualities.
First, a good testimony for Christ holds the proper attitude toward authority in our lives – be submissive to rulers and authorities. What this does not mean is to harbor a bad attitude toward ruling authorities, like our President, like our Congress, but never express it in words. Acceptable submission in God’s eyes is from the inside out. We cannot harbor ill thoughts toward anyone in authority because if we do, it is just a matter of time before we tarnish our witness for Christ by bad-mouthing authority. Remember Jesus did not belittle the sinful governor Pontius Pilate.
Another mark in a good testimony for the Lord Jesus is a life of active obedience to God’s commands of doing good toward others – be obedient, to be ready for every good work. True Christians are serving Christians, and not themselves. We are saved to serve the interests of Christ and others. In doing so, we show forth the testimony of a selfless life, not selfish which characterizes the world.
Additional qualities of an accurate witness for the Lord Jesus is in the way we talk about and handle people – to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. Pause now, read the last sentence and apply it to how Jesus treats us. He doesn’t speak evil of us, argue with us, or handle us harshly. He always treats us with grace and thus displays perfect courtesy. Now how do we treat people? An effective witness for Christ treats people like Christ, with grace-filled words, gentleness, and courtesy.
We open many doors for sharing the Gospel of the Lord Jesus by having a good testimony for the Lord Jesus. There is credibility in the message of Christ when His people accurately live the Christian life pointing people to Him who is the Christian life.
PRAYER: “Father, help me to strive to hold a testimony for Your Son that represents Him accurately and well.”
QUOTE: “People will make their assessment of the Lord Jesus based largely from what they see in and from His people.”
Because of Him,
Pastor Jim