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PROGRAM D-8451
If you were on trial because you are a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? This is a question which gets to the heart of whether those of us who claim to be Christians really live by biblical principles and priorities—whether the world around us can see any difference in the way we live, the way we respond, and the priorities of our lives as compared to everyone else.
Imagine that you are on trial, having been accused of being a Christian. The prosecutor would call witnesses who would be asked whether they have seen any clear evidence to convict you of being a Christian. What would that person say? Is there a co-worker who would confidently say, “I know she’s a Christian because. . .”? How about a family member? Or a neighbor?
Jesus said, “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). So, how brightly is your light shining? Does it shine consistently enough so that those who are in your world know that you are a Christian?
Years ago for a period of time, I was not a shining witness for Christ. The people who worked with me would not have been able to accuse me of being a Christian. I remember once telling a co-worker that I went to church, and he was surprised. He said, “I didn’t know you were a religious person.” It was true—he didn’t know because there was no evidence in my life at that time that would have convicted me of being a Christ-follower.
That’s a sad commentary for sure, but thank God it is not now the case! Thank God that he puts our past behind us and opens new paths for us to serve him.
Paul wrote this to his disciple, Timothy:
Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. (1 Timothy 4:12)
That’s a high bar, isn’t it—to set an example in the way we talk, in the way we conduct ourselves, in the way we love other people, in the way we trust God, and in the purity of our lives? That’s the kind of evidence which proves you have been changed by God through faith in Jesus Christ!