Living Holy Lives
It is indeed a rarity that human sexuality is a topic in the quarterly Bible Study Guide. Even though in this week’s study the topic is couched under the heading of “Living Holy Lives,” one, nevertheless, appreciates the fact that the church recognizes that this matter should no longer
be closeted but must be addressed in plenary sessions to help the church members, especially the youth, realize the dangers of the counterfeit teachings on human sexuality that are being foisted upon society today.
In the book of Acts, we are told that Paul preached in Thessalonica for three Sabbaths. That must have been some preaching! In such a short time, Paul converted so many Thessalonians to Christianity that the Jews became enraged and sought Paul’s arrest. However, Paul’s friends were able to smuggle him to Athens before the Jews were able to lay a hand on him. In less than a month, Paul was able to plant the seed of Christianity so pervasively among the people of Thessalonica that the Jews felt threatened by this burgeoning tide of believers. However, because he had to leave Thessalonica so suddenly, Paul became concerned about the spiritual well being of his flock. So concerned about them was he that he sent Timothy to Thessalonica to assess the state of the new movement: thus began a conscious and determined effort to preserve the relationship with the new believers – an effort that, for all intents and purposes, has become an evangelistic template for the retention and well being of new believers everywhere.
Evangelism or witnessing is a time sensitive, yet perpetual ministry. It is time-sensitive because the message the evangelist delivers to the world is time-sensitive. It is perpetual because “as long as we have breath we should, in one capacity or another, continue to minister,” for if we are living a Christ-like life, Christ “will always provide opportunities for witnessing.” These opportunities may come in various forms, but they all give credence to the concept of the perpetuity of ministry. As long as there is sin in the world, we need to witness; as long as Satan is allowed to roam freely on this earth, “seeking whom he may devour,” we need to witness about God’s saving grace; as long as Jesus has not yet come to take us home to live with Him, we need to witness. Witnessing is indeed a perpetual ministry.
Evangelism and witnessing are essentially two sides of the same coin. They both serve the same purpose of presenting the good news of salvation to others and encouraging them to accept Jesus as their Savior. They both are essential to church growth. They differ primarily in duration. Evangelism is generally a planned series of meetings in which sequential lessons are presented, while witnessing is often a spontaneous opportunity to share with others one’s personal testimony of the good news of salvation. Evangelism seeks a wider audience, while witnessing focuses on the individual, sharing with him Jesus’ love for us, the ultimate sacrifice He made for us, and His imminent return to take us home with Him. Both the evangelist and the witness are ambassadors for Christ, personally representing Him as they carry His message to the world.