Question: I am a new believer in Jesus Christ. He told his followers to be his witnesses. What does that mean?
Answer: Jesus Christ rose from the dead and told his disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit, who would give them power to be His witnesses worldwide. Today, about one-third of the world’s 8 billion people are believers like you. Another third have heard the good news of Jesus’ resurrection but do not believe. The remaining third still need someone to tell them that Jesus is Lord.
So, what does it mean to be a witness? In a courtroom, a witness is someone who tells the truth about what they saw or heard to help establish justice. The Constitution affirms that an accused individual has the right “to be confronted with the witnesses against him,” emphasizing that truth often requires multiple witnesses.
The Framers got that from Deuteronomy 19:15, which says, “A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” Jesus also instructed that if someone sins, we should privately address them; if they don’t listen, take one or two others along, so “every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”
Through His death, burial and resurrection, Jesus declared justice and forgiveness for every sin. Now, because we believe, we are witnesses of this gospel story, so we carry the message of Jesus’ forgiving love to a world burdened by guilt and sin.
Being a true witness has a profound impact. However, law alone doesn’t change hearts – many leaders in politics, business and media are skilled at deception and often escape accountability. God is the ultimate Judge, and He hates false witnesses. So, how does our witness as Christ followers make a real difference in a dark world?
We may not stand in a courtroom, but we can be Christ’s witnesses because we’ve been with Him. Acts 4:13 describes how Peter and John, despite being ordinary, untrained men, astonished the rulers of their day because “they had been with Jesus.” Our simple witness is rooted in our close relationship with Him. It’s less about what we say and more about His presence radiating from us. True holiness involves walking in the fear of the Lord and maintaining an intimate friendship with Him.
Jesus also looks into our hearts. In Luke 18: 9-14, He contrasts the self-righteous prayer of those who boast that they are “not like other people” with the humble prayer of a tax collector who admits, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Jesus declares that the humble, honest heart is justified in His courtroom.
Joy Dawson, a respected Bible teacher with Youth With a Mission, said, “Our thoughts are heard in heaven as loudly as our words.” The fear of the Lord gives us power to hate sin. In other words, we are false witnesses if we continue in sin while pretending to be righteous.
To be a true witness, our lives testify to the love, justice and mercy of Jesus. That witness impacts others because we live sincerely and humbly before God. Your witness will reflect God’s truth and His kindness. That kind of witness is what draws others to Him.
God bless you as you walk in His truth.
John Henry
Director, YWAM Converge/Haven House
Galloway Township
