How can I be good witness for Christ?

How can I be good witness for Christ?

 

Every Christian is responsible to be a witness for Christ. We read in Acts 1:8: "You will be witnesses for me."

The question is: "How do I witness?" We must clearly understand that people have different temperaments and that the answer to this question will differ from person to person. The reaction of the people to whom we witness will also differ.

There are, however, certain basic principles that will remain the same in every situation. We summarize it as follows:

1. Your own spiritual life must be right with God.  That means that you must be sure of your own  salvation. You must know that you are saved. You can only witness to what you have experienced yourself.

2. You must be faithful in your prayer life and  talk every day to God alone or with others in a  place of prayer (See Matthew 6:6).

3. Your life, attitude and christian example must  attract people to your lifestyle. They must see  by your example that you are committed to the Lord. If you are filled with the Holy Spirit, the  fruit of Galatians 5:22 will be visible in your  life. (Please read the text.)

4. Please remember that the conversion of a  sinner, the change of attitude in the heart, can only be accomplished by the work of the Holy Spirit (Read John 16:7-15).

5. The contents of your message must therefore always be the Word of God. That is why you   will be an effective witness only if you study the Bible. The aim of Biblecor is to help you to do so.

6. We can attract people to the Lord by the wonderful love of God. It must be demonstrated to them by our own lives.

7. Make use of free tracts (or send a donation) which can be obtained by writing to CLF   Publishers, P O Box 19, Bloemfontein 9300,  South Africa. Mention which languages you need, how many, and for what purpose.

Use it as a starting point for further discussion. If people refuse to take a tract, do not argue with them. If someone has taken a tract, follow up by trying to draw reaction by asking "How did you find the tract? Do you have any further questions?"

Where is hell?

Where is hell?

The Bible teaches that lost sinners will exist forever, after the final judgment, in a place which is described under different names and symbols. The notion in modern times that hell won't be a place but a state of mind or a condition, even on earth now , does not do justice to the teachings of the Bible. The place where the lost will exist forever, body and soul, is described by using examples of places that people of the Bible knew. For example the word used for hell "gehenna" is a Hebrew word consist ing of ge (=land) and Hinnom (= a valley southwest of Jerusalem). It was the place where wicked idol-worshippers burnt their own children alive as sacrifices to the idol-god Moloch. It was considered a filthy and horrible place, a symbol of hell. In Matt hew 18:9 we hear of "the fires of hell," in verse 8: "eternal fire". In Revelation 20:14-15 it is called "a lake of fire".  Hell is not a condition, it is a place. Where it shall be, nobody knows. All that we know is that - (a) God is not there except for His wrath.  (b) It is a place of eternal torment and pain, and remorse, where your conscience will be like a devouring worm, always reminding you of what could have been if only you did not despise the calls of God; a place of utter despair, weeping and grinding of teeth (Matthew 8:12; 13:50; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:23-28; Revelation 14:10; 21:8).

Why does God allow good people to suffer?

Why does God allow good people to suffer?

This is a question which people often ask, especially Christians. They argue that God is a God of love and cannot allow suffering.  The Bible teaches quite clearly that all pain, suffering, disappointment, sickness and death are all results of sin which came into the world. The world in which Adam and Eve lived before they fell into sin, was a world full of joy and happiness. There was no suffering and pain and sorrow. At the end of time when God shall renew the whole world and heaven (which is prophesied in Revelation 21:45), there will be no more death, no more grief or crying or pain. The old things have disappeared. Then the One who sits on the throne will say: "And now I make all things new." But in the present dispensation as descendants of Adam (Acts 17:26), we shall experience suffering as a result of the fall of man. God said to Eve: "I will increase your trouble in pregnancy and your pain in giving birth" (Genesis 3:16). And to Adam: "Be cause of what you have done, the ground will be under a curse" (Genesis 3:17). We find the same connection between the curse upon sin and human suffering in Romans 8:16-22 (Please read it in you Bible). But note the wonderful promise to believers in verse 18: "I consider that what we suffer at this present time cannot be compared a t all with the glory which is going to be revealed to us." Until then suffering will be prevalent / because we live in a world which is under the curse of sin. The whole Bible emphasises the fact that God is love (1 John 4:8-10); that He loves us with a wonderful love. The children of God are in the world. They are not in heaven yet. We are travellers, pilgrims to a better abode. We won't experience heaven on earth, because of the fact that we are Christians. Yes! true Christians have a joy in their hearts which enable them to sing, even in times of suffering (read Acts 16:22-28). But one day everything will change and God's children, the true Christians, will suffer no more because God will wipe away all tears from their eyes (Revelation 21:4). For the Christians there is everlasting joy awaiting them in heaven, but on earth there is grace to suffer also to His glory. I have a little card on which is written: "God has not promised  Sun without rain,  joy without sorrow  Peace without pain  But God has promised  Strength for the day  Rest for the labourer  Light on the way Grace for the trials Help from above, unfailing symphathy,  undying love."

What does the Bible say about the Sabbath and Sunday?

What does the Bible say about the Sabbath and Sunday?

 

The word Sabbath means "rest" (not Saturday). God requires each one of us to set aside one day of the week for worshipping Him and for resting. Let us see what the Bible tells us about this day of spiritual and physical renewal:

1. In Exodus 20:8-11 we read that the believer should rest on the seventh day. (God does not say the seventh day of the week!)

2. The Sabbath on Saturday is a sign of the Covenant for the Jewish people (Exodus 31:16-17). On that day no fire may be made (Exodus 35:3); no firewood may be gathered (Numbers 15:32-35) and nobody may leave his home on the Sabbath day (Exodus 16:29). If a Christian wishes to keep the Jewish Sabbath (on Saturday) he should do it in the Jewish way. 

3. Jesus did not tell his disciples anywhere in the New Testament to keep the Jewish Sabbath. He did, however, repeat all nine the other commandments for his disciples. We do notice that the Jews rejected Jesus more than once because he broke the Sabbath according to their understanding (Matthew 12:1-14).

4. In the New Testament we find that the "Lord's Day," Sunday, replaced the Jewish Sabbath for the Christians, because 4.1 the Lord Jesus rose  from death on Sunday (John 20:1); 4.2 every time that Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection, it was on Sunday (Matthew 28:10;  Luke 24:13-36; John 20:19-23; etc.); 4.3 the day of Pentecost (the pouring out of the Holy Spirit) was on Sunday (Acts 2:1); 4.4 the first Christians thus came together on the first day of the week, the Lord's day, the Sunday, for their church services and communion services (Acts 20:7) and also brought their offerings to God on Sunday (1 Corinthians 16:2).

5. The apostle Paul started his work by trying to reach the Jews by preaching to them on the Jewish Sabbath in the synagogues (Acts 13:14, 42, 44) but to the Christians he preached on Sundays (Acts 20:7) even though he had already arrived there before the Saturday (verse 6).

6. Some of the Jewish Christians tried to force the believers from non-Jewish nations to be obedient to the Jewish laws. An important general meeting of Christians was held about this matter in Jerusalem. The decision of this meeting is found in Acts 15: 28-29: the Jewish laws (verse 24) do not apply to Christians.

7. Paul also writes that no one may judge a Christian for not keeping the Jewish feasts or Sabbath (Colossians 2:16).

8. Since those days through all the centuries the Christians used the Lord's day (Sunday) for their day of worship.

In conclusion: The Jews keep their Sabbath on Saturday, but Christians keep their Sabbath (day of rest and worship) on the Lord's day, Sunday.

May a Christian take part in politics?

May a Christian take part in politics?

 

You ask how it looks in God's eyes if a Christian joins a political organisation. You ask further how one can become a good leader if you do not know about your people's previous politics.

It is true that leaders do need to know all about their people; their politics, their economic circumstances and many other things.

If we were to leave the governing of countries to those who are not Christians, there would be less freedom for the worship of God and for God's Word to reach the people. God wants Christians to have influence in all spheres of life, including politics. 


The question that arises from this is, "How should he be involved?" He should not be involved for selfish reasons / to promote a better life for himself and his own tribe while others suffer. There should be no thought of seeking fame or money. His aim should be only that the righteousness of God should be shown and lived out. If this were done, much of the fighting in party politics would disappear. Individual Christians can play a large part in lifting up the righteousness of God in a nation, if God's glory is their only aim.

The work of the church as Christ's body is to bring people to know Jesus as Saviour and teach Christians how to live their lives according to God's principles. Then people who have been so taught can go into the world of politics and live the Christian life as God wants them to, and thus be an influence for God. This has happened in the past.

What does the Bible say about fasting?

What does the Bible say about fasting?

One aspect of Christian life that is experiencing a revival in our time, is fasting.Perhaps we need to listen once more to the Bible's teaching about fasting, so as not to miss this blessing. It is not true that only Pharisees fast. Right through the Bible / also in the New Testament / fasting plays an important role in serving God. During the Reformation fasting was prominent. John Wesley (of the Methodist Church) even refused to ordain a minister who did not fast regularly. When should a Christian fast? The famous Reformer John Calvin speaks about the Christian fast in Institute 1V:X11:14-18. He says one should fast for three reasons: 1. To avoid being controlled by the flesh (your sinful nature); 2. For prayer and meditation; 3. As part of repentance and confession of sins. He stresses especially that a time of fasting and prayer should be called for whenever intercession for an important matter is needed. John Wesley tells of a national day of prayer and fasting proclaimed by the King of England in 1756 because of an impending attack by France. The churches were filled to overflowing, for everybody realized the danger. Their prayers were answered, and the attack was averted. Examples from the Bible We often read of times of prayer and fasting in the Bible, e.g. - when Christian leaders pray together (Acts 13:1-2); - when ministers are ordained (Acts 13:3); - when elders are elected (Acts 14:23); - when believers are in danger (Esther 4:16); - when specific prayers are called for (Psalm 35:13). In the Sermon on the Mount it is clear that Jesus expected his disciples to fast at times. In Matthew 6:16-18 He says, "and when you fast, do not put on a sad face as the hypocrites do . . ." It is surprising to discover which Bible characters found it necessary to fast, for example Moses (Exodus 24:18); David (Psalm 69:10); Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20:1-4); Elijah (1 Kings 19:8); Ezra (Ezra 8:21-23); Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1:4); Joel (Joel 2:15 ); Anna (Luke 2:37); Jesus (Matthew 4:2); his disciples (Luke 5:35); Paul (Acts 9:9) and the Christian churches (Acts 14:23). So we also read in the Didache, a Christian document written in the first century AD, that Christians of that period fasted every Wednesday and Friday. How does one fast? There are different ways of fasting: 1. by avoiding delicacies (Daniel 10:3); 2. by eating less than usual; 3. by avoiding all food, but drinking liquids (Luke 4:2); 4. by abstaining from all food and drink (Acts 9:9). (The latter is exceptional, since a normal human cannot live for more than three days     without liquids.) The Christian fast should not be confused with  - eating strikes for political purposes; - a diet plan to lose weight; - fasting for health, as has become the fashion lately. Christian fasting is always combined with prayer, since fasting on its own does not have any value in God's eyes (Joel 2:13; Isaiah 58:5; Colossians 2:23; Zechariah 7:5). Fasting reveals to us what really controls our lives. It helps to keep the body und er control (1 Corinthians 9:27) and helps us to avoid becoming addicted to anything (1 Corinthians 6:12). In Conclusion The Christian fast is completely voluntary. It helps you to dedicate yourself completely to prayer. All who practice fasting testify to the value thereof. If you wish to fast, you are recommended to start by skipping one meal, and later to abstain from food for 24 hours (supper to supper). If you are not very healthy you could also fast for a period of time by just abstaining from rich foods and sweets. Remember the main purpose of fasting: to have fellowship with God. It is not to try to force God to do something against his will, but to conform yourself to God's will.

Is it wrong to have a boyfriend/girlfriend?

Is it wrong to have a boyfriend/girlfriend?

The answer to this question depends upon the age of the one who asks it. The modern visual media, like television, have influenced the thinking pattern of our children. So many small boys and girls are tempted to do as television or videos suggest / to have their own special lovers too soon. Normally boys and girls up to the age of 12 or 13 years want to spend their time with members of their own sex. When they become older they become attracted to members of the opposite sex. Sometimes they "fall in love" with a certain boy or girl. Unfortunately "love" at too young an age is usually not true love and does not last long. After some weeks or months they no longer feel attracted to each other. It is not wrong to get these feelings, but such young children must not make the mistake of thinking that their whole life depends upon it. Sometimes, when such a relationship is broken the disappointed one says: "I cannot live without him/her." This is, of course, not true. Sometimes this "love" is mere sexual attraction which ends in sin / sexual intercourse outside marriage.  It is good for a Christian boy or girl to learn how to communicate properly with members of the opposite sex. But they should try and not choose a special girl or boy when they are still too young. Some make the mistake of starting a friendship where the boy will say: "I love you ... you are the only one in my life ... I will love you forever ..." Of course in some instances it may work out. But the ultimate outcome of such passionate love is in most cases a broken relationship, or a marriage where both are too young. And most of such marriages are usually unhappy. Research in the field of social science has proved this over and over. So the answer to the question above is "yes" when the boy and girl have reached maturity. That is about the age of about 23-25 for the young man and 19-20 for the girl. At that age they are more able to disagree without becoming angry, they are less self ish, they are more willing to acknowledge that they have done something wrong to one another, they know more about personal responsibility. A Christian young man who courts a girl with the intention of marrying her, must make sure that his girlfriend is a true Christian and vise versa. Sometimes young African people ask this question against the background of cultural customs. Their custom tells them that their parents or families must make the choice regarding a life partner for their son. Young people of today want to marry the one they love. Christian young people have problems when their families want them to marry a boy or girl who is an unbeliever. They know it is against God's will (2 Corinthians 6:14-15). We do not despise cultural customs. But we are compelled to teach Christ ians that the true "God-given" marriage is the marriage of a Christian man with a Christian girl. The "cement" that binds them together is true love which is a gift of God. If they are forced into a cultural marriage without God's approval there is no guarantee that it will be a blessed and happy one.