A number of believers today, when asked about their Christian testimony explains their conversion in this way, “Well somebody invited me to church then after listening to the message of that pastor, I really like what I heard because it was so relevant to my life. I invited my family the next Sunday then we found ourselves consistently attending church services.”
Is that how we understand a testimony? Obviously, that kind of testimony glorifies the name of the church rather than Jesus Christ. It is as if the church transformed them. We need a Jesus-glorifying testimony. Let us go back to a Jesus-centered testimony by saying to this effect, “My life before was a mess. I have no direction before. But then I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ after realizing that I cannot save myself from eternal hell through any amount of good works. Two years ago I accepted and received Jesus into my heart as Lord and Savior. After surrendering my life to Him, I now believed I have eternal life and is being transformed daily by His grace through the power of His Holy Spirit by reading and understanding God’s word. You know, He can also do the same thing for you.”
No wonder some even do not understand what the term “born again” (spiritual birth) really means. When others say, “I am a Christian” what they really mean by that is “I began to change when I started attending church last month and experience His blessing” instead of “I was born again” translated as “I was saved by Jesus Christ and is now experiencing the transformation through the power of the Holy Spirit.” The former statement is moralistic while the latter is Jesus-centered.
How about you? To whom do you center your testimony? To yourself? To your church? Or to Jesus Christ, the Author and Finisher of our faith? Did you truly have a born again experience? There is nothing wrong with the word “Christian” but I hope we will really understand what the term really means so we can be effective in giving our testimonies for Christ. To know more about making disciples and sharing your testimony, be equip by finishing your discipleship journey in your local church.
And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” – Mark 5:19, ESV
The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him. – Luke 8:38-39