Expert Witnesses For Christ

All this can be summed up in one word, “disciple.” In the New Testament the word disciple usually refers to adherents of Jesus Christ. (The New International Dictionary of the Bible) A disciple (mathetes) is a person who accepts the instructions given to him by a teacher and he makes it his rule of conduct. (The Complete Word Study of the New Testament, Spiros Zodiates) The Word implies the acceptance in mind and life of the views and practices of the teacher. Applying this to a child of God means that he accepts the views and practice of Jesus Christ and he makes the Lord’s instructions the rule and conduct of his life.

In Knight’s Treasury there are two quotes. One is a statement and the other an exhortation. The first, “The devil is willing for a person to confess Christianity as long as he does not practice it.” The second, “So let our lives and lips express the holy gospel we profess; So let our words and actions shine and show forth the doctrine of [Christ].”

Walter B. Knight wrote about the power of a Christ-centered life in a brief article titled, “Why Are You Different.” The article tells of a man who was not a preacher, not a singer nor public speaker who worked in a factory with men who swore, cursed and spoke ill of each other. He lived a life that was quiet, a Christian life and he spoke of Jesus every opportunity that opened up.

One day as he was eating lunch, one of his fellow employees asked him, “May I sit with you, Bob? There is a question I have wanted to ask you for some time, but I was ashamed to do it. I want to know what makes you different from the rest of us. You never let your anger overcome you and respond as we do. Even when we rough fellows say and do bad things to you. You withstand and respond to life’s hard blows in a much different way than we do. What do you have that we do not?”

Bob replied with, “I am no better than others, but it is Jesus Christ who lives in me by His Holy Spirit that enables me to live and respond differently from those who do not know Him as personal Savior and Lord.”

Bob was an expert witness for Jesus Christ. He withstood the cross-examination of wicked men and life’s hard blows. He had made a connection with a fellow worker and by his life he intrigued one man who observed his life to ask the needed question.

All your life you are standing in the courtroom of the world. According to a court of law an expert witness is one who is seen as an expert by those in their field. Does God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit see you as an expert witness, a follower of Christ? Can you withstand the cross-examination of those who live in this world and life’s hard blows? Are you seen as a disciple of Christ?

Transitional Sentence: Once the child of God has been marked as a disciple of Jesus Christ he must be growing in his knowledge of Him through the written Word of God if he is going to be an expert witness.

Keeping in mind the “Great Commission” is given to all who are in Christ Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20) and what the Book of Ephesians says about the Christ apportioned gifts given to the church for preparing her for works of service unto the Lord. (Ephesians 4:11-12) We must prayerfully consider the writings of the apostle Paul that tells us how we are to be approaching the Lord’s work. He writes, “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5:20)