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Misused Bible Words #3. 1 Peter 4:11 “Speak as the oracles of God”. “Witnessing” / “Testifying”. Is this how the gospel of Christ is taught to the world today?. “Witnessing” / “Testifying”.
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Misused Bible Words #3 1 Peter 4:11 “Speak as the oracles of God”
“Witnessing” / “Testifying” Is this how the gospel of Christ is taught to the world today?
“Witnessing” / “Testifying” • Jesus To The Apostles, “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; & you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, & in all Judea & Samaria, & to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
“Witnessing” / “Testifying” • The Greek word is martus • English: one who bears witness by his death. One who is willing to die for what he believes to be true. • Greek (the work Jesus used): denotes one who declares what he has seen or heard or knows (Vine’s).
“Witnessing” / “Testifying” • The Greek word is martus • God – Rom 1:9; 2 Cor 1:23; Phil 1:8; 1 Thess 2:5,10 • Christ – Rev 1:5; 3:14 • 1st cent. saints who died for the faith – Acts 22:20; Rev 2:13; 17:6; cf. 11:3
“Witnessing” / “Testifying” “If Stephen & Antipas were ‘witnesses’ – why can’t we be…? • Both saw the apostles perform miracles. Possessed a miraculous gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:5, 8) – from an apostle.
“Witnessing” / “Testifying” “If Stephen & Antipas were ‘witnesses’ – why can’t we be…? • Both gave their lives for their eye-witness testimony. In that way, they were like the apostles .
“Witnessing” / “Testifying” The Apostles were the “witnesses” Jesus identified (Acts 1:8) • Accompanied Jesus before & after His resurrection (Acts 1:21-22). • Chosen before by God (Acts 10:40-42). • Peter stated, “we are witnesses…” (Acts 2:32; 3:15; 10:39) – the apostles! These verses apply to no one living today!
“preaching” / “declaring” • Today, Jesus commands “preaching” to communicate His gospel (1 Cor 1:21). • We “declare” the gospel, we do not “witness for Christ” (1 Cor 15:1).
“preaching” / “declaring” Modern day so-called “witnessing” focuses on human experience. Preaching or Declaring the gospel focuses on the authority of God.
“preaching” / “declaring” “We do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, & ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake.” (2 Cor 4:5)
Make sure your choice of words suggest the meaning God intended. fellowship, ministry, grace, saintmiraclewitness/testify.