Fall 2000
The Witness of our Lives
Tara Wentworth

“You are our epistle, written in our hearts, know
and read by all men; you are manifestly an epistle
of Christ, ministered by us, written not with
ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on
tablets of stone, but on tablets of flesh, that
is, of the heart." II Cor 3:2-3. NKJ.

You may be the only representative of the true God that many see. They may never darken a Church door, open a Bible, or other Christian literature, but knowing that you are a Christian, they are watching your life - on the job, in the store, at the ball field.

Have you ever asked yourself, “What are they seeing that would draw them to the Lord whom I love so much?

Paul, in I Cor 10:5-12, warns the Corinthians to not follow the example of the children of Israel, who lusted after evil things, became idolaters, committed fornication, tempted Christ, and murmured during their time of testing in the wilderness.

Sobering words follow these exhortations, as Paul points out the results of their folly.

"Now all of these things happened to them as examples,
and they were written for our admonition, on whom the
ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks
he stands take heed lest he fall." I Cor 10:11-12 NJK.

The biggest reason why our family members, friends, co-workers, are not interested in Christianity, is because they have not seen the example of Christ-like life in the Christian community. Of course, there are those individuals who do model a godly life, but as a whole, all too many professed believers live carnal, self-centered lives.

The apostle Paul, writing to his young disciple, Timothy, exhorts him in I Tim 4:12,

"Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to
the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit,
in faith, in purity."

We are to be an example in our words. Eph 4:29 says,

"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth,
but what is good for necessary edification, that it may
impart grace to the hearers."

If we are saved by grace, according to Eph 2:8, it behooves us to impart that grace through our words, to those around us. Col 4:6 says,

"Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with
salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each
one."

Let us pray like David in Psalm 141:3,

"Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch
over the door of my lips."

We are also to be an example in our conduct. Peter was very concerned about the conduct of those he was writing to. In both of his Epistles, he addresses the issue several times. In 1 Peter 2:12, he exhorts them,

"having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles,
that when they speak against you as evil doers, they
may, by your good works which they observe, glorify
God in the day of visitation."

We are to be an example by our love. I Cor 13:4-7 describes a love that will draw the world to God. When we are patient and kind, when we are humble and meek, when we are content, full of peace; and when we demonstrate these things to others, by our good manners and unselfish attitudes, those around us will desire what we are demonstrating.

Faithfulness is a trait that is sadly lacking in many Christian lives. How many employers would come to Christ if their Christian employees demonstrated integrity and faithfulness in the work place?

Paul commended the Church at Thessalonica for being such examples, that all who were in Macedonia and Achaia took notice. May we also be those living epistles, known and read of all men.