BEING A FAITHFUL WITNESS...

When Christ comes into your heart He changes everything! Two Theologians were recently debating in a public forum what it meant to be saved. One Theologian was arguing for an Arminian view and the other from the Reformed view. The Aminian Theologian said that salvation was like a chair that God was offering people to sit in. He went on to say that people must choose to sit in the chair - because if they don't they'll be damned for eternity.
The other Theologian picked up on the chair analogy and said that God provides a chair that most people cannot see because the room is pitch dark. Even if they wanted to sit in it they couldn't - but the reality is they don't have any desire to sit in the chair because they don't even know it's there. He went on to say that God then turns the light on the room and the person becomes aware of several things. Firstly, they see themselves as tired and worn-out. Secondly they realise that it is not safe to sit anywhere- and then they see the most magnificent sight they have ever seen! They see an infinitely beautiful chair! It is gorgeous! They are drawn to its beauty and then ponder how perfectly comfortable it looks. The chair almost seems to be inviting them to sit in it and rest. Before they know it they are seated in the chair. This Theologian said, the saved don't sit in the chair because they fear being damned if they don't, they sit in the chair because they've seen their true condition in the light of God and seen their only solution as sitting in the chair which has become to them the most beautiful, magnificent, attractive person they could ever see.
When this Theologian, John Piper, sat down, his colleague (RC Sproul) leaned across to whisper to him- I believe the chair is beautiful John!
The Chair is beautiful. The Chair is Jesus.

"I'm asking GOD for one thing,
only one thing:
To live with him in his house
my whole life long.
I'll contemplate his beauty;
I'll study at his feet.
Psalm 27:4 THE MESSAGE

Being a "witness" means that we are sitting in the Chair. When people ask us why? are we sitting in this Chair, we know how to answer. This is what a witness does. A witness is called upon for their testimony. Our testimony is Christ-saturated. Our witness becomes the light of God in a dark and dying world. We don't coerce people to sit in the Chair. We don't drag people to the Chair. We simply witness.

Being a witness is our mission - converting sinners to the Chair is God's business. I pray that as a Church we will be a good witness, both individually and together.
Amen.
Dr. Andrew Corbett