Thursday, 17 August 2023
“The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.”
I received God’s mercy as an example to others on the journey to faith!
Think about that statement. Your salvation is not designed to be hidden. You are the salt of the earth, a city on a hill that cannot be hidden. How many times have you been speaking to someone and been uncomfortable about sharing your faith? You feel that they will think you are weird and so you keep your mouth shut, or give them the watered-down version.
Your testimony can be an incredibly powerful tool for sharing the gospel. God has put you in people’s lives for a specific reason. The example of your life and the way God has transformed it may be the reason that God has brought you into contact with certain people around you. There may be something in your testimony that specifically speaks into those people’s lives.
Never think you are more deserving of grace than those around you. A Christian with a superior attitude is just like the Pharisees. Jesus called them a “brood of vipers” (Matt 23:33). Paul called himself the foremost of sinners. There is nothing that turns an unbeliever off quicker than a Christian who thinks he is perfect.
Remember that your story is a powerful witness, and that it’s a story of a sinner saved by the grace of our Lord. Take some time now to jot down the main points of your testimony so that you can bring them to mind easily when speaking to someone.
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