But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
We are called to share our faith in Jesus Christ. If you have been born-again as Jesus describes in John 3:3, you now see the Kingdom. Are you publicly describing it to others or is it something you still do not see.
Many world religions congregations are a private type of faith. They would prefer not speaking about Jesus for fear of alienating the listener or offending a lost soul. God showed me upon my rebirth that faith in Jesus Christ is PUBLIC, it is not private. The person who witnessed to me read Scripture out loud in a busy restaurant. At first, I will admit I was embarrassed. I was a Catholic for 40 plus years and had to ask myself why in the world would I be embarrassed at this point. Catholicism like many world religions indoctrinate a self-centered private faith, where if one didn’t see your car parked outside a church they would not know you are a “Christian”, but are you? I knew at that point, God was telling me to “WAKE UP!” I was dead in my sins and trespasses, my “faith” was private. This “faith” really was not in God but in my sins and trespasses and is why this was private.
John 3:19 says in reference to this privatization of sins “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil”
A born-again Christian realizes the tremendous debt Jesus paid on their behalf. They shout it from the roof-top as to what Jesus did for them. Those nasty little sins, rotten BIG sins, and that putrid dirty sinful life are no longer in a private domain, but just as the Cross was very public, they are as well. You are more than willing to share with others what Jesus did on your behalf!
Be specific! Just saying to others “Jesus paid my sin debt” is one thing, telling others specifically what this means is another. What were the sins you were practicing and now repented of by granted repentance? State them publicly to the people who you want to grasp the Good News. Stating this also shows humility. Humility is a trait definitely lacking in the church today. We see all sorts of Christians expounding on Scripture, showing wisdom of biblical hermeneutics, but at the same time showing no humility. Stating and describing sin in your former life publicly definitely will ground you.
If you do not have a former life to speak about, are you living a new life in Jesus Christ?
How do we know you actually have been saved when we don’t know what Jesus saved you from? I know plenty of folks who have a wonderful grasp of the Good News but are highly guarded in a personal witness or testimony in Jesus Christ. You are calling the lost to repent and believe the Good News, yet they are confused by your own example!
Publicly declare Jesus is the Lord and Savior without fear of losing friends or family or your job. What really is more important than this in your life! If you still are fearing losing a friend for example, you have placed them above Christ in your life, thus it is called idolatry. Rather, let you friends and family and the public at large KNOW you are a Christian, they should see the cross you carry and how ardent and diligently and also joyful you are to carry it! Let them see the rest they need in Jesus Christ!
CHristian church discernment 