Christians Role in the Community - Research Paper Example

? Personal testimonies are incredibly important in sharing the Gospel. The gospel of Jesus Christ is universal in that He is the Savior of the entireworld. Yet the understanding of this Gospel is an incredibly personal phenomenon. The effects of the Gospel on the life of an individual are best shown through the sharing of a personal testimony. There are several doctrinal reasons for this fact. We are told that the Spirit of God witnesses of all truth and that when two or three are gathered in the name of Christ, then he will be there through the presence of his Spirit. These teachings are very important for understanding the necessity for the sharing of personal testimonies. The sharing of a personal testimony builds a spiritual bond between the sharer and the recipient of the testimony of Christ. This witness creates a special relationship that is built on the foundation of spiritual witnessing by the Spirit of God. The true testimony of a believer and the recipient of the testimony feel the promptings and workings of the Spirit because the message is true. In this way, personal testimonies build a web, or community of believers based on the personal testimonies of believers. This community of believers is largely held together by the workings of the Spirit in their hearts. Personal testimonies are the best way to show that you have gained knowledge, through the Spirit, of Jesus Christ. The sharing of testimony has the unique ability to shape and influence the testimony of others. Personal testimony can be more powerful that critical study of scripture and more formal preaching because of the intimate nature of personal knowledge gained through the Spirit of God. Personal testimonies are shared in intimate and informal settings; they have the ability to mold the character of a community one person at a time. Personal testimonies meld together into a sort of communal testimony that enlightens, inspires and guides the entire community. The hallmark of a Christian is the living of a Christian life. This is a statement that has been disputed by many over the years. The real test of Christians is whether the light of Christ is seen in their countenances and in the deed of their everyday life. A misunderstanding of doctrine leads some Christians to believe that once they are saved, then all is done. This runs counter to many of the teachings of Christ and the apostles. We are told to be more than hearer’s of the word. We must always be doers. Many Christians for fear that one will think they can work their way into heaven downplay this thought. It is clear that this is not possible. Christ is the only source of salvation, and his salvation is enough for all to partake. But this salvation does not remove the responsibility for Christians to live a godly life, emulating the Savior himself. The necessity for a Christ centered life full of His goodness is manifest several ways. One reason we must live a godly life is to set a good example for those around us that are not believers. If Christians are to have influence in the community at large, then they must live the teachings of Him we call Savior. If a person that has not known the goodness of Christ sees a person that claims Salvation acting in a manner that is untoward or reprehensible, then the investigator of the Gospel will see nothing more than hypocrisy on the part of the believer. We all know that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but there are certain standards of conduct that are expected of all in a community. When a supposed believer acts against the good will of the community and excuses their conduct by claiming salvation, then a very poor example of Christianity has been set and the Christian will be held accountable for this at the last day. Surely their salvation is intact, but their folly will not be overlooked at the judgment bar. Another reason the Christian needs to live a Christ centered life is because Jesus instructed us to do this. He understood more than anyone the soul-destroying influences the world would have on the family and communities. Conduct as a Christian strengthens the family and the community. By adhering to standards of conduct as set forth in the gospel, Christians strengthen the foundations of society. My local church can demonstrate God’s love to my local community by breaking down some barriers that spear to have grown up between affluent and poor members of the community. The economic hardships that have befallen our country have not been equally distributed in my community. Some members seem to be doing better than ever. They are still able to take vacations, buy larger houses and send their kids to caps in the summer. Other members of the community are losing their cars, their homes and their hope. I think that my church needs to help bridge the growing gap between the rich and poor by offering activities that cater to the needs of both groups. My church could plan a series of fun events for families that focus on unity and spiritual growth within the community. This could be presented as entertaining plays, sporting events and workshops. The activities would be free of charge so cost would not be prohibitive for poor families. By bringing the affluent and poor families together in a series of events designed to foster friendship and understanding, I feel that my church could help our community see that as children of God, our income level, type of car and size of house are not important. The real barrier that needs broken down is the amount of distrust that is growing between rich and poor. By helping the community see that rich and poor, black and white, male and female all need Jesus Christ to be Savior if they are to be happy in this live and in the next world. I believe that breaking down these barriers would allow my community to feel of God’s love more fully. Read More