All Believers Are Witnesses of Christ
Everybody who is aware of Christ experientially has a calling and keenness to make him recognized. Christian believers need to testify to everybody all over the place “that which now we have heard” and “have seen” and have skilled for themselves to be true about Christ (1 John 1:1). Christian witness is the identification and calling of the church. The risen Christ commissioned his individuals to be his witnesses (Acts 1:8; cf. Isa. 43:8–13), and the apostle Peter described public witness as a vital process of the church (2 Pet. 2:9–12; cf. Ex. 19:5–6). Moreover, the next two essential Reformed doctrines give us a biblically trustworthy framework to elucidate the identification and calling of all believers as Christ’s witnesses.
The Priesthood of All Believers
The Protestant Reformers taught that every one believers in Christ have obtained a holy calling and all share in his priestly standing. As Calvin wrote, Christ is the right workplace bearer and he “additionally admits us into this most honorable alliance.” The risen Christ makes all believers “a kingdom, clergymen to his God and Father” (Rev. 1:6). Certainly, God’s individuals have all the time been “a kingdom of clergymen” among the many nations (Ex. 19:6), and his church continues to be “a selected race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation” that declares, shows, and defends his gospel mild “among the many Gentiles” (1 Pet. 2:9–12). This doctrine just isn’t a license for the unconventional individualism of believers, now frequent inside some expressions of Western Christianity. But this Reformed doctrine stays foundational for understanding the official non secular operate of all believers as witnesses of Christ to everybody all over the place.
You Will Be My Witnesses examines the witness of God’s individuals throughout the story of God’s mission, attracts insights from the church’s witness since Pentecost, and displays on sensible features of latest Christian witness.
The Three-Fold Workplace of Christ
A second doctrine describes Christ’s three-fold workplace as Prophet, Priest, and King. The European Reformers, following Eusebius and different early church leaders, used this framework to elucidate Christ’s work and ongoing ministry. The Heidelberg Catechism provides us a basic assertion of this instructing:
Query 31: Why is he known as “Christ,” that means “anointed”?
Reply: As a result of he has been ordained by God the Father and has been anointed with the Holy Spirit to be our chief prophet and trainer . . . our solely excessive priest . . . and our everlasting king . . . .”
Christ’s mediatorial ministry as Prophet, Priest, and King is central to Scripture and our religion. His three-fold ministry was anticipated and foreshadowed within the Previous Testomony. This ministry was completely carried out on earth in his state of humiliation. Now in his state of exaltation, Christ’s three-fold ministry continues globally, by means of his phrase and Spirit, not solely inside every believer spiritually and individually but additionally publicly and corporately by means of the witness of all believers on this planet.
Why Are You Referred to as a Christian?
The subsequent query of the Heidelberg Catechism takes us additional, personally making use of these doctrines to every believer.
Query 32: However why are you known as a Christian?
Reply: As a result of by religion I’m a member of Christ and so I share in his anointing. I’m anointed to admit his title [prophet], to current myself to him as a dwelling sacrifice of thanks [priest], to try with a free conscience in opposition to sin and the satan on this life, and afterward to reign with Christ over all creation for eternity [king].
This reply overflows with valuable and profound truths, synergistically increasing upon one another! Non secular union in Christ: by religion, all believers are made a “member of Christ” and “have fellowship with him in his graces, sufferings, loss of life, resurrection, and glory” (WCF 26.1). Non secular unction by Christ’s Spirit: all believers “share in his anointing” (cf. 1 John 2:20, 27). As Christ was anointed by the Spirit for ministry, so additionally all believers in Christ are indwelled and empowered by the Spirit to be witnesses of Christ on this planet (Acts 1:8). Non secular operate with Christ: all believers are commissioned to observe in his three-fold workplace. In Christ, all believers take part in his priesthood, as God’s kingdom of clergymen amongst all nations. The church additionally serves prophetically as Spirit-filled witnesses who declare his glory and “confess his title” publicly, and as Spirit-led kingdom-seekers who struggle “in opposition to sin and the satan” on this world.
The Workplace of Christian Witness
All believers collectively, as Christ’s church on earth, have been appointed and anointed to proceed Christ’s ongoing international ministry by serving inside this world as his prophets, clergymen, and kings. This three-fold workplace is greater than merely the non-public spirituality of believers or the inward-facing ministries of the church. It consists of the outward-facing ministry of the church. Along with the Holy Spirit, the church is God’s official agent inside society, commissioned to bear witness to gospel reality everywhere (John 15:26–27; Acts 5:32). Christian witness, because the identification and calling of all believers, is a private software flowing from these two doctrines: the priesthood of all believers and the three-fold workplace of Christ. Moreover, these essential Reformed doctrines give us the framework for a sensible software of those truths.
In Christ, all believers take part in his priesthood, as God’s kingdom of clergymen amongst all nations.
A Holy Firm of Prophets
The church is appointed and anointed to be a prophetic witness to everybody all over the place. We don’t want new revelations, since God’s last phrase has already been spoken and the inspiration of Scripture has ceased (Heb. 1:2; Rev. 22:18–19). But God’s individuals are nonetheless at occasions stuffed together with his Spirit to talk his phrase with readability and boldness (Acts 4:29–31). Just like the Previous Testomony prophets, we declare God’s glory among the many nations and defend God’s reality amongst rebellious peoples, “whether or not they hear or refuse to listen to” (Ezek. 2:1–8). Just like the New Testomony apostles, we proclaim the gospel to all nations, empowered by Christ’s Spirit to make disciples and plant his church in every space (Luke 24:47; Acts 14:22–23). Just like the lengthy line of trustworthy martyrs, we’re prepared to undergo and even to die for the reason for public gospel proclamation.
A Holy Neighborhood of Clergymen
The church is appointed and anointed to be a priestly blessing amongst all nations (Gen. 12:3; Gal. 3:8). We’re known as to be a showcase neighborhood, dwelling throughout the world whereas being stored holy and separate from sinful society, to be able to be a contextualized countercultural witness of gospel blessing to all peoples in every neighborhood. All believers are invited to consecrate themselves “as a dwelling sacrifice” that’s devoted to “the priestly service of the gospel” (Rom. 12:1; 15:16). As Christ’s kingdom of clergymen in the present day, the church is empowered by Christ’s Spirit to be a public demonstration of God’s love, forgiveness, reconciliation, and peace to all individuals. The church gives “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings” for all individuals (1 Tim. 2:1–8). The church shows Christ’s tender compassion to everybody, not solely to show the genuineness of the Christian religion, but additionally as additional affirmation of the gospel’s authenticity (Mark 16:20). The church imitates God’s goodness and demonstrates his grace inside all societies in order that the world may reward God after they see the church’s good deeds (1 Pet. 2:12, 15).
A Holy Lineage of Princes
The church is appointed and anointed to be the kingly authority of Christ inside this rebellious world. Not but, nonetheless, will we reign with Christ in glory. For now, the church’s regal presence on this planet is finest described as that of a prince or princess. By religion, we confess our non secular lineage, though our true identification just isn’t but totally realized nor acknowledged by the deluded world by which we dwell. We’re princes and princesses in Christ’s kingdom, however presently we dwell in a world that rages in opposition to God and his anointed one. Scripture typically describes God’s individuals as a minority group in a hostile setting; they’re sojourners and foreigners (1 Pet. 2:11) who, just like the Apostle Paul, should bear witness to Christ from positions of sociocultural weak point.
On this context, the church engages in non secular warfare, each by preventing in opposition to inner “passions of the flesh” and by apologetically refuting “arguments and each lofty opinion raised in opposition to the data of God” (1 Pet. 2:11; 2 Cor. 10:5). On this setting, the church serves as “ambassadors for Christ,” pleading with sinners “on behalf of Christ” to be reconciled with God (2 Cor. 5:20). Regardless of opposition, the church pronounces a message of everlasting hope in a dying world, dwelling with the expectation of a greater nation (Heb. 11:10, 13–16) whereas looking for the welfare of the society by which, by God’s windfall, they’re positioned (Jer. 29:4–7; Matt. 6:33).
We All Are Witnesses of Christ
All believers share on this three-fold workplace of Christian witness. This operate just isn’t restricted to a particular class of individuals within the church. There are, after all, those that have a particular calling to function missionaries, evangelists, church planters, apologists, or in associated vocations. However each believer, in non secular union with Christ, has been appointed to be a gospel witness. Each believer, indwelled by the Spirit of Christ, is being anointed with presents and graces to be able to serve, along with the entire church, as Christ’s prophets, clergymen, and princes on this planet in the present day. Bearing witness to Christ on this approach is the identification and calling of all believers. All of us have the profound privilege and duty to share in Christ’s three-fold ministry of Christian witness.
Brian A. DeVries is the writer of You Will Be My Witnesses: Theology for God’s Church Serving in God’s Mission.
