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Testifying in Christ By Richard Wilson

I've been, in the past, a very great admirer, you know sometimes we need examples of good Christian character
and that's why it's very good to read biographies of great Christian leaders
and one of the great Christian leaders I've always admired greatly is Stonewall Jackson
the southern general of the southern army during the civil war
and in fact they had a lot of Christian generals in that army
and a lot of Christian people that lost their lives in that whole war
and there's been a fantastic presentation of his life in a film that's been produced called God and Generals
and even these secular producers could not hide the piety and the righteous life that this man had exhibited
and they did a very good job of it
so if you want to see a good movie I would recommend this one
God and Generals
and the strong Calvinistic piety that was found in these generals and their wives and their children was displayed in this film
so from what I can see the film was very much a good reflection of his biography that was written by Dabney I think
which was the prevailing theologian of the day
so read that book if you want to check the accuracy of the film that would be a good thing
let us turn to the passage that is before us in Ephesians chapter 4
now I've chosen the title of this message testifying in Christ from the passage that is before us in this word
and this I say therefore and testify in the Lord that you should no longer in verse 17 that is
no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk in the futility of their mind having their understanding darkened
being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them
and then the other because of the blindness of their hearts
and as a result of that their ungodliness or the fact that they have not Christ within them
they then also work that out from their irreligious stance to an unrighteous behaviour
who being past feeling have given themselves over to lewdness
that is, I'll come up to that, to work uncleanness with greediness
but you have not learned Christ if indeed you have heard him and so it proceeds
now in many ways from here we find that there is a beginning of a new section that is before us in these verses
a new section of application of doctrine that was laid down in previous chapters
he now moves from the indicative to the imperative
in other words he lays down a certain precepts, principles, immovable doctrines
that the scriptures lay out in Christ and that every believer should understand these things from the scriptures
this is not given by preachers, it's not something to control congregations with
these are indeed doctrines that are given to us by God alone
that we might be able to understand what truth is and what error is
what is beauty, what is ugliness, what is wisdom, what is foolishness
these doctrines are there in many faceted ways to establish what we are to behave like
it's not a theory, it is something that is to be obeyed
it is something that we are to hold to with our life
our life is to demonstrate these things
and so here it brings me to my first point as we testify in Christ
is that we always practice is always rooted in doctrine
he says quite clearly here that I say therefore and testify in the Lord that you should
walk in the imperative, something we have to obey
we should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles
now I think one of the greatest needs of the church these days
is that we might be more clearly and more definably Christians
that's our greatest need
we shouldn't be doing a whole lot of things to justify ourselves
if we were those that were being Christians
we would be more effective in evangelism
we'd be more effective in our testifying to the community around us
if we were genuine, righteous, holy, altogether good people
in the Lord Jesus Christ, that we were genuinely living out the doctrine of the Scriptures
now this is something that is greatly needed
many people in the Christian church say this is the theory
and then this is my practice
and often the theory may be good biblical theory
but their practice falls very much short of what they are professing
and no wonder the world says really there's no difference between a Christian
and a good non-Christian
there's a big difference between a Christian I hope
and a bad non-Christian
but a good, cultured, sophisticated, well-educated non-Christian
is as good as any Christian
they will say
and sadly I think that's true
sadly I think it's true
and we need to be careful about that
and I need to say that very often
because we have that view
very often we find Christians resorting to non-Christian philosophy
non-Christian counsel
when they know that their doctrine has failed them
now the doctrine has not failed them if it's biblical
what has failed them is their obedience to that doctrine
and if their obedience to the doctrine that they understand
is indeed failing them
it's their doctrine that they have not understood from the Scriptures
has failed them
how often I've heard ministers and pastors
when they have these sort of work overloads
they have nervous breakdowns, they go off to shrinks
rather than to their theology
now if their theology was right
they would then know the practice of that theology
in dealing with their problems that they are facing inwardly
concerning their own personal lives
and I am mystified
in fact we find people go off to the so-called Christian psychologist
now the Christian psychologist has only learnt from universities
what secular psychology is telling them
and they fail to use their theology
to deal with their personal conflicts of problems within
rather than truly understanding their theology
and making sure that their practice is in keeping with them
this is one practical sort of thing that I'm seeing everywhere
very often when we look at things like the state of our nation
very often we find that people are ready to choose
this political position against that political position
and they really are not thinking with a whole world viewpoint
of the doctrines of the founding scripture how the nation is to be governed
and so they choose this political party against that political party
because their theology of state
and the theology of governance of God in the midst of our nation
is completely misunderstood
I cannot believe it that we find that many people who are reformed
in their theology find themselves voting for totally secular parties
that have no interest for a Christian perspective in the governance of our nation
so that's just another example
so you've got one very personal example and one very national example
how our theology must dictate how our practice is to be
I say the same thing about education
I find that people will put their children in state education institutions
for the sake, for no other reason than
well, they've got to learn the ways of the world
they've got to survive in the world as Christians they will say
I can't understand that
because if our theology comes from one source, God
there must be a way in which we are able to say
this is the most godly way I can go at the moment
I know we're not living in an ideal world
I know we're not able to choose a distinctively Christian government
but we should be saying to ourselves
how are we going to see our theology enacted in our practice
and our decision making
for the whole question of education of our children
now I'm actually teaching in a secular school
I'm not suggesting for a moment that the simple choices are easy
but we must take that one principle
our theology must dictate our practice
and only then can we be consistent
only then can the charge of hypocrisy
be not laid at our feet any longer
as we live consistently with biblical doctrine
now we have seen the nature and the purpose
of the body of Christ in previous verses
the church is the body of Christ
and we saw just how that exists
and we find that as we are the body of Christ
whether in a family or whether in a local congregation
or with a fellowship of churches nationally and worldwide
we'll be all testifying to the doctrine of Christ
now as Christians I'm saying not to perform these things out of the flesh
I'm not saying this is what we must do
and therefore let us do it with all our dutiful desires
but we must start with Christ as we continue with Christ
a lot of Christians or people who are professing to be Christians
tend to say well this is the ideal of Christ now try and keep it
instead of becoming those that are a new creature in Christ
so that we're actually unable to perform something only God can do
God works and wills His good pleasure through us
it is God that allows us to walk in the spirit and not in the flesh
it is God that regenerates our hearts
it is God that justifies us
it is God that enables us to be sanctified day by day
it is God that is performing His work
so that we are able to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever
as the old catechism says
now this is the standpoint that as a new creature
we're able to now do a new work
that new work is the doctrine of Christ
that new work is biblical doctrines
we are able to achieve the purposes of God in the here and now
and so he says as we become to grips with this
we are now able to testify in Christ
as we become more like what we should be as Christians
we become more effective in our testimony for Christ
and so here we find that he says
no longer walking as the rest of the Gentiles
in the futility of their mind
having their understanding darkened
being alienated from the life of God
in other words we are called to break
from the ungodly culture of the world
just coming to church does not make you a Christian
and that is a question that we need to get to grips with
the Christian life is something that involves our whole life
whether we are at work we are thinking as Christians
not in the futility of the earthly thinking
not as people alienated from God
but those who are in Christ
who have now the substance and the purposes of God
instilled and woven into our souls
that we are now those who are thinking biblically
in every area of our life
whether it's the way we're going to raise our family
whether we're going to how we come together as unified marriages
whether we are about our workplace
that is not only testifying to Christ
but also ordering the events of our workplace
so that there is a godly outcome
a righteous outcome in all our behaviour
now we need to have a thinking
that is going to be thoroughly biblical
having the substance of godly practice
in our thinking well and truly delineated
and established within our minds
whoever has your mind has your heart
your mind is the go keeper of your life
and we must be tough minded
if we are going to counteract the various philosophies
that are very potent
with a Christ honouring godly manner of living
we are going to have to deal with the many philosophies
that would counteract our position as Christians
and not only that but we have to counteract them
from within inside the church
most churches are filled with worldly philosophies
rather than godly theology and doctrine
I don't think in my theological training
in the years that I was at Melbourne University
that there was one thing that was useful for me
in terms of godly theology
I had to assume it was wrong before I dealt with it
and mostly it was wrong before I even dealt with it
that happens within the theological colleges
what happens in universities is bizarre
holy lives as saints of god
and that means we have to often say no to our family culture
to our national culture
to all sorts of cultures that really are based on things that are other than biblical
now it's not to me to say that all is
because the influence of the gospel over many generations
has had an enormous effect on our culture in the west particularly
as the pagan culture has also had quite a lot of effects
but we need to be thinking as Christians
right across every facet of life
whether we are motor mechanics or builders
whether we are students at university
we have to ask what is a biblical approach to this particular subject
whether it be education, whether it be design or science
there is a Christian perspective on this
and we need to clearly understand what a Christian position is
a biblical manner of doctrine will require a biblically distinctive culture of behaviour
not just theory but also the implications of those things
shall be worked out in your practical decision making
and developing a manner that is walking contrary to that of those rest of the Gentiles walk
and so Paul is not requiring us to opt for some kind of Jewish culture
which should become hypocritical and condemned by the Lord Jesus Christ himself
but he says beware the leaven of the Pharisees
but he did say if you did what they said then you'd be a lot better off
in other words much of their theology was correct but their practice was totally wrong
and therefore he called them hypocrites
two faced people that said one thing and did another
required from others to do one thing but do another
and so they were to be ones that would have a genuine biblically based Christian counterculture
to that of the prevailing general system
and then we will testify of God of the scriptures against the ungodly culture of the day
now this here we find that testifying against the emptiness of a Christless life
the futility of their minds we are to testify against the futility of their minds
now it's not to say that these people are not some kind of airheads
that have no substance to their thinking
they have got incredible substance to their thinking if you deal with them
and understand what they are thinking about
but the thing they're doing is they're leaving Christ out of it
they're leaving God out of the central focus of all knowledge and wisdom
they are those that are not walking according to the wisdom of Christ
but they are walking according to the wisdom of the world
and so they are constructing their world and life views
from a perspective that leaves Christ totally out of it
he is merely a historical figure that may have been good or bad we don't know
but he is irrelevant
now that is what we've got to encounter
and as we encounter that we must see that it is predictable that the unregenerate mind
will have to by logical consent be required to leave Christ out
for after all he is one who is darkened in his understanding
they keep on learning but never come to the knowledge of the truth
said the apostle in another place
they are those who are mass knowledge but fail to put it together
in a godly manner
and as we encounter people and ask them why do you believe these things
then we will be able to say you have left Christ out of this
the very central person this is the explanation of all these things
and yet you are seeking to give purpose and meaning by your own wisdom
rather than allowing Christ to give that purpose and meaning
and as we do so it is amazing how people's minds will be shed upon a light
that they have never experienced before
and I see this as one of the most useful tools in the work of evangelism
and testifying to Christ
as you reveal the folly and the emptiness of their mind
in terms of leaving the creator out of the creature
in other words we will be able to say that they cannot grip and take hold of hope
if they have not got a person that is the giver of all knowledge
have him in perspective
they cannot live by faith
if they do not know the person of all knowledge and wisdom
because they have nothing to follow except themselves
and so the old saying that he is led by the nose is true
not only that but he at his very best is led by duty rather than by love of God
duty to the courts
but a Christian who is regenerate has a completely different motive
he loves God
and the love of God is shed abroad in his heart
and there is only one reason why he must obey
is because he loves God
he goes on and says their understanding is darkened
but in the end the reason why their understanding is darkened
and you reveal that to them
you begin to realize that they are actually alienated from God
they are separated from God
and really any non-Christian any person that is outside Christ is an atheist
he is without God
A means without
theist means God
so in the truth of the matter anybody who is unregenerate is an atheist
and his real cause is that basically he has no perspective of the reality of God
now if we are to continue to testify in Christ
this ungodliness
this kind of
irreligion that exists in every unregenerate person
it's not the meaning that they haven't got religion
they have got a lot of religion in fact they over veneer their whole lives with a religious tone
they don't know of anybody who is not religious
even Hitler was religious
even Stalin was religious
he had very definite things he was living for
and he was consumed in his own passions
but none the less they were religious
and they would justify themselves by the good works that they have done
as balance to the bad works that they have done
and they would say the cause was alright
but if this ungodliness the suppression of ungodliness amongst them
is found it will manifest in unrighteousness
and that's exactly what it says here
he says that alienated from God because of the ignorance that is within them
because of the blindness of their hearts
who being past feeling have themselves given themselves to lewdness and uncleanness with greediness
now here the reason for this is that the cause of this ungodliness is there of ignorance
now you might say that how can these very intelligent people
who have got degrees that would fill their resumes for ages
how can they be ignorant
they are ignorant in themselves
they are not ignorant of knowledge but they are ignorant in themselves
they have no explanation of why they are doing things
and how they are doing these things for themselves
and this to me is the essence of evangelism
to show people why they are not enjoying the life of God
why they seem to be able to grasp so much
but can't grasp the core of the matter
they can't grasp the peace that should pass all understanding
they can't grasp the joy of the Lord which is their strength
they can't grasp inner peace
and they go to all sorts of lengths to try and find it
in fact their knowledge only gives them a greater burden
but inwardly in themselves they are ignorant of these things
they are without knowledge of true peace, true knowledge, true joy
and they have got all sorts of things in their lives
broken marriages, broken relationships
even though they have got doctorates in philosophy
they may have all sorts of problems
they have got families that are dislocated
they have got all sorts of things that really in their lives they have not really grasped it
and I guess that's how you and I came to know the Lord, did we not?
eventually there are many things we did know
but essentially there is something missing
there is a chasm between me and my creator
and the only way in which I was going to find that
is if I was going to be born again
and I could commune with God one on one
and that's really about as simple as it gets, does it not?
there is an ignorance and there is a blindness in my heart
there is nobody so blind that will not see, you know the old saying
there is a blindness that just cannot see the real thing
and we find that this is a condition of an unregenerate heart
and we know it's there
and we need to say to people and strike at that very issue
as we are testifying in Christ
know that the unregenerate cannot see
and they cannot hear
and as the word of God goes out it will give effectual hearing and effectual sight
it will not be miracles
it will not be anything that we can do
but the word of God as it pierces into the soul of a man
new life will come as we have experienced
if it happens for me it can happen for anybody
and therefore it's hope for anybody
but this is the point, this is the targets
as we testify to Christ these are the kind of targets that we should be shooting for
and uncovering the reality of that person's life without God
and the consequences of that in their life
and the consequences are many
he says this ungodliness always leads to unrighteousness
it's a spiritual law
and when we see unrighteousness it's a consequence, it's really only a symptom
of their godlessness
and when they see that
as the word of God is poured into that reality
then they understand
I am without God
and you never know
they may well repent at that point
see that the wrath of God is against this kind of behaviour
and they will turn
now that's what happened to me, why can it happen to another thousand?
ten thousand? twenty thousand others?
it happened to me
if one person has been resurrected from the dead
it can happen to thousands and even millions
we should not lose hope in this work of evangelism
and as we target these inadequacies
in all those that are unregenerate
it is sure that we'll hit the target
and God will work his own good pleasures
sometimes to their greater callousness
but sometimes to their salvation
and some of the most miserable and worst sinners
the most callous of all
when God works upon them
they dissolve into humble and contrite souls
and I also would say
they are past feeling
they are those that give themselves up to lewdness
that is to base worthless
unchaste stuff that you see on the television every night
the kind of junk that we have to see
is exactly what's happening in mainline, unregenerate lives
and we only have to point these things up
they say they're having fun
but under the underbelly, underneath it
they are desperately unhappy and insecure
and as you point it up
and put your finger on the very things
that really make them squeal
and pour the word of God in on it
you will be amazed at the kind of things
that happen in that person's life
after all our God is sovereign in these things
and the work to work
they work all uncleanness and greediness
the consuming passion of people
is just to get more and more money
and more and more things
and you go and have a look at the people
who have been very successful in getting things
strangely enough
they're not as happy as they thought they would have been
when they would have got everything
they are never satisfied
they are consumed for the next thing and the next thing
I was only looking at the Sydney to Hobart yacht race yesterday
and there was this enormous boat
that somebody had built
to win the Sydney to Hobart yacht race
I'm told he sold his house and everything that was in it
to buy this boat
now he hopes he's going to get a real big whiz bang kick
out of winning this race
I'm sad to say he probably hasn't won it
what a failure that man is
what a stupidity that he has
in investing everything in this prestigious win
he is an arrogant man
I know you say you judged him
how do you know he's not a non-Christian?
I had to look at his practice
what he lives for
he shouldn't be selling today anyway
and he is
so my people
let's testify in Christ in these terms
not only looking at an example in ourselves
that we bear towards those
that are in great and desperate need
they are futile in their thinking
they are without God and darkened in their knowledge
they are those that are consumed in their passions
and they are those that can only look to the symptoms of their ungodliness
and those symptoms are worked out in every area of their life
and they are failures
and they know they are
if only their hearts were not darkened so much
but we know that they are failures
because we can see that that is the very cause of their condition
so let's take more carefully how we testify to Christ
and testify to people who are in this condition
and see that God can perform his work of salvation
as a result of that