Principle: The Timbre of the Testimony

Introduction: One of my enduring favorite passages of Scripture is Paul’s conclusion to his last epistle. Paul is about to go to his death. He is writing to a man he has mentored for years. He’s telling and showing him that the Christian’s life is a battle, yes, but it is to be waged God’s way. In other words, the tone/timbre/fragrance of the Christian’s walk is to honor Christ.

Consider the opposite behavior, where it’s just rancor and screaming and childishness. This morning, for example, I read the news of how one of the great actors (in my opinion), Robet De Niro, continues to embarrass himself and those whose values align with his. It seems any effort to persuade people of one’s views via rational discourse, logic, and cool heads is off the table for some. They cannot control their emotions, and the fallout is both laughable and sad.

The Alternative: But just listen to how Christianity and the timbre of the Christian’s testimony completely differs from the childishness you see in the world:

11 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, 14 to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen (1 Timothy 6:11-16, ESV).

Encouragement & Application: As the culture continues its descent into paganism and cruelty, this is where the metaphors of salt and light of the Christian faith should be most evident. Things are being shaken up in order that the things that cannot be shaken remain, you see (Hebrews 12:28). Just when the world system thinks they’ve shut out the Light, vanquished the Faithful and True, He walks out of the grave three days later and says to Doubting Thomas and to all who will hear: “Do not disbelieve, but believe” (John 20:27). May we be like Timothy, like Paul, like the great cloud of witnesses through the true church’s history by living out a testimony with the timbre of redeeming grace.