Bearing witness to Jesus Christ is not just the duty of the family, but also of every believer.  For what Jesus Christ has done for us deserves our gratitude, dedication, and active efforts for Him. 

Therefore, the Christian family is expected to bear witness to Christ Who loved it and shed His blood for it.  We bear witness to Christ, not only because we are grateful to Him for saving, blessing,   and choosing us as His children, but also out of love for humanity  which   needs the Good Savior.  We need to determine the ways the Christian family should follow. 

Bearing witness means demonstrating these divine characteristics while consolidating and deepening them in our Christian lives.  Being positive in one's Christian life is a blessing to oneself and to others, as Solomon said: "the generous soul will be made rich, and he  who  waters  will also be watered himself" (Prov 11:25). 

There are many areas where the family can bear   witness to Christ Who protects and saves it: 

1.  The Area of Personal Holiness
What proves that Jesus works in us is His ability to sanctify us.  Sanctification does not mean "being sinless", but means "freedom from condemnation."  It is impossible for man to be sinless.  As long as we are in our  weak  body,  we  groan  under the same burden as the Apostle did : "O wretched man that I am!  Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Rom 7: 24).  Even we who "have the firstfruits of the Spirit .... groan    within    ourselves,    eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body." (Rom 8: 23).  We may stumble, but we refuse to be enslaved by sin.

Sin that is caused by weakness in spite of struggles and efforts is normal and possible, but sin that    is  caused     by      negligence, carelessness, or rebellion is rejected; such a reckless attitude must be changed.  The first falls and rises and goes on "without condemnation" since "There is therefore not condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according    to     the    flesh,     but according to the Spirit" (Rom 8: 1).  The second, however, falls and continues to do of his own free will and desire and needs a strong inner shaking to arouse his conscience and change his life.

Sanctification  in Hebrew is "kadesh"  and  "agios" in Greek, both meaning "set apart for God"  or "chosen for God", just like tithes are "set apart for God" and the vessels on the altar are "consecrated for service" or the priest of the old covenant used to bear a sign on his forehead saying "Consecrated to the Lord".  Sanctification   means  that  a person sets himself apart form the normal life of the people of the world and consecrates the inner temple of his heart to the Lord.  He struggles to devote all his love to Christ.

This personal holiness, by the grace of God and man's struggles working together, is one of the most important areas of witness for Christ.  People "may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Mt. 5: 16).  What will have an impact is not the servant's untiring efforts, nor his profound knowledge, but his being a model and a demonstration of the work of God, an icon that illustrates the work of the Holy Spirit.

2.  The Area of Family Cohesion
The Christian family in the past was an example that bore witness to Christ and to His love that bound the family members into one body.  When people talked of a  sound and lasting marriage, they called it a "Christian marriage".  What is required of the Christian family nowadays is to witness to the Christ Who is living in them by their love and unity, living together with no problems,   no  disputes,    no  hateful selfishness,     and   no   thought   of divorce.

People nowadays consider divorce quickly, at the first misunderstanding, although divorce is rejected in the New Testament except in cases of adultery or of abandoning the faith.  God said in the Old Testament, under the law, that "He hates divorce" (Mal. 2: 16), so how much more in the age of the Holy Spirit and of our glorious redemption?   People nowadays consider divorce because of childlessness, as though children were a gift of man.  They might consider it because of personality differences which need patience and Christian love, or because of a disease which needs service and sacrifice. None of these reasons spring from the mind of Christ or from the Spirit of God.

The family might be broken up, the children lost and suffering from spiritual or psychological problems, while the partner at fault (and usually both partners are responsible) belives that he or she is doing   nothing   dangerous.    Time passes and the Lord utters His angry words and the one who has a conscience will   sense   that he or she has done what is displeasing to God and only pleasing to himself or herself.

Would that God might speak in our hearts! Would that He might arouse our slumbering consciences! May He unite the torn family for the sake of  faithful witnessing to Christ Whose back was torn by whips for our sakes!  May they be aware of the destruction that results from a passing infatuation or an evil lust.

O Lord, of the Church, grant peace to the torn families and give repentance and   growth   to   the  lost souls.  We commit great crimes against our children, not only in this age, but also in eternity.

3.  The Area of Church Service
 This is the natural area where the family has to witness to its Christ.  They should offer continuous and frequent services in   Church,  serving by giving their tithes generously and not stinting their rightful owner.  This is the secret of blessing!  The family should serve with all its energy and through all its members:

The husband with his gifts as teacher, doctor, engineer, or lawyer, etc.
The wife with her talents in any job or in the tasks that suit her on spiritual days and occasions.  She can prepare meals or clothes and participate in charity bazaars.
The children can serve the altar from a tender age, and when they grow up, they can serve in Sunday School classes, or take part in work camps and different social activities.  The girls can serve in teaching classes, looking after the nursery, or by sewing and knitting, etc.

Serving in the church is a natural thing for every Christian family, for the family  is the basic unit out of which the church is formed.  It is an inseparable part of it and a vital member in it.

Serving  in  the  church makes the sons and daughters living branches in Jesus' vineyard.  They do not go astray from the way of the kingdom, and they achieve a sense of belonging as they offer their activities in God's house.

4.  The Area of Sacrificial Love
This is the deepest and most profound area of witness.  The family comes out of its isolation and turns its attention outward to neighbors, friends, and all citizens in a love that knows   no  fanaticism.   Christ   was never a fanatic to his religion, but fought fanaticism in his disciples.  When a Samaritan village refused to let Jesus in, two of his disciples thought of asking for a fire from heaven to descend on and burn the Samaritans.  The Lord rebuked them saying: "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.   For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them" (Lk. 9: 55, 56).  And in fact, the disciples were changed and ministered everywhere without discriminating  between Jew and Gentile.

Christ wants His children to have open hearts, to spread love, and to serve with a noble and good spirit.  When He was asked by a Pharisee who wished to justify himself: "Who is my neighbor?' , the Lord gave the example of the Good Samaritan who served the injured Jew.  He made clear to him that the one who had compassion on him was his real neighbor and not the one who was of the same race or sect.

Christianity is pervaded by the concept of "love" from its inception to the end of the world, and form the first to the last chapter of the Bible.  It is enough to know that our favorite description of God is  "God is Love".  That is why as soon as hatred enters a human heart, God leaves it.  But when God possesses a heart, He extends its walls so that it loves the whole world without being tainted by its evil.

One of the desert fathers said:  "If  you  shut  yourself  up  in   your chamber to be alone with God and do not find consolation, go down to the street and you  will  find  Christ in the first passerby."

Let us serve with all our love and energy, without expecting a reward, recompense, or praise.  Then we will have praise from God and that is recompense enough.

May God bless our families for the glory of His Name. Amen!

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