Sacred Charge: Seven Commitments – Mike Bickle
Speak Boldly: Being a Faithful Witness Page 5
Speak Boldly: Being a Faithful Witness
I. Jesus is the faithful witness (Rev. 1:5; 3:14)
A. Jesus’ first title in Revelation emphasizes His prophetic teaching as a faithful witness of the truth (Rev. 1:5). He loved the truth and faithfully spoke it without backing down even when it led to His death. Thus, He understands our challenges in being faithful witnesses in the end times.
5 From Jesus Christ the faithful witness… (Rev. 1:5)
B. Jesus was a faithful witness in His earthly ministry and end-time judgments (Rev. 1:5; 3:7, 14; 19:11). John emphasized Jesus as a witness of truth (Jn. 3:11; 5:31-32; 8:13-14; 8:18, 23; 18:37).
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (Jn. 14:6)
C. Jesus did not hold back the negative (rebukes or warnings of judgment) or exaggerate the positive (promises). He spoke without regard to the criticism that He was sure to receive. Most only preach or prophesy positive things to please people so that they do not lose their position, honor, or financial opportunities. Jesus never exaggerates or flatters or rebukes in bitterness.
37 For this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. (Jn. 18:37)
II. we are called to be faithful witnesses of the truth
A. The Lord is calling His people to be faithful witnesses with great allegiance to Jesus’ heart for the Church, Israel, and the nations. Our witness for truth must be clear, bold, fearless, and tender.
B. A witness is a person who speaks what they have seen from firsthand knowledge. A faithful witness implies that they fully speak what they were asked to speak without drawing back in fear.
C. This is the most difficult of the seven commitments in the Sacred Charge because it affects our relationships, image, and identity at a deep level. Brother Yun tells how the unjust criticism and rejection he receives from Christians is more painful than the beatings he endured in prison.
D. In describing his calling, John emphasized his call to give witness to the truth (Rev. 1:2, 9). We receive John’s witness in the book of Revelation because it was canonized in the Scripture. It was a difficult message to give to the Church. It is hard to speak it now, though it is canonized.
E. The saints are to be faithful witnesses as originally proclaimed by Isaiah (Isa. 43:10-12). Examples of faithful witnesses in the book of Revelation are John (Rev. 1:2, 9), the two witnesses (Rev. 11:3-7) and the end-time martyrs (Rev. 6:9; 12:11; 19:10; 20:4).
F. The two great prophets will be witnesses of the truth (Rev. 11:3-10).
3 My two witnesses…will prophesy 1,260 days…7 Now when they finish their testimony, the Beast [Antichrist]…will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. (Rev. 11:3, 7)
G. The end-time martyrs were faithful witnesses of the truth (Rev. 6:9; 12:11, 17; 19:10; 20:4).
11 They overcame him [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death . . . 17 The dragon . . . went to make war with . . . [those] who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus. (Rev. 12:11, 17)
H. To be faithful in our witness of the truth, we must be: 1) Biblical: We must stay within the boundaries of Scripture in all that we say. 2) Clear: We must speak in a straightforward and precise way. 3) Bold: We must not be intimidated by rejection or by false sentimentality. 4) Tender: We must speak without bitterness or anger as we seek the benefit of our enemies. 5) Humble: We must not be motivated by a personal agenda or seek to win an argument.
III. The SEVENfold global witness of THE Kingdom: SEVEN distinct purposes
A. God’s people are to be faithful witnesses in the end times in seven different ways.
14 This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Mt. 24:14)
B. We are to be faithful witnesses in giving a complete witness of the full gospel of the kingdom in every nation. This involves more than preaching the gospel of forgiveness. The full gospel message includes the fact that a King is coming to take over all the kingdoms of the earth. Jesus will replace all the government leaders who resist Him. He will do this by releasing His judgments. We can be involved in His kingdom by receiving forgiveness for our sins as we repent and come under the leadership of the King.
C. #1 Personal salvation: The gospel will be received by people in all the nations of the earth.
9 Behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne…14 I said to him [angel], “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation…” (Rev. 7:9, 14)
D. #2 Exposing lies: The saints are to expose the ideas that deceive and seduce people into error (Mt. 24:4-5, 11, 24; Mk. 13:5-6, 22; Lk. 21:8; 2 Thes. 2:3; 1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Tim. 3:13).
17 Since you know this beforehand, beware lest you fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked… (2 Pet. 3:17)
2 You…tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars. (Rev. 2:2)
E. When Jesus taught on the end times, He warned us to beware of false teachers. He twice emphasized that “many” will respond to them (v. 5, 11) to let us know there will be a great increase of the number of cults and the number of people who join them. False teaching will accelerate (v. 11) as the gospel accelerates in reaching all the nations (v. 14).
4 Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many . . . 11 Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many . . . 14 This gospel . . . will be preached in all the world . . . then the end will come. (Mt. 24:4-14)
F. There is an important tension in being faithful to expose lies. We are to be intentional about cultivating a culture of honor in our midst that emphasizes blessing other ministries without criticizing them. We bless their budding virtues that have not yet matured, regardless of their deficiencies and without needing to agree with their differences in ministry focus and style, etc. We all have many deficiencies. We must expose error with tenderness and tears.
G. The Scripture makes it clear that there are times to bring righteous judgment to ministries with destructive doctrines and behavior (Mt. 18:15-17; 1 Cor. 5:1-11; 2 Cor. 11:12-15; 1 Thes. 5:14, 21; 2 Thes. 3:6-14; Rev. 2:2, 14-15, 20). We must do this in the right way and with a right spirit.
24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment. (Jn. 7:24)
H. I distinguish between heresies that keep someone from receiving salvation, from deceptions that keep someone from enjoying the fullness of fellowship with God and people, and from errors in the secondary issues of the kingdom that keep us from the full understanding of God’s ways. We expose heresy and refuse to fellowship with those who preach heresies, we confront those in deception, and we give grace with patience to those with errors. We all have errors and lack full understanding.
I. #3 Announcing a Prophetic invitation and warning: The saints will be rallied and prepared by the truths that warn the unrighteous of deception and judgment, that they might avoid them and receive mercy. Jesus does everything in perfect justice; He warns the wicked, even if they refuse it.
7 Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His…prophets. (Amos 3:7)
3 When he [the watchman] sees the sword coming . . . if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, 4...
musisza