Being a Witness to God

At an accident scene, an eye-witness is crucial — they reveal the truth about what really happened. The same goes for a crime; without a witness, truth stays hidden. We understand that in everyday life. But what about when God calls us to be His witnesses? What does that mean — and how do we live it out?

Jesus said to His disciples:

[Acts 1:8 NIV] 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

That call wasn’t just for the twelve — it’s for everyone who follows Christ today.

A witness for God isn’t someone who merely talks about faith; it’s someone whose life reveals the character of Jesus. In a world full of empty words and broken promises, followers of Jesus are meant to show the faithfulness of God — through love, obedience, endurance, and truth.

When we live like Jesus lived, love like He loved, and endure like He endured, our lives become living proof that the risen Christ is real.

In this reflection from Hebrews 10:23–39, we’ll explore nine key marks of a true witness for Christ — nine ways our everyday life can echo His presence to the world.

1.        Hold Firm to the Faith

[Hebrews 10:23 NIV] 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

Holding firm to faith is the foundation of being a witness for Jesus. It starts with a personal confession: “Jesus is Lord.”This is more than a statement of belief — it is a declaration that we belong to Him, that our lives are surrendered to His authority, and that His promises guide our choices and actions.

Why holding firm matters:

• Faith protects us from falling: Life is full of distractions, temptations, and trials. When we cling to the hope we have in Christ, God keeps us from falling into the traps of worldly sin and the patterns that pull us away from Him.

• Faith shows God’s faithfulness: Our commitment is a living testimony to the world. When we hold on during challenges, it reflects that God is trustworthy, even when circumstances seem uncertain.

• Faith strengthens perseverance: Trials are inevitable, but a firm faith equips us to endure. Holding firm doesn’t mean we won’t stumble — it means that even if we do, we rise again, relying on God’s promise.

2.        Stir One Another to Love and Good Works

[Hebrews 10:24 NIV] 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,

Our ability to love and do good flows from an inner transformation that began with the new covenant written on our hearts:

[Hebrews 10:16-17 NIV] 16 "This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds." 17 Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more."

• The Holy Spirit within us transforms our nature from the inside out.

• When we are baptized into the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are clothed with Christ [Galatians 3:27 NIV] 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. Though we appear the same outwardly, there is an invisible covering of Christ over every believer — His righteousness and His life surround us.

• This life of Christ within us enables us to encourage and inspire one another toward love and good deeds.

• True transformation begins when we obey God’s Word, allowing His Spirit to shape our thoughts and actions so that our outer life reflects our inner renewal.

• Our acts of love and kindness become visible evidence — the outward witness of an inward change.

To be a witness to God here means to mirror the love of Jesus through your actions, letting the world see what His compassion, humility, and goodness look like through you.

3.        Fellowship of Believers

[Hebrews 10:25 NIV] 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Fellowship is the lifeline of faith. When believers gather in the name of Christ, something powerful happens — our faith is strengthened, and His presence fills the community.

Within true fellowship, we:

• Encourage one another by sharing testimonies of what God has done — every story strengthens someone else’s faith.

• Pray together, inviting God’s presence and power. The Spirit of intercession moves among us, teaching us to pray not only for our needs but for others — and to see the world through God’s compassionate eyes.

• Support the weak and uplift the weary, carrying each other’s burdens and developing a heart for the lost.

The witness of the Church is strongest when believers stand united. Love, prayer, and encouragement become the visible marks of Christ within a community that truly lives as His body.

4.        Keep Away from Deliberate Sin

[Hebrews 10:26-29 NIV] 26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?

“If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left.” — Hebrews 10:26

Sin can appear in two ways:

• Unintentional sin — the daily failures we bring before God in repentance, cleansed continually through Christ’s intercession.

• Deliberate sin — a wilful choice to disobey even after knowing the truth. This kind of sin hardens the heart and shows contempt for God’s grace.

When a believer knowingly continues in sin, Scripture says he tramples the Son of God underfoot (Verse 29), treating the blood of the covenant as something common and insulting the Spirit of grace.

To be a true witness for God means to live with integrity — the same in private as in public — walking in holiness, not in hypocrisy. Our consistency in purity and obedience testifies that Christ truly reigns within us.

5.        Remember God’s Dealings

[Hebrews 10:28-29 NIV] 28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?

Throughout Scripture, God’s dealings with His people reveal His righteous and consistent judgment.

• He rescued Israel from the bondage of Pharaoh and led them toward the Promised Land, yet when they later rejected His law and turned from Him, He disciplined them (Nehemiah 9:21–27).

• Even King Solomon, who was blessed with divine wisdom to build God’s temple, fell when his heart turned toward other gods — and God disciplined him as well (1 Kings 11).

•  God does not show favouritism; His justice remains the same through all generations.

•  If those who rejected the law (old testament people) faced judgment, how much more accountable are we, who have received the fullness of grace through His Son, Jesus Christ?

To be a witness for God means to honour His grace — to live in a way worthy of the sacrifice that sanctified us, showing through our obedience that His grace was not in vain.

6.        Leave Judgment to God

[Hebrews 10:30-31 NIV] 30 For we know him who said, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," and again, "The Lord will judge his people." 31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Judgment belongs to God alone. As humans, we have neither the power nor the authority to judge others.

So how should we respond when the world wrongs us or tries to take advantage of us?

• Submit your struggles to God: Bring every unjust situation before Him and pray, “Father, help me through this. Fight this battle on my behalf.”

• Wait for God to act: He fights righteously and in His perfect timing, so our role is to trust and wait patiently.

• Avoid taking vengeance: When we judge or seek revenge, we step into God’s role, acting as if we were the ultimate judge. Remember, we are mere mortals still subject to sin.

Jesus Himself makes this clear:

[John 5:21-22 NIV] 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. 22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son,

Our calling is simple but profound: do good, even to those who wrong you, and leave justice in God’s hands. Living this way is itself a powerful testimony — a witness to His justice, mercy, and grace.

7.         Endure Suffering with Faith

[Hebrews 10:32-34 NIV] 32 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34 You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.

The Christian walk is not a smooth sail. As believers, we will face challenges and struggles — often spiritual strugglesthat are deeper than those of the world. This is exactly what Jesus warned us about:

[John 15:18-20 NIV] 18 "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.

Suffering is not a sign that God has abandoned us; it is a testimony of genuine faith.

• Paul endured brutal hardships for Christ (2 Corinthians 11:23–31) and called them joyful, because God’s glory was revealed through his suffering.

• Trials strengthen faith and maturity in Christ, shaping us into vessels fit for His purpose.

• These sufferings are temporary, but the endurance we develop is rewarded eternally.

• Think of it like training in a gym: the struggle is painful, but it produces strength, endurance, and lasting results.

To be a witness for God means to bear trials with faith and joy, showing the world that our hope rests not in circumstances, but in the risen Christ.

8.        Persevere in Doing God’s Will

[Hebrews 10:36 NIV] 36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

Doing God’s will requires patience, endurance, and unwavering faith.

• Following God is not always easy; sometimes it takes years of effort, prayer, and waiting before we see results.

• Perseverance means staying committed, even when progress seems slow or obstacles appear.

• It’s about finishing the race God has set before you, trusting that every sacrifice and every act of obedience will bear fruit in His perfect timing.

• God does not leave us to navigate life alone. He has given the Holy Spirit as our Advocate — guiding, teaching, correcting, and empowering us to walk in His unique will for our lives.

[John 14:15-18 NIV] 15 "If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever-- 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

To be a witness for God is to persevere faithfully, showing through your steadfastness that His promises are true and His timing is perfect.

9.        Grow in Faith, Don’t Shrink Back

[Hebrews 10:38-39 NIV] 38 And, "But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back." 39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.

God calls believers to continual growth in faith, not retreat or complacency.

• Shrinking back or giving up shows a lack of trust in God’s promises.

• True witnesses press forward in faith, relying on God for strength and guidance. Abhram / Sarah was a great example of this, they in their old ages trusted God to give them a baby and he delivered them as he promised and we are his testimony,

• Growth in faith is both a personal journey and a public testimony, showing others that a life surrendered to Christ produces endurance, hope, and spiritual fruit.

Being a witness for God means to increase in faith, standing firm through trials, actively living out obedience, and reflecting the reality of Christ’s life within you.

Summary

We are called to be witnesses of Jesus Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8).

Hebrews 10:23–39 shows us what it means to live as a faithful witness. To reflect Christ in the world, we are called to:

1. Hold firmly to faith

2. Stir others to love and good works

3. Engage in fellowship

4. Avoid deliberate sin

5. Remember God’s dealings

6. Leave judgment to God

7. Endure suffering with faith

8. Persevere in doing God’s will

9. Grow continually in faith

It may seem overwhelming, but being a witness does not depend on your strength. It begins small — through obedience, prayer, and reliance on Christ. By His power and for His glory, He enables you to be His living testimony. Trust in His mercy and grace; He equips ordinary people to impact the world.

Witnessing in Four Circles [Acts 1:8 NIV] 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

1. Local – Jerusalem: Start with family, church, workplace, neighbourhood.

2. Regional – Judea: Expand to nearby cities and communities.

3. Cross-Cultural – Samaria: Reach those culturally or socially distant.

4. Global – Ends of the Earth: Participate in God’s mission worldwide.

Being a witness is a lifetime journey. It starts with small steps of faith, love, and obedience, and grows into a powerful testimony that points the world to Jesus. With His Spirit, your life can reflect Christ to every circle around you — near and far.