Witnessing: Our Christian Heritage

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A significant portion of the book of Revelation is a prophetic accounting of
the Gospel Age. It indicated the age was going to be a difficult time for the saints. Any doctrine or lifestyle that deviated from the accepted teachings and practices of the Catholic church would often be met with bitter persecution.

During the fifth stage of the Church the saints cried, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” (Revelation 6:10). These saints were told that they should “rest yet for a little season” (verse 11). . In other words, their ordeal would continue for a time. The Gospel Age experiences of the saints must continue until the sin-offering is consummated at the end of the age. It is a privilege to be counted as the “fellow servants” of these Gospel Age saints.

Our spiritual forefathers lived, breathed, and died sharing their religious convictions. It was a part of them that could not be suppressed or trampled underfoot. Today, our lives are different. Our battle is not against a system that has the power to kill us, though it may come to that. Our battle is often with overabundance and lukewarmness. But our lives also should be a witness, without embarrassment or fear of ridicule.

Witnessing should be very personal and a vibrant part of our lives. To counteract the spirit of our day it may prove helpful to find a connection
to our Gospel Age brethren. Studying the lives of some who paid the ultimate price for their faith can inspire us. Many suffered greatly for things we may easily take for granted. In this issue the experiences of a just few voices from
the past 2,000 years are shared. Their voices were not silenced, as we can still hear them proclaiming, “You must witness to the truth!” What a blessed heritage we have been given!

That is the primary message of this issue of The Herald. Witnessing is a privilege we should value highly. We have freedom to speak and abundant resources to share. We owe it to our Lord, and to our Christian brethren from the past, to keep telling the old, old story.

To combat complacency within us, much of this issue is dedicated to testimonies of brethren in “witnessing pairs.” Both the individual who was witnessed to, and those who witnessed, were interviewed for this interesting segment.

Though the numbers coming to the truth may be small in our country, those who respond provide a wonderful insight into the need for continuing the proclamation of the gospel message that we have been privileged to receive.