Boldly Proclaiming Jesus: Choosing to Be Outsiders with Christ

When my friend, a Muslim convert to Christianity, told me that he might be killed for his faith when he returned to his homeland in Tunisia, tears filled my eyes. He had only been a believer for a year, and already he faced the threat of persecution and death. But he knew something that we in the Western world often forget: Jesus is worth living for, even if it means proving that he is worth dying for.

In America, we have our own version of the insider movement. But instead of facing persecution and danger, our insider movement is characterized by a fear of man and a reluctance to speak openly about our faith. We are more concerned with being politically correct and avoiding offense than with proclaiming the name of Jesus. We have become insiders of the world, instead of outsiders with Christ.

But this is not how true Christianity is meant to be. Charles Spurgeon once said, "I think there is scarcely a Christian man or woman that has been able to go all the way to heaven and yet quietly hide himself and run from bush to bush, creeping into Glory." Christianity and cowardice are incompatible.

So why are we so afraid to speak openly about our faith? Why do we shy away from mentioning the name of Jesus? The Bible tells us that those who are insulted for the name of Christ are blessed, yet we fear the disapproval and ridicule of others. We have forgotten that a life of denial forfeits heaven, and that a slave is not above his Master. The world may choose to reject Jesus, but as followers of Christ, we should not expect to win popularity contests.

We must remember that God uses bold speech to rescue souls from hell. We have been given a message of salvation, and it is our responsibility to speak it boldly. Time is short, and people are dying without Christ. Our lives, our days, and our platforms are not our own. We were bought with a price, and we must utilize every opportunity to share the gospel with others.

But how do we find the courage to speak boldly? The answer lies in being with Jesus. When Peter and John were brought before the rulers and elders, they were recognized as uneducated, common men. But they had been with Jesus, and that is where their boldness came from. Conviction does not come from high scholarship or eloquence of speech. True courage comes from being in the presence of a glorious Savior.

So let us not hide our faith in the name of contextualization or political correctness. Let us not be afraid of the disapproval and ridicule of the world. Instead, let us be like my friend in Tunisia, who boldly proclaims his faith despite the threat of persecution and death. Let us be outsiders with Christ, willing to swim through blood into glory.

In conclusion, as Christians, we must remember that Jesus is worth living for, even if it means proving that he is worth dying for. We must not be afraid to speak openly about our faith, even in the face of persecution and ridicule. Our lives are short, and people are dying without Christ. We have a message of salvation to share, and we must speak it boldly. Our courage comes from being with Jesus, and it is through his power that we can be true outsiders with Christ. So let us not settle for being insiders of the world, but let us boldly proclaim the name of Jesus and shine our light before others.