What is a Christian testimony?
"At one time you were in the dark. But now you are in the light because of what the Lord has done. Live like children of the light" (Ephesians 5:8).
"I am not ashamed of the good news. It is God’s power. And it will save everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16a).
"But make sure in your hearts that Christ is Lord. Always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks you about the hope you have. Be ready to give the reason for it. But do it gently and with respect" (1 Peter 3:15).
A testimony is a story every believer has that shows others what God has done in his or her life. The Bible says we all fall short of God’s standards (Romans 3:23) and that no one is good enough to get to heaven on their own. So God made a way for people to be saved through the blood of Jesus Christ. He died on the cross as payment for our sins and then rose again three days later.
A testimony is usually the story of when a person was saved—the moment they decided to believe in and follow Jesus. If you have believed in Jesus, you have your own story! Maybe you decided to follow Jesus during Sunday School class, or maybe your mom and dad sat down with you and talked you through it. Whatever it is, it’s your own personal story.
God wants you to share your story with people who don’t know Him so they can hear about the life they can have in Him. A person who is saved should not be ashamed of the gospel (the good news of salvation in Jesus).
Christians can also
be a testimony to others by the way we live our lives. When we are saved, God’s Spirit begins to build special character qualities in us: "But the fruit the Holy Spirit produces is love, joy and peace. It is being patient, kind and good. It is being faithful" (Galatians 5:22). When we obey what God says in the Bible and follow Him daily, it will show to others. They may even ask us what’s different about us, giving us a chance to talk to them about Jesus!
If you don’t have a testimony because you haven’t decided to follow Jesus yet, click here to learn more about that!
