At Lifechurch.tv, Christine Caine recently said, “The Holy Spirit came to give us the power to be witnesses, not to do witnessing. And so we need a generation of Christians that understand it’s not about standing on a street corner to do witnessing, but to be witnesses on the earth. To bring salt and light in the midst of our darkness. That’s what God has called us to do.”
So, according to Christine, we’re not to go preach the Gospel, we are to just exist as Christians in the world; and not to judge or call out sin. Rather, we just need to bring salt and light.
Well, I guess Peter and the rest of the Apostles did it wrong when they were filled with the Holy Spirit and went into Jerusalem during a festival, preaching the Gospel and telling the people to repent of their sins:
“When the people heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the Holy Spirit.’” (Acts 2:37-38)
“And with many other words, he bore witness to them saying, ‘Save yourselves from this crooked generation!’” (Acts 2:40)
And Paul did it wrong when he went to the Areopagus and told the Greeks not to be ignorant, but to repent of their sins because Jesus would soon return to judge the world.
“The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent, because He has fixed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom He has appointed, and of this He has given assurance to all by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31)
Then, Paul went to Corinth and tried to preach to the Jews, but they wouldn’t listen to him…
“And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, ‘Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on, I will go to the Gentiles.’” (Acts 18:6)
And Jesus did it wrong when in the same public sermon He preached about being salt and light, He said:
“You therefore must be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)
Then Jesus went on to say:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven… Many will say to me, ‘Lord, didn’t we do many mighty works in your name?’ And I will say to them ‘I never knew you. Depart from me you workers of lawlessness.’” (Matthew 7:21-23)
Or, maybe Christine Caine is wrong, and we should wage the good warfare, lest by rejecting it we make a shipwreck of our faith.
“Wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith.” (1 Timothy 1:18-19)
Being witnesses means that we speak the truth and expose lies.
“Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness but rather expose them.” (Ephesians 5:11)
Being salt and light means that we hold out the Word of God and expose sin.
“Be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life…” (Philippians 2:15-16)
Don’t listen to anyone who tells you to just “be” and not “do”.
They’re liars.
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