I’ve listened to a lot of personal testimonies from Christians and I’ve noticed a very trend that I find quite disheartening. Let me just get this out of the way up front: I don’t think that a person’s changed life is either evidence that Christianity is true and further, I think often we Christians are, in giving our personal testimonies (the way we normally give them), professing something other than the Gospel.
That I have a conviction about my faith isn’t evidence that it’s true, and that I may or not behave better because of my faith is not either. At best, this argues for pluralism, for any of us that’s talked with their local LDS missionaries knows, each one has a testimony, and often quite sincere and heartfelt. What’s more, the LDS missionaries seem much more committed to their faith, at least in the willingness to evangelize and make personal sacrifices than a lot of evangelical Christendom. If we’re going to compare personal right-living, a lot of us are going to lose that fight.
But this isn’t the worst of it. The worst of it is that our testimony to unbelievers is often this:
I used to live like garbage. I used to ____, _____, _____, and especially _______. Now I do not. Sure, Im not perfect, but I am better and happier than I was back then. And you can have this, too!
But again, lots of religions offer this changed life. Even worse though, is that this is not what someone should become a Christian. Happiness, contentment, etcetera, are not reasons to convert to Christianity. Despite what the 700 club might had you believe, genuine conviction often (not always, but often) makes one’s life harder, it makes it worse, it makes it less happy.
You do realize we have a whole book dedicated to lamenting, right? This whole, “Hey, it’s worked for me, it can work for you too!” is nothing better than the pop-wanna-be “Your best smile now” Christianity. Frankly, it’s a lie. It won’t work for some people.
The only reason to become a Christian is because it’s true, because Jesus really did rise from the dead, leaving behind him an empty tomb, taking on himself the punishment due others that they might have life. It’s not about us.
Rob..I dealt with this in my apologetics class.They just didnt get it!I said we do need to contend for the faith and the prof said well we have our testimony as the ultimate proof and im like what!!that is a subjective experience no matter how valid it is to the individual..many claim to have multiple experiences and they claim are valid.I think many in the church pews have this frame of mind(it works for me)type of attitude.God please raise apologist who wish to contend and give a defense of your truth.