In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talked about the difficulty of following him. “Enter by the narrow gate,” he said, “for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
I’ve been a Christian for about 10 years, and last week I witnessed to a stranger, unsolicited, for the first time. The first time. I’ve explained to people what I believe and why I believe it when they’ve asked, but I’ve never initiated such a conversation.
I was talking to a man (an agnostic) at the Blog World Expo, and the conversation turned to religious beliefs. We talked about sin and judgment and forgiveness and salvation. To understand what he believed about these things, I asked a series of questions, listened to his answers, and explained what the Bible teaches. What bothered him about Christianity is its exclusivity.
“I am the way, the truth, and the life,” Jesus said. “No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)
“I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” (John 10:9)
We live in a country where it’s considered bad form to make statements about good and evil, and to declare a such thing as absolute truth. To make a judgment about what’s right or wrong is becoming taboo. Some are offended when we say Christ is the only way. “There are many roads to God. How can you say people of other religions are going to hell if they don’t follow your God?”
Actually, people are “going to hell” because they murdered or raped or lied, but the point is that Christ made these claims, and you can either believe him or not. There is no in-between. All this nonsense about Jesus being a great man or a good teacher is just that. Christ was exceedingly clear, and his statements were very simple. He spoke of two gates: wide and narrow. There’s no middle gate through which to walk. You can refuse his offer of forgiveness and face God’s wrath, or accept Christ, turn away from your sins, submit to him, and avoid his wrath.
Even Christians find this difficult to do. Repenting and submitting are constant themes in the life of a believer growing in grace, and Christ never said it would be easy. We live in fallen and corrupt bodies in a fallen and corrupt world. Though we want to be obedient and do what’s right, we sometimes fail. But we are filled with a Spirit who helps us understand biblical truths and empowers us to live a life that serves as a testimony to God’s grace.
That simple truth can and should give us strength to keep our faith and focus as we continue on this Christian walk. God knows some days are harder than others, but Christ said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
A ministry that played a huge part in my decision to witness that day is The Way of the Master. Actor Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort developed a ministry of “street evangelism,” using techniques that appeal to a person’s awareness of Moral Law. I highly recommend you listen to Way of the Master Radio if you’ve never witnessed to a stranger. If you have, I recommend it anyway. 
My first unsolicited witnessing encounter was positive, I think, because the person I witnessed to was receptive. I’ve been praying for him. I hope I planted a seed. I pray for myself: for the courage to make witnessing a habit and not an aberration.
(For unbelievers who think this post is a bunch of bunk, misguided drivel, etc., I understand. I used to feel the same way. In fact, I mocked Christians. I can present “rational” reasons why I changed, but I am unable to articulate the radical transformation process. I pray that one day you can say the same.)
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