THE TESTIMONY OF CHRIST

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I have a hard time when I go to a website selling some product and they have a list of testimonies all raving about how wonderful this product is and the miracle it did for them. I know testimonies can be fabricated. They are meaningless to me. I want some real hard evidence that there is something to this product. In Christendom as well, we have many giving testimony to some spiritual experience, or some vision of Heaven or Hell, or some special word from God supposedly that we all are just supposed to believe and not question. What is the evidence that such is true? Just because they claim it is?

He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. (John 3:31-36)

If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, (John 5:31-37)

We have a sure testimony from Heaven itself, a sure Word that is God's own testimony to mankind. We are so quick to believe the testimony of man without so much as a critical thought to examine it at times, yet we have doubts over the testimony of God Himself. Peter tells us of the sure testimony of Christ, that it cannot be "interpreted" of man as he chooses, but it is of God Himself. We must learn it of Him.

For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased," we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:16-21)

If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:9-13)

It's by believing His testimony alone that we receive anything from God. We run to this man or that man or woman, receiving their testimony about God or their experiences but we don't value the clear testimony of Jesus Christ Himself through His written Word to us. How shameful. How sad. Men depart from Christianity because of false testimonies about it, and about God. Men misrepresent His testimony of who He is, and distort His character turning many away from Him. How very sad that we don't go directly to His testimony about Himself, and all that He has to say to us of the wonderful gift of salvation, grace to live, and eternal life and joy in store for us. Instead we let men give their own testimony about Him, never checking out what they say for ourselves. Is it any wonder these who raise themselves up above the body of Christ because of supposed heavenly visions or special revelations disregard His Word and stir the church away from it, even calling love for the true testimony of Jesus Christ "bibliolatry?" Yet they receive idol worship of themselves and their word from others. They build for themselves their little "kingdoms" where followers are faithful to them as long as they tickle their ears.

But we do have a testimony in Christ that is important. Those who have received His true testimony into their hearts, and believed on Him, will have their own true testimony. Because His testimony about Himself is true, those who receive Him will find Him true in their lives as He lives in them. Their lives will change. The true testimony they will give and leave behind is that of a life that shows His truth in them, lived through them, and the fruit that is produced because of that. We can say many things in testimony to something, but if there is no proof behind the testimony of words, it is meaningless. It's all fluff and will blow away like the wind some day and won't stand. If what we have is based on that sure Word from Him, we know it's true and can be believed and others can have the same results as they put their trust in Him as well. He won't fail them. His testimony about Himself won't fail them. His testimony about their sin won't fail, nor His testimony of His eternal salvation.

I know when I am in doubt or fear I can go to His Word and find encouragement and faith, because His testimony will not fail me. I know if I need guidance or direction in my life, His testimony will not fail to give it and I can be sure if I obey what He says, no matter what the cost or pain involved, that the reward He tells me I have in Him He will surely give. I can be sure that if I disregard His testimony about sin and its consequences that I will suffer those consequences. His testimony is sure and the testimony of how I treat it will be seen in me, one way or the other.

Our testimony of faith in Him is the most important thing we have in this world. What it says to the world about Christ they will have to answer to one day. How do we live in front of unbelievers? How do we talk in front of them? Is what comes through us in our speech and our lives a true testimony of the life of Christ inside of us, if we have been born again? One thing the persecuted believers ask we pray for is that they might hold fast their testimony of Christ and not deny Him.

And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. (Revelation 12:11)

They had gotten victory over the beast or satan, even though from the world's eyes they were defeated, by being put to death. Yet they were victorious because they held onto their testimony of faith in Christ even to death. When we face the enemy, what will our testimony be to them? They stood because of the testimony of Christ to them and in them and His testimony became theirs. They were enabled by that faithful Word and the power in it to stand. We also in our lives conquer the world, the flesh, and the devil by that same testimony. When doubts and fears arise, we can hold onto that testimony. When all seems to crumble around us, we can hold onto that testimony. It gives us strength to endure no matter what.

How great a God we serve? Is there anything more sure, more convincing, more wonderful than the testimony of our Lord's love to us? Thank You Lord, for such a great Word, that is sure, that is solid, that we can stand on, that we can hope in, that we can give our lives wholeheartedly to and know that one day we'll see the final fulfillment of all it promises.

If you are not sure you have eternal life, if you want to know more about salvation through Jesus Christ, and how you can be sure, you can read more about it here.