The Holy Testimony

The longing of most people is to find a way to live in paradise for eternity after they depart this world. Everyone will certainly face this dilemma as they lay on their death bed. Unfortunately, there is great confusion on this subject because this world has devised thousands of false ways to enter Heaven. All of this confusion is caused by the Devil because he hates God and wants to see all humans suffer in eternal torment. We know that no one will ever be in Heaven because of good luck like someone who wins the lottery. A wonderful eternity can only be gained by deliberate acts of humility and love as we follow the commands of the Almighty. The good news is that the commands of God are not tiring. The loving God only needs us to align ourselves with His nature so that we may be adopted into His family and His life style. It is only common sense that God wants a family that is compatible with His manner of living. This begs the question, “How do we align ourselves with God?” Actually, it is all about the Holy Testimony that comes down from the eternal spiritual world of our omnipotent God.

As we look at the different passages describing testimonies in God’s word remember that they all came from the same source, God the Father. In our courts we are required to take an oath, before God, to tell the truth in any testimony we give. Certainly all eternal testimonies are a confession of the truth before God. It is our responsibility to hear and respond to godly testimony that enlightens us to facts about our life. As a rule this world does not like the truth. In fact, the words of Isaiah are true in America today; Truth is fallen in the streets, and honesty has been outlawed. Yes, truth is gone, and anyone who renounces evil is attacked. Isaiah 59:14-15 All believers must align themselves with the testimony of God in order to live in real truth. When Jesus was living in Israel He said; Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven. Matt 10:32-33 (NLT) This passage is very plainly talking about Holy Testimony of truth both here and in Heaven.

Let’s start the discussion with our testimony about Jesus who is God’s Son. People that are not totally dedicated to God, try to tell us that our witness is not necessary. In fact, during the 50’s the Church even told us that we should say nothing but just live a good life before others. This may be good for people that don’t want to talk about God but it’s not what the Bible tells us to do. Jesus gave every believer these instructions; Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. Matt 28:19-20 (NLT) No one can accomplish any part of this command without testifying to the truth of God. The heart of our testimony is the faith that we show the world. Paul went so far as to say;  If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. Romans 10:8-10 (NLT) According to this you are not actually saved until you testify about God. The Bible says that we cannot please God without faith and the testimony gives us a way to show our faith.

Testimony will always acknowledge openly the facts about a manner. We really need the Holy Spirit to help us when we testify about God.  Jesus knew we need help and assured His followers of this truth; For the Good News must first be preached to all nations. But when you are arrested and stand trial, don’t worry in advance about what to say. Just say what God tells you at that time, for it is not you who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit. Mark 13:10-11 (NLT) It is a good feeling to know that when we are under pressure to testify the Spirit of God will give us a Holy Testimony. There is nothing we do in this life that is not a testimony. John said; For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God. And Jesus Christ was revealed as God’s Son… And the Spirit, who is truth, confirms it with his testimony. 1 John 5:3-6 (NLT) We know that the Spirit does not speak out loud yet His voice of testimony about our Savior has been heard for years. His Holy Testimony is always centered around what Jesus has done.

Jesus was the greatest witness to ever testify. Of course, Christ does much more than testify because He is our High Priest. The Scripture says; And so, dear brothers and sisters who belong to God and are partners with those called to heaven, think carefully about this Jesus whom we declare to be God’s messenger and High Priest. For he was faithful to God, who appointed him Heb 3:1-2 (NLT) To be God’s messenger means we must testify to the truth of God. Jesus was full of the Spirit of God and He told us exactly the things that the Father wanted us to know. Men of God wrote these things down so we could read them for ourselves. However, the Spirit living in us will testify other truths to us if we are following His leading. These thousands of things have to do with our daily walk with God. Don’t be upset with this fact because the Spirit never leads us to violate the Scriptures. There is limited space in the Bible and many of God’s directions are given to us by the Spirit directly. This is possible because He lives inside a Christian and is a great advantage to our life.

When the redemption of humans began in the Old Testament God gave the Law of testimony to Israel. Later they cared for the ark of the testimony which was kept in the tent of the testimony. This pattern shows us that people will always have a testimony showing them the possibility of redemption. This Holy Testimony came through the prophets and was fulfilled in Christ. Jesus appeared to Paul and gave him additional words of testimony which the Spirit interprets for us today. This is what allows us to have a Holy Testimony that God will always maintain for this world. This testimony is what every person needs to listen to. Since we believe human testimony, surely we can believe the greater testimony that comes from God. And God has testified about his Son. All who believe in the Son of God know in their hearts that this testimony is true… And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 1 John 5:9-11 (NLT) The testimony about Jesus is true and people must believe it to live eternally.

God loved humans and to prove it He sent his Son to live and die on earth. This Holy Testimony is important for the whole world to hear. Jesus said that people who never saw him while He was on earth had to depend on the testimony. All the witnesses to the truth of God are very strong and they back one another up in every way. In addition to what Jesus did for us, He promised; I will send you the Advocate —the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me. John 15:26 (NLT) It is sad but some people today are confessing Jesus but are not serving God. They are probably deceived into thinking that God will not see through their pretend Christianity. The Bible says it this way; Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted. Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good. Titus 1:15-16 (NLT) These are the weeds that Jesus said would be sorted out at judgment.

There is a temple in Heaven called the temple of testimony. Apparently every person has a testimony even if it is not the truth of God. The testimony of each person is recorded for later reference. Look what will happen after the testimonies are revealed; And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:  And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. Rev 15:5-6 (KJV) May our testimony be only about Jesus Christ our Savior. Although this world is completely evil God has made it possible for us to overcome this world by our testimony. Yet there are some in the church in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes with evil. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine. “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. Rev 3:4-6

God’s testimony is being presented to us and we are answering one way or the other. Either we are testifying to the truth by our faith or we are blending into the world. Many people from all the past years have given their lives to leave a testimony that Jesus is the truth of God. We can see that the Spirit is working in our lives and in the lives of other people. The Spirit of God is working tirelessly to confirm Jesus to us daily. The prophets of old told how God would send his Son as the Savior of the world and we should do no less. Because Jesus is living in Heaven right now the testimony about Him is what we must present to the world. Our testimony is as important to the people around us as the testimony of Jesus was to His disciples. How will they hear if we don’t tell them? Our life of testifying will be judged some day and every Christian wants to be satisfied with the results. Oh, that we might hear the Savior say “they are mine” and I am pleased with them.