AND THIS IS THE TESTIMONY
SATURDAY 30 OCTOBER 2021
One thing I noticed about John the Evangelist is that He enjoyed an awesome and wonderful fellowship with God and His Son Jesus, by empirical experiential knowledge. Every so often, when you read His epistles, what you engage with - is bundle of experiential lessons - from his divine experiences. Today, John talks about the real testimony of God regarding Christ, which is forever true and trustworthy, and this is evident in His words recorded in the original autographs of Scriptures.
Reference: 1 John 5:9-11 New International Version (NIV) "We accept human testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son."
Let me explain what the above Scriptures are all about. John is saying that we believe people when they say that something is true. But what about God? Everything God says is more serious and important, and He has told us the truth about His own Son. In other words, we can assuredly believe the greater testimony that comes from God because God has testified about His Son and the unending life in Him.
If indeed we take human testimony at face value, how much more should we be reassured when God gives testimony as He has done concerning His Son. Now whoever believes in Jesus Christ, as the Son of God inwardly confirms God's testimony. Whoever refuses to believe in effect calls God a liar, refusing to believe God's own testimony regarding His Son. In a nutshell, John's statement here places a blanket of divine assurance over the quality of this testimony because of who it is coming from - God Himself.
The testimony of the disciples about eternal life in Christ was based on the fact that they were eye witnesses, or rather they had an eyewitness testimony. As witnesses, they testified to the truth which they saw and believed. For instance, Peter confirmed in 2 Peter 1:16-18 saying, 'For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.'
The Bible is replete with statements about God speaking to His people regarding His Son, Jesus Christ and the revelation of the life He brought to mankind through the means of salvation. In other words, the Scriptures bear witness about eternal life in Christ in various ways, indicating that they are true words from God, and as Christians, the Holy Spirit efficaciously engraves this witness in our inward system to give us confidence about this truth. So we have the authenticity of this testimony in us through the self-attesting character of the Holy Spirit. By Him we know that God's testimony is true.
To have this inward witness, testimony or evidence, is to receive Christ as Saviour and Lord. The Bible says that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Romans 10:9-10 NKJV). Once you do this, you'll have the testimony of eternal life in you, which is the life in His Son.
For me, I'm full of persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine testimony thereof, which is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in my spirit that God has given me eternal life, which is in Christ Jesus. Therefore, as new creation in Christ Jesus, I have the greatest testimony in the universe and again this is the testimony: God has given me eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Beloved, whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God's Son does not have life. Yet to have this testimony? Declare the prayer below in a meaningful and heartfelt manner. Shalom!
Scripture Reading - John 3:16; Romans 5:21; John 10:28; Romans 6:23; John 17:3.
Guided Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, I acknowledge today that you demonstrated your unconditional love for me in this: While I'm living without Christ, you sent Him ahead of time to die for me. Therefore I renounce the nature of sin and I accept Jesus as my Saviour. I believe and confess with all my heart that Jesus is the Son of the true living God, who died for me and was raised from the dead on the third day by God. I believe that Jesus is risen and He's alive forever. I accept Him into my heart and I declare His Lordship over my life now and forever. I'm now a new creation and I have eternal life: my present-moment reality! Thank you Father and my Lord Jesus for saving me and taking full charge of my life, Amen!
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