LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
The Testimony of God
When we talk about testimony, we often see people speaking of their previous lives in sin, in drugs, in the world, etc. However, that is men's testimony. The testimony that we must give is not ours, but God's, and this testimony isn't only related to me, but to everyone.
God says that we were all born in iniquity and in sin our mother conceived us (Psalm 51:5). "For we have all become as one who is unclean, and all our righteousness deeds are like a filthy garment" (Isaiah 64:6). We are born sinners, and for that reason we belong to the devil: "The one who practices sin belongs to the devil; because the devil has sinned from the beginning" (1 John 3:8). Because of sin, we will receive the wages of death: "Because the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). It doesn't matter whether somebody was a great sinner or considers himself righteous because he or she never stole or killed, because before God, "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
But God who is rich in mercy sent His son Jesus to the world, so that we might be saved through Him: "Because God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, so that all who believe in Him, might not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). Jesus is our peace; He is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). He reconciled us with God: "And you also who were formerly strangers and enemies in your minds, doing evil deeds, now you have been reconciled through His fleshly body, by means of death, so that He might present you as holy, spotless and blameless before Him" (Colossians 1:21-22). He died for us and put us to death together with Him.
We died with him and we were raised up together with Christ to walk in new life: "...even when we were dead in our transgressions, He made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and together with Him He raised us up, and also made us sit down in the heavenly places with Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:5-6). Now it is not I who live: "I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me" (Galatians 2:20).
This is the testimony of God, the testimony that God gives about His Son: "If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; because this is the testimony which God has testified concerning His Son. The one who believes in the Son of God, has the testimony in Himself; the one who doesn't believe God, has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given about His Son. And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life; and this life is in His Son. The one who has the Son, has the life; the one who doesn't have the Son of God doesn't have the life" (1 John 5:9-12).
I believe in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. And you, who do you believe in? It is not the one who has a religion The one who has the Son, has the life.