Responding to Present Needs (6)

One of the last things the Lord said to his disciples before departing was: "And ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8). And when the apostle John begins his First Epistle, almost seventy years later, he seems to remember those words of the Lord, for he says: "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life ... which we have seen and heard, that we declare unto you" (1 Jn. 1:1, 3). John assumes the perspective of a witness.

In a time as dangerous and confusing as the one in which we live, we need people who have seen something, spiritually speaking, who have a testimony to give, or rather, who are a testimony in themselves. It is different to speak of what we have read, of what we have been told, of what we have studied in a certain place, than to give testimony of what we have heard, seen, contemplated and felt ourselves.

In times like these, we need witnesses, and what they can say. Only witnesses can stand amidst the avalanche of unbelief and confusion; and only they can stand up with an undeniable testimony. We can argue against doctrinal positions studied in a book, but we cannot argue against lived truth. Those who reject such testimony will be considered guilty of it.

The First Epistle of John begins with the testimony of a witness, and concludes with the testimony of another Witness. In chapter 1 it is John, the apostle; in chapter 5 it is God Himself, who bears witness of His Son. "If we receive the testimony of men, greater is the testimony of God; for this is the testimony with which God has testified concerning his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the testimony in himself; he that believeth not God hath made him a liar, because he hath not believed the testimony which God hath borne concerning his Son". Undoubtedly, greater is the testimony of God than the testimony of men. But if we do not believe John, how can we believe God? If disregarding a true witness like John is reprehensible, how much more will it be to disregard God?

In chapter 5 of 1 John more witnesses are mentioned. There are three witnesses who bear witness in heaven and three who bear witness on earth. In heaven, the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit; on earth, the Spirit, the water and the blood. This testifies that the facts testified to are most certain, for there are so many and such witnesses. In ancient Scripture, it was said that every word was recorded by the mouth of two or three witnesses. Here we have much more than that, inasmuch as that which is witnessed is the greatest fact in history. It is the coming of the Son of God in flesh and blood for the salvation of men.

Therefore, to disregard this testimony can also be the greatest cause of condemnation. Who could make God a liar and remain unpunished? Let us remember: the greatest of John's epistles concludes with a witness, the greatest of all, and with a testimony that cannot be rejected. Are you of this kind of witness? What is your testimony? Finally: Have you believed God's testimony?

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