TESTIMONY (Of Jesus – Means What?)

TESTIMONY
(Of Jesus – Means What?)

TESTIMONY – TESTIMONIALS – TESTIMONIES: These three words are “close family members” of the word: TESTAMENT

Webster’s Dictionary defines TESTAMENT: n. a will: a covenant; the old or new covenant of the Christian Bible, as the Old and New Testaments.

A “last will and testament” is an official document stating what a deceased person wants done with their assets/possessions.

Webster’s defines TESTIMONY: n. presentation of evidence; things stated before a court as bearing upon a case under trial.

The word TESTIMONY can be applied to personally witnessing an event, and/or sharing the factual events of something an individual has personally witnessed and/or experienced.

In a court of law, when a “witness” is sworn in, that person pledges to just “testify” of the truthful facts as they know them, and/or personally witnessed them.

In business, we are familiar with the word “testimonials.” These are supposedly true statements made either by satisfied customers, or dissatisfied customers.

A Christian’s "personal testimony" or "salvation testimony" is shared to accomplish essentially the same thing. It is the means whereby an individual shares how they believe God has worked in their live, or a life of another. Here would be a few examples of "salvation testimonies" being used to declare how God has worked in someone's life:

Yet there has been debate among some Bible scholars about what these statement means in Revelation 19: 10-11 (NKJV) when it comes to using the word TESTIMONY:

And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Let’s see if we can come to a sensible understanding of what God wants His people to understand about this portion of Revelation 19:10-11 scripture.

To begin doing so, we have to go to another portion of Bible scripture. We read in the 1^st Chapter in the Book of John in the New Testament that Jesus Christ was called “The Word” before He came to earth as a small child. We read that everything that has been created was created THROUGH HIM.

We also read in Colossians 1:16 the same thing, but with something more added: “All things were created BY HIM, and FOR HIM.”

To scholars of the New Testament, they know that Jesus Christ is One of the three persons of the eternal Godhead: God the Father; God the Son or Word; God the Spirit or Holy Spirit.

Many Christian teachers have come to agree that to best understand how the triune Godheads functions, it can be stated in this manner:

God the Father thinks it – The Word speaks what the Father thinks – The Holy Spirit is the power-force that accomplishes, or makes happen what Jesus speaks.

Thus if in fact Jesus speaks what the Father thinks, then He is speaking the will of God the Father – correct?

Now then, let’s gain a little understanding of how the word “prophecy” is used in the Bible. Prophecy serves as a two-fold function. It can mean to foretell the future, or it can mean to speak on behalf of God.

Going back to Revelation 19:10-11 once again, if we read a few scripture passages before it, we find it is to be assumed that an angel is doing the talking to Apostle John. The angel clearly tells John, “Don’t bow down to me. Bow down to God only! I’m not God, but just a created being like you that serves God’s purposes, and God’s purposes is the truth of WHY Jesus Christ came to earth to live and die and resurrect back to glory. He did all that to atone for the sins of mankind, so they can be fully restored in good standing with God. This is the testament of Jesus Christ, and it is the testimony of God. I am speaking what God wants me to speak, which is His testimony. His testimony is this: He is fully God. He purposely was sent to earth by the Father to live a sinless life, which He did, which then qualified Him to be the one and only perfect sacrifice that God would find acceptable to pay the full ransom payment for the sins of every person.

And so the conclusion of the matter IS: There is truly only ONE testimony that counts when it comes to the salvation of mankind. It is the testimony (honest facts) of what Jesus Christ accomplished for mankind, and it is the foretelling of what Jesus Christ has accomplished, is going to accomplish both here on earth in the future, and in all the glorious realms of heaven in the future as well.

The Book of Revelation is an expanded understanding of WHO Jesus truly IS, what He is fully capable of DOING, and what He fully intends to DO in the future as much as the Father wills to reveal it to whomever He wills to reveal it. To whomever and whenever that will be, it will be done not by human intellectual comprehension, but by Holy Spirit impartation and illumination.

Thus I hope this helps readers to understand more fully what God wants us to understand regarding the scripture statement:

Jesus the Word created ALL THINGS for His own good purpose and pleasure to please the Father and the Spirit. That’s HIS true testimony – His testament. Jesus has spoken it – declared it – thus He has functioned perfectly as THE mouthpiece of God. That is prophecy by God’s definition. The "spirit" of this prophecy refers to the fact that the Holy Spirit has used a human agency to write it down, thus we now have it written for us in the Holy Bible.

In Jesus the Word declaring what will happen in the future, He is also being THE mouthpiece of God. That is also prophecy by God’s definition.

The entire Old and New Testament Bible is a TESTAMENT. The Old Testament speaks of the coming Messiah to liberate God's people (liberate them from the eternal consequences of their sin). The New Testament documents the arrival of the Messiah, the ministry of the Messiah, the death, burial and resurrection of the Messiah to liberate God's people (liberate them from the eternal consequences of their sin). It is the testimony of Jesus doing exactly what the spirit said would be done through certain writers of the Old Testament and New Testament.

So my departing question is - have YOU been liberated from the eternal consequences of your sin by placing your trust in the One the spirit of prophecy is ABOUT - whose name is Jesus? If not ... I can't encourage you enough to do so.

Dear Reader - are you at peace with God? If not, you can be. Do you know what awaits you when you die? You can have the assurance from God that heaven will be your home, if you would like to be certain. Either Jesus Christ died for your sins, or He didn't (He did!). Are you prepared to stand before God on the Judgment Day and tell Him that you didn't need the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the Cross to have your sins forgiven and get in right-standing with God? We plead with you ... please don't make such a tragic mistake.

To get to know God; to be at peace with God; to have your sins forgiven; to make certain heaven will be your home for eternity; to make certain that you are in right-standing with God right now ... please click here to help understand the importance of being reconciled to God. What you do about being reconciled to God will determine where you will spend eternity, precious one. Your decision to be reconciled to God is the most important decision you'll ever make in this life.