The witness and testimony Jesus asked of His followers as the best proof of God on earth

Christians who share their faith with others rightly give testimony of Jesus Christ and God’s truths, but the Lord also asked them for a testimony in their own right.

To get this, instead of Christian soul winners selling sinners a message catering to their self interests (and the gospel is not really for sale), they needed to prepare them to die to self, and take up Christ’s interests.

Jesus said life and death significance hinged on it, and if they obeyed Him implicitly, they could expect to create the best proof of God there is – lives transformed by amazing proportions. This would speak volumes more than words alone.

This message has been really not very well emphasized but is central to the way the gospel was first taught, as evidenced by the New Testament. Jesus did not ask people only to testify of Himself, but also to live lives in His empowerment as veritable citizens of His kingdom on earth. If they did this, He knew the powerful witness to Himself of their testimony would be proof so “all” in the “world” would “believe and “know” the God they served was true.

Just before He went to the Cross, Jesus gave His strongest statement of a witness His true followers stood to make as the best proof of what they said they were – representatives of the only way to eternal life.

John 17 – 20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

The unchangeable will of God was that from the beginning His people be united under one teaching and be “one in Us.” He Himself was to be their teacher by the indwelling Holy Spirit (Jn. 6:45, 1 Cor. 2:10-14), and if they met these conditions, then “the world may believe that You sent Me,” said the Lord. Further, if they were “made perfect in one,” then the Lord said “the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.”

Does anyone think Jesus was just speaking fluff? Was He waxing eloquent over prosaic idealistic thoughts? No He was not! The power of a congruent witness is a theme throughout the New Testament. It itself is a witness.

But we know the Christian faith is irrevocably splintered by thousands of different sub-sects, denominations, and individual private interpretations. God has been forced to work around that but untold damage has resulted.

Another non-negotiable command Jesus which He said would create a witness and testimony was recorded by the apostle John.

John 13 – 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Jesus speaks of a witness that “all will know you are my disciples.” There will be no hiding it, and indeed you cannot hide it as indicated by a third instance of Jesus asking for a witness and testimony, as recorded by Matthew.

Matthew 5 – 14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Light that stood to push back darkness was promised – assuming those who obeyed Him really embraced their calling and were in position to be empowered by God to be filled with God-given light.

Those who love God will also be granted ability to be a witness by their transformed lives – a work only God could do, thus proof to observers of the Lord.

The audio touches on this, the eternal heart of God.

Lord bless you.