Saturday, October 29, 2011

More on Biblical Testimony...


On May 3, 2011, I wrote a post titled "What is Biblical Testimony?" I wish I had read the following lines in John R.W. Stott's Understanding the Bible at the time I had been asked to give my testimony to a large group of high school students! (My first mistake was giving "my" testimony instead of "a" testimony about Jesus).

Stott writes:

"The words 'witness' and 'testimony' have been much devalued, and are sometimes employed to describe what is little more than an essay in religious autobiography. But Christian witness is witness to Christ. And the Christ to whom we have a responsibility to witness is not merely the Christ of our personal experience, but the historic Christ, the Christ of the apostolic testimony. There is no other Christ. So if Scripture leads to witness, witness also depends on Scripture." John R.W. Stott

"As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'" Romans 10:15.

Our testimony or witness, whether given formally or informally, ought to be good news about Jesus for a people caught in darkness unawares. It has not so much to do with us as it does with the power and leading of the Holy Spirit to say what He will about Himself through us. It is the unchanging testimony of Scripture, working on uniquely different lives. We are the feet that bring the beautiful news, not so that people hear or see us, but so they hear and see the Jesus of Scripture. Perhaps they, too, will then desire to know and experience the Jesus of Scripture.

"He must become greater; I must become less." John 3:30

"All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name" (Peter speaking). Acts 10:43

"...I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace" (Paul speaking). Acts 20:24


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