TESTIMONY

Today is the first day of the rest of our lives.   We can do nothing about yesterday and most of our plans for tomorrow will never happen.   Not only that but our earthly  life time is less than a second in the light of the fact that our Creator has given each of us an eternal soul.   But unfortunately you and I were born spiritually disconnected or dead in the pride and rebellion of Adam.   That is why Jesus was sent to save us, if we want Him to, and if so,  our understanding what Jesus said in John 3 is so very important.   It is obvious as the body in which we now live that it  is only good for a very short time,  considering eternity.   And why would the Creator want to  give us another body unless we line up with HIS commandments while in this temporary body?  And what does not having a new body look like for an eternal soul, Jude 13.

Speaking to the Pharisee, Nicodemus….Jesus said,  ”I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a person is born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified], he cannot [ever] see and experience the kingdom of God.” …“For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] [a] only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior & Lord] shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge and condemn the world [that is, to initiate the final judgment of the world], but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 Whoever believes and has decided to trust in Him [as personal Savior and Lord] is not judged [for this one, there is no judgment, no rejection, no condemnation]; but the one who does not believe [and has decided to reject Him as personal Savior and Lord] is judged already [that one  has been convicted and sentenced], because [b] he has not believed and trusted in the name of the [One and] only begotten Son of God [the One who is truly unique, the only One of His kind, the One who alone can save him].

So from a Biblical perspective our solar system was created for the purpose of being the placenta for the birth of the Family of God, then to be recycled.   Jesus being the 1st of the new eternal God/Man species.   And the 1st of many to follow,  if they join in HIM.   John 10:7,   “So Jesus said again, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, I am [a] the Door for the sheep [leading to life]. 8 All who came before Me [as false messiahs and self-appointed leaders] are thieves and robbers, but the [true] sheep did not hear them.   Luke 13:23-25, “And someone asked Him, “Lord, will only a few be saved [from the penalties of the last judgment]?” And He said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door [force aside unbelief and the attractions of sin]; for many, I tell you, will try to enter [by their own works] and will not be able.   25 Once the head of the house gets up and closes the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door [again and again], saying, ‘Lord, open to us!’ then He will answer you, ‘I do not know where you are from [for you are not of My household].’

Much of our evaluation of ourselves and others seems now,  to be on the basis of works.   In fact the art of self evaluation and our personal elevation of ourselves among friends and others seems a main factor in our conversations.   One guy that I remember in giving his testimony about Jesus used the word “I” about 150 times,  I actually counted.   It was a long testimony basically only about him for personal elevation and pride and not about Jesus much at all.

In Rev. 12:11 we are reminded of what our testimony should be: “And they overcame and conquered him (lucifer) because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, for they did not love their life and renounce their faith even when faced with death. “

So the testimony was all about Jesus, and HIM giving his life for us and our willingness to follow and obey HIM as Lord even if it might mean  physical death to us.   Nothing about any good works from us.   He is the only foundation for our salvation.   What we do because we love HIM will  have  nothing at all to do with our being saved.   It is our relationship with HIM alone that saves us.   What we do for HIM as built upon His foundation will come up later for rewards as in 1 Cor. 3:11-15,   In fact in 1 Cor.1:19-31 it shows  very clearly that our only testimony should be Jesus or none at all.   Not our Church, not our minister, not about ourselves.   “ For it is written and forever remains written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise [the philosophy of the philosophers],   And the cleverness of the clever [who do not know Me] I will nullify.”   20 Where is the wise man (philosopher)? Where is the scribe (scholar)? Where is the debater (logician, orator) of this age? Has God not exposed the foolishness of this world’s wisdom? 21 For since the world through all its [earthly] wisdom failed to recognize God, God in His wisdom was well-pleased through the [a] foolishness of the message preached [regarding salvation] to save those who believe [in Christ and welcome Him as Savior& Lord]. 22 For Jews demand signs (attesting miracles), and Greeks pursue [worldly] wisdom and philosophy, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, [a message which is] to Jews a stumbling block [that provokes their opposition], and to Gentiles foolishness [just utter nonsense], 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks (Gentiles), Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 [This is] because the foolishness of God [is not foolishness at all and] is wiser than men [far beyond human comprehension], and the weakness of God is stronger than men [far beyond the limits of human effort].  26 Just look at your own calling, believers; not many [of you were considered] wise according to human standards, not many powerful or influential, not many of high and noble birth. 27 But God has selected [for His purpose] the foolish things of the world to shame the wise [revealing their ignorance], and God has selected [for His purpose] the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong [revealing their frailty]. 28 God has selected [for His purpose] the insignificant (base) things of the world, and the things that are despised and treated with contempt, [even] the things that are nothing, so that He might reduce to nothing the things that are, 29 so that no one may [be able to] boast in the presence of God. 30 But it is from Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God [revealing His plan of salvation], and righteousness [making us acceptable to God], and sanctification [making us holy and setting us apart for God], and redemption [providing our ransom from the penalty for sin], 31 so then, as it is written [in Scripture], “He who boasts and glories, let him boast and glory in the Lord.”

I use to preach this to Hippies to show them that they were well qualified to become Christians…   That they were exactly what their Creator was looking for to make Christ Jesus as their LORD & Savior.   Really experienced a lot of God’s Grace when so preached.