The Word of Our Testimony

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” 

(Revelation 12:11)

I just finished reading a book about the life and salvation of the late iconic actor, Steve McQueen.

Steve had been saved a short time before he was diagnosed with a form of cancer due to lengthy exposure to asbestos. Steve's greatest regret in his impending death was that he would not be around to tell others how Jesus Christ had saved him. And how He had dramatically and forever changed his life.

I have often thought over the years since I've been a follower of Jesus what the "word of our testimony" really is. Was it just what God has done in our own life?  That's certainly part of it. And a powerful one.

But there is more to it than that.

The quoted passage above from Revelation 12 says the believers overcame the devil by the blood of the Lamb—and—by the word of their testimony.

First, without the cleansing, atoning blood sacrifice of the Lamb—Jesus Christ—there is no salvation. No forgiveness of sins. No overcoming anything. No power. No goodness. No new life. No Heaven. 

Like the old song says, "What can wash away my sin...nothing but the blood of Jesus."

In both the the Old and New Testament it speaks of this:

"Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission/forgiveness of sin." (Leviticus 17:11, Hebrews 9:2)

Why a blood sacrifice?

"For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul." (Leviticus 17:11)

In Old Testament times the high priest (though not sinless), would go once a year into the innermost portion of the Jewish temple, and through the blood sacrifice of lambs, make atonement for the people of Israel. But this had to be done once every year. It was not a permanent atonement. And it was only a picture, or 'type' of the ultimate atonement to be made once, for all, by the only sinless, perfect High Priest; Jesus Christ.

"For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever." (Hebrews 4:26-28)

Because He was God in the flesh, Jesus Christ is the only sinless Person to ever walk the face of the earth. And as the only perfect High Priest, the one perfect sacrifice He could offer up to atone for the sins of man was Himself: the pure, sinless, Lamb of God.

We who have been saved by Christ have forever overcome sin, death, hell, and the devil, by being spiritually washed by the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, shed for our sins on the Cross.

So part of the word of our testimony as Christians—the most important part—is that we are saved because of what Jesus did on the Cross for us. 

And another part is how He has personally changed our lives. 

In my own story, I was a "repeat offender" sinner. I was a prideful, scheming, lying, cheating, stealing, adulterer, who regularly blasphemed the name of the Lord, and I thought the whole 'religion thing' was just a big joke. My wife and I as young unbelievers used to laugh and joke to people when they asked if we were married yet. We snickered, "No, we're still living in sin!"

Once we did get married however, the honeymoon soon faded and we then began many years of, frankly, putting each other though a whole lot of hell. We were both self-centered, selfish, self-absorbed, headstrong people who always wanted to get our own way. It was a tumultuous roller coaster ride of high and low emotions. Fighting, screaming, brooding, sulking, resentment, blaming each other, making up, then starting the whole maddening roller coaster ride all over... again and again.  I used to think my wife was bi-polar since she was so up and down all the time. I now realize it was because we both were such selfish sinners. There was absolutely no peace in our home. Over a ten year period starting in the early 1990's, we went through several separations and two divorce proceedings. I committed adultery. After ten more years my wife eventually forgave me.

But that forgiveness did not come until we both surrendered our selfish, battle-hardened hearts to Jesus Christ. We could not fix our broken marriage. Or our broken souls. We could not change each other, or change ourselves. We needed a Savior... for our marriage, and for our hearts.

We started going to my Mom's church. I remember them always talking about Jesus as "The Word." What did that mean?

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He (Jesus) was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men." (John 1:1-4)

Oh. Wow. Jesus is God?

Yes, Jesus is God!  

He IS The Word of our testimony.

Once I got that written on my heart...that Jesus is God and because of His amazing love for me, He chose to become a Man and die on the cross so I can forever be forgiven of my sin.. it was then that I surrendered and gave my heart to Him.

However, because of my stupidity and stubbornness, my life as a Christian started out to become a long and bumpy ride. But God has been a loving, patient Father, teacher and disciplinarian to me. Both merciful and strict, loving and kind. Always a faithful, perfect Father. He lets me strip off line for awhile, then He gently reels me back in by His kindness, grace and love. I'm a slow work in progress... but thankfully, I am His workmanship, not my own.

As I've learned over the last twenty years, being a born again Christian doesn't make you perfect—it makes you saved.

None of us knows the day of our departure. Our life is a vapor... Here today, gone tomorrow. So make the most of the time you have left. Count each day... each moment... precious. When you're gone, what will be the impact that your life, words and actions left on others? What will you be most remembered for?

As followers of Christ our most important function and purpose on this earth is to tell people about the love and saving grace of Jesus—the Word of our testimony. 

Sharing what He has done for us by saving us through His grace, by the faith He gives us.

And by sharing our own testimony of how He has restored and changed our lives. Given us new hearts. Given us hope, peace and joy that surpasses all understanding. How He has placed us in His own eternal family. We are spiritual orphans no longer. 

He is our Father forever.  We are loved, forgiven and free.

Tell everyone you can of this Jesus who came to save the world from their sins. He loved the whole world. 

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

Amen.

—God is Love and Love Never Fails.

The Great Apostasy

“For that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first.” 

(2 Thessalonians 2:2)

The Last Days falling away foretold here by the Apostle Paul is the Great Apostasy—a defection from the Truth of God's Word. 

And I believe we are smack-dab in the middle of the Great Apostasy right now—and yet, many self-professed "Christian" people seem completely oblivious to it.

The falling away began even back in Paul's day when false teachers were already polluting the truth of God's Word with false and deceptive doctrines. It starts with subtle changes, with a twisting of the Scriptures to say something other than what it plainly says. Teachings that tickle the itching ears of carnal hearers, rather than proclaim the convicting, life-affirming truth as God spoke it into existence.

And we've been specifically warned about the perils of these last days false teachers and apostates:

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.” (2 Timothy 3:1-9)

Look at the foretold detailed list of traits that many people will exhibit during this perilous time. 

"Lovers of themselves."  Many people today are so caught up in their own lives and serving themselves, that they are oblivious to the spiritual and physical needs of others, and more importantly, to the true spiritual condition of the world around them. Most people are living completely 'business-as-usual' lives, doing their careers, promoting their personal business empires, lovers of money, focused on their hobbies, their material things, and looking out for #1. 

A common worldly mantra today is, "You can't love others until you first love yourself."  

But Jesus taught the following by His example, 

"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." (John 15:13)

Paul goes on to say:

“But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” (2 Thessalonians 3:13)

A very popular, but extremely error-ridden book and movie out right now is "The Shack." You'll need to thoroughly research this distorted story for yourself. It is not biblically accurate and mis-represents God throughout. Here is a good review to check out:

http://www.ltw.org/read/articles/2017/03/six-major-problems-with-the-shack

"The Shack" is just one of millions of examples of underlying false teachings that appeal to the emotions rather than stand on the eternal, rock-solid truth of God's Word. The creators of this distortion tell the people what they want to hear, as opposed to what they need to hear. Please beware. While it may initially make you "feel" good and it may sound good on the surface, every word must be thoroughly tested by the Word of God.

Jesus said:

“But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” (Matthew 24:37-39)

Just before Jesus returns to judge the world, people will be living business-as-usual lives, self-focused, going about their daily business with no awareness of His imminent return. With a startling suddenness, they will be caught completely off guard. 

A lot of Christian people today are doing good deeds. Truly helping people in need. And that's a very good thing. 

But are you waking up those whom you know who are spiritually falling asleep at the wheel? Ready to run off into a ditch? Are you yourself spiritually asleep at the wheel, simply living your daily life business-as-usual? Self-focused? With no expectation of the imminent return of Jesus?

Contrary to modern religious philosophy, we're not "Just supposed to love people." 

We're to preach the gospel. Warn people of the impending judgment of God. Tell them the good news of salvation by grace through faith, because of what Jesus did for us all on the Cross.

And we're to remind our fellow followers of Christ to walk uprightly. And that it is high time to awaken out of sleep, if they are spiritually dozing. To pray and seek God's face and turn from whatever wicked ways we're walking in, that God will hear our prayers from heaven—that He will heal our spiritually dead land.

“I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent.” (Isaiah 62:6)

You who make mention of the LORD—do not keep silent.

Many are called to be watchmen on the walls—warning others of the danger, apostasy, and complacency all around us. And to not keep silent in our prayers. Pray to God without ceasing.

The hour is urgent. Point people to Jesus Christ.

So much is at stake...

—God is Love and Love Never Fails.

The Religion of Self Effort

“And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves.” (Genesis 11:4)

Around 2242 B. C. the Tower of Babel was built. It was man's monument to himself: a testament of man's ingenuity, strength, wisdom—and arrogance.

The religion of self effort.

But in the Genesis account we see that God had other plans for man.

“But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. And the Lord said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city." (Genesis 11:5-8)

If you examine most of the world's religions, belief systems and philosophies, they all have one thing in common—man's efforts to elevate himself.

Attain nirvana. Do good deeds to undo his karma. Climb his way to heaven through works. Make himself righteous. Bring out his own inner godliness. Atone for his own sinfulness.

Some of the cults in the world today even claim to believe in the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the Cross. They may even use His name on their churches or statements of faith. But almost all include additional requirements to suffer and/or do good deeds, or some kind of penance to get ones own soul, or that of another person, out of some kind of purgatorial holding place.

Or they falsely claim "what Jesus did on the Cross was not enough—it's only after all we can do that we are saved."

Or other religions claim they cannot know their god personally, certainly not as a loving Father. And that they have no certainty of going to heaven, but can only hope that by doing enough "righteous" acts, (or murderous acts that their religion sees as righteous martyrdom) that they can possibly enter heaven with honor. But none of these can ever be 100% sure.

So exactly what then is different about biblical Christianity?

Plenty.

For starters, it's the only religion where all the good works of man are of absolutely no value in getting you to Heaven. Period. You cannot earn God's favor. You cannot undo your so-called "karma." You cannot attain your own righteous standing before God. You cannot ever be good enough to please God. You cannot do enough good deeds to undo your sins before God. 

The Bible says: 

"There is none righteous, no, not one." (Romans 3:10)

“The law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God.” (Romans 3:19)

"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)

The Bible could not be clearer. None are righteous, not one. The whole world is guilty before God. All have sinned and fall short before God.

Biblical Christianity is also completely different from all other world religions because of one revolutionary and utterly amazing thing—Grace!

Grace is getting what we do not deserve. It's the free gift of God's unmerited favor.

When you choose to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ—His death, burial and resurrection for the purpose of forgiving you, paying the penalty for your sins against God, and saving you from the filth, consequences and corruption of your sins—you are now forever seen as 100% righteous in God's eyes. God has given you the free gift of His own righteousness, through the sacrifice of His Son; Jesus Christ. Your sinful account was wiped completely clean. Your sins have been forgiven, and forgotten, forever. Jesus' own righteousness has been put on your account. Your name has been written in the Lamb's Book of Life. The seal of the Holy Spirit has been placed on you by God as your absolute assurance of eternal salvation in Christ. God has placed you in His own family as His own daughter or son. Everything Jesus has is yours. And you will live forever and ever with God, face-to-face, never to be separated from Him for all eternity. And in Heaven, there will be no sadness, no sorrow, no sickness, no pain, no death, or suffering.

You can't earn God's grace. You can't do enough good things to get salvation. And you can't do enough good things to keep it. 

Some highly religious people asked Jesus:

“What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”

Jesus answered and said to them, 

“This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” (John 6:28-29)

Paul the Apostle wrote:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

The whole world is guilty before God. But salvation by Grace is freely available to the whole world if they will believe in Jesus whom God has sent.

Jesus said:

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

Jesus is the Truth—the door, the life, the way to the free gift of eternal salvation—the Grace of God.

Will you believe in and receive Him?

—God is Love and Love Never Fails.