In 2001, the BBC’s Jeremy Bowen presented an investigation into the historical Jesus. He said, “The important thing is not what He was or what He wasn’t—the important thing is what people believe Him to have been.” The apostle John would disagree. He intimated that the testimony about who Jesus really is, not what people believed Him to have been, is believable because of several credible witnesses.
The first witness was the testimony of Jesus’ life. John said the human Jesus was Messiah, the preexistent Son of God (likely refuting the false teaching that “the Christ” came upon Jesus at His baptism and left Him before His death). Jesus marked the beginning of His ministry with His baptism (water) and marked the end with His very real sacrificial death (blood) (1 John 5:6).
The second witness was the testimony of men (1 John 5:9). John the Baptist, Jesus’ brothers (James 1:1; Jude 1:1), the more than 500 who saw Jesus alive after His resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:6), and the apostle John (1 John 1:1-4), all gave credible testimony about Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God.
The third witness was the testimony of God. On two specific occasions God verbally affirmed Jesus as Messiah God (Matthew 3:17, 17:5). God’s testimony is the epitome of all testimony.
The final witness that John gave was the testimony of their hearts. The Holy Spirit confirmed in their hearts that they had the Son, and they could know that they had eternal life through Jesus Christ (1 John 5:8). Jesus Christ was a real person, who lived a real life and who died a real death in order to forgive real sin to save real people. May the credible testimony about Him move some to begin their journey with Him and drive the rest of us to deepen our devotion to Him!
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: John 14:1-14
More:
Read John 5:31-37 to discover other testimonies that confirm Jesus as Messiah God.
Next:
At what times in your life have you doubted testimony about Jesus Christ? What helped to reassure you of the reality of Jesus Messiah? How important are the Scriptures in reassuring us of who Jesus is?
tom felten on September 14, 2011 at 9:55 am
Thanks for this encouraging post, Marvin. Yes, the testimony of the disciples and early believers was the start of a long, strong thread of faith that extends throughout the past 2,000 years to today. Jesus is still changing lives, rescuing people from sin’s curse, and providing an eternal hope!
winn collier on September 14, 2011 at 11:45 am
We are all tempted to make Jesus out to be whatever it is we think we need / want / should have. But the fact that Jesus came to offer us God as God actually is undoes all that, doesn’t it? Thank you, Marvin.
grace2mercy on September 14, 2011 at 12:17 pm
Yes God is real, for I can feel Him in my soul. For I have touched the hem of His garment, and His Blood has made me whole. “Yes”, God is Real……
lindagrace on September 14, 2011 at 4:48 pm
My life is a testimony that Jesus Christ lives and saves.thanks marvin
bearpair on September 15, 2011 at 3:05 pm
Excellent commentary, Marvin! Theworld would have us believe that all we need to do (i.e., Bowen) believe in a feeling, something which is so subjective & open to dispute! While faith doesn’t rely on sight, it is indeed reassuring that we have the witness of so many, not the least of which is the Father himself! Thanks!