DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE POWER OF PERSONAL WITNESS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE POWER OF PERSONAL WITNESS

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life – that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ." (I John 1:1, 3)

The most compelling testimony is the personal testimony of what one has seen or heard or experienced. In a court of law, an eye-witness to the facts is the most powerful and carries the most weight.

In the Bible, we have the testimony of eye-witnesses to the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus. Even as the Apostle Peter wrote, "For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty" (II Peter 1:16). All of the New Testament was written by people who had personally seen the Lord Jesus, with perhaps the exception of Luke, who penned the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts, and Hebrews. People may reject the testimony of the Apostles, but it is still the most powerful and important witness to the truth of the Gospel.

When we share our testimony, our personal experience is a powerful witness to the grace of God. Of course, experience must be based on the truth of God's Word or it doesn't carry any weight. But it is difficult to refute a person's personal testimony. It may not be accepted, but it cannot be disproven.

Many times, when witnessing to people, I hear these comments: "My parents were good Christians," or, "My grandfather was a preacher." Those may be true, but they do not mean that the speaker has personally experienced salvation. We cannot depend on second-hand experience to get us to heaven. It is only when we come to personal faith in the Lord Jesus that our testimony become valid.

We have the testimony of eye-witnesses to the Lord Jesus recorded in the Bible. But unless we have personally experienced the Lord Jesus, we have no strong testimony to share with people. A vital, excited, first-hand witness to the grace, love, peace, answers to prayer, and a changed life is a dynamic testimony.

Love, Dad