The Testimony of Jesus Christ - Two

 

John 1:1-13

The scope and design of this chapter is: to confirm our faith in Christ as the eternal Son of God, and the true Messiah and Savior of the world, that we may be brought to receive him, and rely upon him, as our Prophet, Priest, and King, and to give up ourselves and submit to be ruled, and taught, and saved by him.

 

First, To be a Christian indeed is to believe on Christ’s name; it is to assent to the gospel discovery, and consent to the gospel proposal, concerning Christ.

 

He is the Word of God; the King of kings, the Lord our righteousness; Jesus our Savior. Now to believe on his name is to acknowledge that he is what these great names bespeak him to be to us. Our willingness to accept, comply, or submit to Christ’s proposal and His covenant, brings us into relationship that he may be all in all to you and I.

 

Secondly, Believing in Christ’s name is receiving him as a gift from God. We must receive his doctrine as true and good; receive his law as just and holy; receive his offers as kind and advantageous; and we must receive the image of his grace, and impressions of his love, as the governing principle of our affections and actions.

 

1:12

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name:

 

Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

 

You’ll never get good enough to deserve the promised gift of the Holy Ghost God offers to those who repent of their sins. You must believe to receive the promise of God. He the Spirit of truth when He comes will free you from the snares of the enemy and graft you into the True vine!

 

Jesus said, I am the vine ye are the branches, He that abideth in me, and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit, for without me ye can do nothing! John 15:5

 

God doesn’t expect you to beg him for the Holy Ghost, any more then He expects us to beg Him to hear our praise and our prayers when we pray.

 

The bible say’s to those who are faithful to Christ to be wise as a serpent, but harmless as doves.

We are warned also that, the enemy comes but to steal to kill and destroy.

 

The enemy whispers lies and doubt that God won’t give the promise of the comforter to you, because your different, he might tell you are not good enough in the hope that you will doubt God’s promised Gift of the Spirit or your citizenship in the Kingdom of God.

 

The Bible says whatever is not of faith is Sin! Don’t ask God doubting for those things God declares will be done unto you.

 

If ye being wicked know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much the more will God freely give good gifts unto those who ask Him?

 

Come to God in faith believing that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him! Don’t beg God to give you the Holy Ghost when you know He wants you to have it already!

 

When you beg God as if He may withhold the promise from you it’s the equivalent of questioning the integrity or truth of God’s Word!

 

Diligence - the attention and care legally expected or required of a person (as a party to a contract)

 

Come to God in a state of total and utter surrender. Some of those in Acts chapter two were guilty of the blood of Jesus Christ. They said men and brethren what shall we do?

 

Peter didn’t say, you’re not good enough because with wicked hands you have crucified the LORD of Glory. He said, Repent of your sins ……….

 

Three thousand was added unto the Church when that first Gospel message was preached by the Apostle Peter and the plan of God for mankind was revealed in the ears of every man, woman and child that would come to Christ in Faith, believing in the promise God made to faithful Abraham that was fulfilled in Jesus Christ and delivered as promised to as many as believed on the day of Pentecost.

 

There is no person here that has anything to prove to anyone else, neither is there any Godly person here that would hinder anyone from receiving the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is given to lead you into all truth by God not of men. God bestows His Gifts upon those who come to Him believing. The duty of man is simply to believe and submit to God.

 

1 Pet 5:6

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

 

The Highest praise we can give God is to live in total submission being obedient to God’s Word and to His will for our lives, to care for the souls of others by sharing this message of love and redemption, and that our

living testimony should glorify the LORD as our father and provider.

 

1 John 4:7

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

 

This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

 

1 John 5:3

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

 

And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

 

The devil, being thus defeated in his designs upon the universal church, now turns his rage against particular persons and places; his malice against the woman (the Church) pushes him on to make war with the remnant of her seed.

 

Some think historically this spoke of the Albigenses, who were first by Dioclesian driven up into barren and mountainous places, and afterwards cruelly murdered by popish rage and power, for several generations; and for no other reason than because they kept the commandments of God and held the testimony of Jesus Christ.

 

Their fidelity to God and Christ, in doctrine, worship, and practice, was that which exposed them to the rage of Satan and his instruments; and such fidelity will expose men still today, more or less, to the end of the world, when the last enemy shall be destroyed and even death is swallowed up in victory!

 

Psa. 51:All @ Close

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

 

What is the testimony on your lips and witness you give of Jesus Christ?

 

II Peter, New Nature Romans 6 , Indwelling spirit Romans 8

 

If the LORD returns before enter the grave, will He find the true Faith of Jesus Christ alive and active in your witness and testimony of the Christian faith?

                                                                      

                                                                           10-23-08