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WEEKLY
Volume 4 Number 40
28 February 2010
A Good Testimony
(Message delivered by Rev Hien Nguyen at the
Worship Service, 2:00 pm, Feb 28, 10)
Text: Heb 11:2
What shall you and I leave behind
after ending our journey of life on earth? Many left behind their good
names, good achievements, or wealth. Many others left behind a bad name
like King Ahab, Hitler, Pol Pot, etc. However, not many left behind a
good testimony of their faith in God, in the Lord Jesus Christ and in
God’s Word. Some had faith in God and in the Lord Jesus Christ but not
in God’s perfectly inspired and perfectly preserved Word with their
whole heart and strong conviction, so they failed to be a good testimony
unto God and His Word.
Last week we learnt about the saving
faith, which is always connected with and based on God, in the Lord
Jesus Christ and in God’s Word. When we are reminded to walk in faith,
to live by faith and to grow in faith, we must always do that by faith
in God, in the Lord Jesus Christ, and in God’s Word, and only by so
doing, we may obtain a good testimony, “Now faith is the substance of
things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it (by
faith) the elders (ancestors) obtained a good report
(testimony)” (Heb 11:1-2).
The Meaning of Elders and Testimony
Elder in Greek is presbúteros;
and with 67 occurrences, the KJV translates as “elder” 64 times, “old
man” once, “eldest” once, and “elder woman” (1 Tim 5:2) once. According
to Zodhiates, presbúteros refers to (1) An older person,
senior; and in the plural, old men, seniors, the aged (Acts
2:17; 1 Tim 5:1-2; 1 Peter 5:5), and the ancients, the fathers,
ancestors (Matt 15:2; Heb 11:2); (2) In the Jewish and Christian
usage, a title of dignity, an elder, plural elders,
meaning persons of ripe age and experience who were called to take
part in the management of public affairs: (a) The members of the
Jewish Sanhedrin at Jerusalem, generally (Acts 24:1); (b) The elders of
Christian churches, presbyters, to whom was committed the direction and
government of individual churches, equal to epískopos, overseer,
bishop (Acts 14:23; 15:2; 20:17 [cf. Acts 20:28]; (3) The twenty-four
elders around the throne of God in heaven (Rev 4:4, 10; 5:5-6, et al).
Then according to the context of
Hebrews chapter 11, verse 2, the elders refer to the ancients, the
fathers, ancestors. Even though Abel was still young, he got a good
testimony due to his faith in God, in the atoning sacrifice of the Lord
Jesus Christ, “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world”
(Rev 13:8), and in God’s Word (from Adam) as he “offered unto God a
more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness
(testimony) that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and
by it he being dead yet speaketh” (Heb 11:4).
Report or witness/testimony in Greek
is marturéo; with 79 occurrences, the KJV translates as “bear
witness” 25 times, “testify” 19 times, “bear record” 13 times, “witness”
five times, “be a witness” twice, “give testimony” twice, “have a good
report” twice, and translated miscellaneously 11 times. According to
Zodhiates, marturéo means (1) To be a witness, to be able or
ready to testify. (John 3:28; Acts 22:5); (2) To bear witness, to
testify to the truth of what one has seen, heard, or knows (John 1:7-8;
2:25; 5:31-32; 8:13-14, 15:26; 21:24); the testimony (cf. 1 John
5:9-10); (3) Figuratively, of God as testifying by His Spirit, by signs
and miracles (John 5:37; 8:18; 1 John 5:9-10), of the Scriptures or
prophets (John 5:39), of one’s deeds, works (John 5:36; 10:25); (4)
Emphatically, to testify strongly, bear honorable testimony; and in
passive voice, to be well-testified about, to have good witness (Heb
7:8; 11:4-5).
Marturéo
is translated as “report”
(Heb 11:2, 39), “witness” (v 4), and “testimony” (v 5). Then, by their
faith in God, in the Lord Jesus Christ, and in God’s Word, the
ancients/ancestors got a good testimony, “And these all, having
obtained a good report (testimony) through faith” (Heb
11:39).
Have a Good Testimony before God
and Men
Shall we leave behind a good testimony
when we are called home to be with the Lord? We shall if we obtain a
good testimony while we are living on earth each day. Surely, we do not
want to leave behind a bad testimony like Judas Iscariot, who betrayed
our Lord Jesus (John 6:71), Ananias and his wife Sapphira, who told a
lie (Acts 5:1) or Demas, who forsook Paul, “having loved this present
world” (2 Tim 4:10), etc. May God help you and me to obtain a good
testimony like our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who wholeheartedly had
faith in God and in His Word with His full submission and obedience unto
death, and He is still “the faithful and true witness” forever
(Rev 3:14). Whether you and I like it or not, if we are our Lord
Jesus Christ’s followers, He expects you and me to be His witnesses or
to bear a good testimony of our faith in God, in the Lord Jesus Christ
and in God’s Word wherever we are, at home, at school, at work, at play,
in our neighbourhood, in our city or country and “unto the uttermost
part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Shall not we wisely, humbly and
wholeheartedly trust in our Lord and His Word with our full obedience
and submission to be His good testimony each day?
How to Have a Good Testimony
Be Born Again:
Due to the totally depraved, sinful and rebellious nature of human
beings, without God’s grace and outside of Christ, no man can obtain a
good testimony before God. Thus, they naturally bear a witness of their
sinful nature, “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed
evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness,
wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride,
foolishness” (Mark 7:21-22). Then, to have a good testimony before
God and men, you and I must be born again by the Holy Spirit, by God’s
mercy, and by God’s Word (John 3:5; 1 Peter 1:3, 23). And the first step
is to humbly come to the Lord Jesus Christ in repentance and
wholeheartedly cry unto Him for His forgiveness and salvation.
Have Faith in God, in the Lord Jesus
Christ and in God’s Word:
God’s Word says, “Now faith is the substance of things
hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it (by faith)
the elders (ancestors) obtained a good report (testimony)”
(Heb 11:1-2). Then, if you and I want to obtain a good testimony, we
must have faith in God, in the Lord Jesus Christ and in God’s perfectly
inspired and perfectly preserved Word without any doubt or question.
Be Filled with the Holy Spirit:
Our Lord Jesus Christ
knows that without Him we can do nothing (John 15:5) and that we cannot
be His witnesses without the power of the Holy Spirit, so the Holy
Spirit comes to be our Divine and Almighty Helper and Comforter, “But
ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and
ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and
in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
Dear friends, God has graciously given you and me His only begotten Son
and the Holy Spirit so that we may be His witnesses while we are living
on earth. If we fail to bear a good testimony to Him and His Word, it is
our fault due to our lack of faith, trust, humble dependence, obedience
and submission. Let us wisely humble ourselves and submit to the control
of the Holy Spirit (Eph 5:18) so that we may enjoy His power to do God’s
will, to keep God’s Word, to endure persecutions and trials, and to
overcome our sinful nature, our self-will, temptations, worldliness, and
Satan.
Be Obedient and Submissive to God and
His Word: While
good works may be just human efforts or the fruit of the saving faith,
the saving faith must always bear the fruit of good works, especially,
the obedience and submission to God and His Word. The saving faith is
the living faith full of good works as “faith without works is dead”
(James 2:26). How could the ancestors obtain a good testimony? It is
because of their faith in God, in the Lord Jesus Christ and in God’s
Word, manifested in their good works with their obedient and submissive
hearts, “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice
than Cain by which he obtained witness (testimony) that he was
righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet
speaketh. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see
death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his
translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But
without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God
must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that
diligently seek him. By faith Noah, being warned of God of things
not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of
his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of
the righteousness which is by faith. By faith Abraham, when he
was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an
inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither
he went” (Heb 11:4-8). Dear friends, many claim that they believe in
God,
in the Lord Jesus Christ and in God’s Word, but their lives show no
fruit of obedience and submission to God’s Word. From our Lord Jesus’
Word, their tragic end will be, “I never knew you: depart from me, ye
that work iniquity” (Matt 7:23), and “But those mine enemies,
which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay
them before me” (Luke 19:27).
Conclusion
Dear friends, we can say that we
believe or trust in God, in the Lord Jesus Christ and in God’s Word, but
how about our lives, our words, our deeds, our behaviours, our conducts,
our worship, our beliefs, our practices, our service, our preaching, our
ministry, etc? Do we truly bear a good testimony unto our Lord with our
faith in and obedience to God, the Lord Jesus Christ and God’s Word each
day? Our Lord Jesus Christ is our perfect example to follow. Paul
followed the Lord Jesus and left behind a good testimony, “I have
fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith”
(2 Tim 4:7). When Rev Dr Timothy Tow gone home to be with the Lord, many
quoted 2 Tim 4:7 for him. He did leave behind a good testimony! How
about you and me? May God graciously help you and me seriously concern
for our regeneration in Christ, have faith in our Lord and His Word, and
humbly submit to the control of the Holy Spirit in order to have His
power to obey God and live a victorious life until our Lord Jesus comes,
and we can hear His encouraging words to each one of us personally and
individually, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast
been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many
things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord” (Matt 25:21, 23). Amen.
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