| The Christian Life | November 1948 |
A Faithful and True Witness
“Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.”—John 18:37
THERE are many standpoints from which we may view the life of Jesus and from each of them observe in him essential qualities of character which we as Christians must endeavor to emulate if we would be pleasing to our Heavenly Father. The Apostle Paul writes of growing up into Him in “all things,” and if we are to do this it is essential to consider every phase of the Master’s life of faithfulness, not merely that we may become familiar with his superb qualities, but rather, that in coming to know him we may seek, with all the energy we possess, to be like him.
In this study of the life of Jesus we will concern ourselves particularly with the statement he made to Pilate affirming that one of the purposes of his birth was that he might bear witness to the truth. The context of this assertion clearly indicates that the great truth to which he referred was his own kingship, and of necessity, the entire plan of God of which he was the central figure. In other words, it was the kingdom truth of which Jesus was speaking, and as he declared, all who are actually of the truth are attracted by the kingdom message, and by devoting their lives to the divine cause they become joint-heirs with him in his kingdom.
“As He is, so are we in this world,” wrote John. (I John 4:17) One of the ways in which we become like the Master is in our association with him in the kingdom arrangements. Millions throughout the age have been called Christians. All of these have known something of Jesus, and to whatever extent his life has influenced their lives they have been made better men and women. But how few indeed recognized in him the future King of earth, and how few of these have been so inspired by the prospect of reigning with him that they have been willing to devote their entire lives to the kingdom cause!
Perhaps we would have less difficulty in making a distinction between nominal Christians and those who are truly Christ’s if we would keep this thought in mind. Jesus gave us a parable to illustrate this distinction—the Parable of The Wheat and Tares. In it he does not refer to true and imitation Christians, but to “children of the kingdom” and “children of the wicked one.” The children of the kingdom are those who are begotten and inspired by the kingdom hope, the kingdom theme. The children of the wicked one are those who put their trust in man made, but devil inspired institutions through which they hope that one day peace and good will may be established in the earth. They are not wicked people. It is merely that they are putting their trust in the institutions of this present evil world, instead of devoting their lives to the cause of the kingdom of Christ.
“To this end was I born,” said the Master. He was the King of promise, the One through whom the Father’s plan to bless all nations will be accomplished. It was to this great truth that Jesus bore witness. This was the great light that shone in the darkness. In essence it was the fact that the great Creator, in sending his Son into the world to die as a Redeemer, and to reign as a King, had ignored all human schemes and arrangements and through him would destroy this present evil world and establish a “new heavens and a new earth” wherein will dwell righteousness.
For this great truth Jesus died, not merely because he cherished it in his heart, but because he proclaimed it from the housetops and because his entire life was governed by it. It caused him to refuse the devil’s offer of all the kingdoms of this world, for he knew that it was not the Father’s plan that he should reign through these kingdoms, but that ultimately he should destroy them. He knew, furthermore, that eventually he would receive these kingdoms, not from the devil, but from his Father.—Psalm 2:8,9
“What Is Truth?”
When Jesus told Pilate that he had come into the world to bear witness to the truth, Pilate asked, “What is truth?” Jesus did not honor this Roman ruler with an answer, but in his prayer to God on behalf of his followers he said, “Thy Word is truth.” (John 17:17) And what is the Word of God but the outline of the Father’s kingdom plan through Christ to exalt his church and to redeem and restore the human race to life. It was the theme of all God’s holy prophets. All of the Master’s teachings were concerned directly or indirectly with it, and it is the background of the apostolic writings. The book of Revelation would be but a relating of woes resulting from the misrule of ungodly institutions were it not for that glorious theme of the Lamb that was slain, then exalted to Mount Zion, and that a hundred and forty-four thousand are exalted with him, that together they may live and reign for a thousand years for the blessing of the people. The realization of the kingdom hope depends upon the Lord’s second presence, and the subject of his coming and presence is one of the principal themes of the New Testament.
And it is by this truth of God’s Word that we are sanctified, or set apart to divine service. When we present our bodies a living sacrifice and endeavor not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds that the will of God may be done in our mortal bodies, it is this great truth that does the transforming work. We cannot yield to the influence of this truth and at the same time be conformed to this world, for God’s will is to destroy this world and bless the people through Christ and his church who by God’s authority will reign as kings in a new world.
Dying for the Truth
When Jesus said to Pilate that he came to bear witness to the truth he used a Greek word meaning martyr, that is one who dies as a testimony of his belief. Thus the thought is strongly implied of dying in the service of the truth and because of faithfulness to it. This is what actually occurred in the case of Jesus, and the condition of our being privileged to reign with him is our willingness to die with him and for him, and for the same thing that caused his death, which was faithfulness in bearing witness to the truth. It may not be our privilege to die as dramatically as Jesus died, but we must be willing to do so, and demonstrate our willingness by consuming our strength and means in bearing witness to the truth. No matter how faithful we may be in emulating Jesus in other ways—all of which are equally important—if we do not bear witness to the truth as he did we will not be counted worthy to live and reign with him.
The Scriptures explain why faithfulness in bearing witness to the truth results in death. It is because darkness covers the earth, and the darkness hateth the light. There are two opposing forces at work in the world—truth and error, or light and darkness. Throughout the entire age, even as in the days of Jesus, error has been enthroned in the halls of fame and temples of learning. Every center of education, social and religious, which men have looked up to and honored has been a channel of error regarding the divine plan through which the “god of this world” has succeeded in blinding the minds of the people.—II Cor. 4:4
On the other hand, the repository of divine truth has been the hearts of the humble followers of the Master, the “children of the kingdom,” those faithful few who have seen the vision of God’s plan for a new world, and have dared to tell the people that all human plans will fail, that nothing but the divine kingdom will solve the problems of a fear-filled world. They have not had the help of the world in telling this story, but to the contrary, have been handicapped by the world’s opposition.
It was the same with Jesus. “Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?” the people asked. (John 7:48) And when they learned that their recognized leaders frowned upon the Master and his teachings, their minds were closed to anything he might have to say. While “the common people heard him gladly,” only a few really believed—one here, one there—and these, by divine appointment, became the channels of the truth through which the kingdom message was imparted to others. (Mark 12:37) And so it has been carried on from heart to heart throughout the age. It has been as a light in a dark place. It has not enlightened the dark world, but it has served as a beacon light to point others to Christ and to show them the way by which they might enter into and enjoy the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.
“Into His Marvelous Light”
It is through the witness of the truth, given first by Jesus and continued by his consecrated followers from generation to generation throughout the age, that each and all of the prospective joint-heirs of the kingdom are separated from the world of darkness—“called out of darkness into his marvelous light.” The apostle explains, that the purpose of this calling is to “show forth the praises of him who hath called” us. In order that we may do this effectively, we have been made a “chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people.”—I Peter 2:9
Through this “chosen generation,” “royal priesthood,” “holy nation,” and “peculiar people,” the knowledge of God’s glory will eventually be caused to fill the earth as the waters cover the sea. Today, however, and as long as the prince of darkness continues to blind the minds of the people the witness work will be ineffective so far as dispelling the darkness is concerned. It was so in Jesus’ day. He was as a great light shining in a dark place, but only a few saw the light; the rest were blind and walked on in their darkness.
Because these blind servants of the prince of darkness included not only the vast majority of the people, but the religious and civil rulers as well, they were in a position to persecute and kill the Prince of light. But Jesus was not deterred from letting his light shine because of this. The great struggle between truth and error, light and darkness, God and Satan, was on, and the first work to be accomplished was the redemption of the race, and then the calling of those who were to share in the kingdom work with the Master; and this selection was to be made upon the basis of loyalty to the light, the truth, hence the necessity for Jesus to hold high the beacon light of truth.
In the great economy of God’s plan this witnessing for the truth is the means both for calling his people and testing them. It tested Jesus and demonstrated his loyalty to the Heavenly Father, a demonstration of faithfulness which called for endurance against Satan’s attacks all along the line. At the beginning of his faithful ministry, Satan endeavored to lure him away from his fidelity to God. Failing in this, he began his attack against Jesus with the result that this “faithful and true witness” was oppressed, despised, rejected, betrayed, condemned, reviled, scourged, mocked, wounded, bruised, stricken, smitten, forsaken, and finally crucified.
The Darkness Hateth the Light
It is well to remember that hatred for Jesus was due to his faithfulness in bearing witness to the truth. It was because he proclaimed unpopular truth and exposed popular error. He was not persecuted because he was kind and gracious, sympathetic and loving. These qualities were elements of his perfection, and we should strive to copy them in our own daily lives and thus become more and more like him; but it was his faithful testimony of the truth which incurred the opposition of Satan and Satan’s world.
Because he let his light shine Jesus was oppressed, but he bore it patiently. He was despised, but he did not seek recognition by compromising the truth. He was rejected by men, but rejoiced in the assurance of acceptance by God. He was betrayed, but had the grace to refer to his betrayer as “friend,” or “companion.” (Matt. 26:50) He was condemned, but did not endeavor to justify himself. He was “reviled, but reviled not again.” (I Pet. 2:23) He was scourged, but bore it patiently. He was mocked, but displayed only pity and love toward the dupes of Satan who were thus used. He was wounded, but accepted it as his Father’s will, knowing that it was “for our transgression.” (Isa. 53:5) He was “bruised,” and while the people thought he was “smitten of God” he triumphed in the experience, knowing that through it he was learning and demonstrating obedience to God by his faithfulness in bearing witness to the truth.—Heb. 5:8
Jesus was forsaken by man, yet found in his Heavenly Father that all-sufficient source of fellowship and comfort that his suffering required to sustain him amidst the most trying hours of his strivings against the darkness and sin of Satan’s world. Finally he was crucified, put to death, even the cruel, ignominious death of the cross. Over his cross was displayed the information that he was the king of the Jews. Although intended to be derisive, it was true. He was the king of the Jews, and of the Gentiles as well—the King whom God had selected to rule over and bless all nations.
Faithfully Jesus had borne testimony to the great truth of his coming kingdom, and because of his faithfulness he was now being crucified. But in the divine providence his witness continued. A few days before this Jesus declared that the testimony concerning his kingdom would be given, even if it became necessary for the stones to cry out, and now on the cross, his own tongue silenced by Satan, the inscription ordered by a heathen king was shouting the great truth of his kingship.
But still the people did not believe. The darkness of their selfish minds and hearts was too dense to be pierced; so the rulers continued to mock the Prince of Life, the “King of kings, and Lord of lords.” They cried out, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself.” (Luke 23:35) How little did they realize that by Jesus’ refusal to save himself, he was providing salvation for them, and for all the families of the earth. This faithful and true witness, because he had been faithful and true, was now being honored with the privilege of dying for his persecutors. Could we have a better demonstration of divine love for the human race—a love demonstrated both by the Father and the Son?
Methods of Bearing Witness
The background of all witness work acceptable to God must be a righteous life, a life consistent with the message of truth which is proclaimed. We find this qualification for light-bearing in the case of Jesus. He was “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners.” (Heb. 7:26) However, it was not Jesus’ life of perfection which incurred the animosity of the world, but rather the testimony of the truth which emanated from that life.
In Jesus’ day the giving of a witness to the truth was limited almost entirely to. the spoken word. In the case of the Master, the spoken word was augmented, made more powerful, by his miracles. The miracles themselves, however, did not explain the truth. They merely demonstrated the authority with which Jesus spoke concerning the blessings of the coming kingdom. To Lazarus he said, “Come forth,” and this gave weight to his promise that a time was coming when all in their graves shall hear his voice and shall “come forth.”
The testimony of the written word was very limited in Jesus’ day—limited to the few copies of Old Testament manuscripts then available. These helped, nevertheless, for they enabled the earnest searchers to verify the truthfulness of the words spoken by Jesus, and he urged them to do just this, to “search the Scriptures” that they might find the way to life, and discover their testimony concerning him who had come to give them life.—John 5:39
There was little change in methods of witnessing for the truth until these “last days,” this “time of the end” when knowledge has been increased. But what a change has been wrought by the advent of blessings due to come in the end of the age! We still can witness to the truth by the spoken word. Each and every saint of God has this priceless privilege—some as public exponents of the message, but all of us as individuals as we come in daily contact with the world around us, in the workshop, the office, and the home.
And what a blessing it is to exercise this privilege! The truth, which otherwise may be just a beautiful and soul-satisfying philosophy, becomes a living reality, an inspirational power in our lives when we begin to explain it to others. It is only as we bear witness to the message that we fully appreciate its true value for ourselves. At best we can explain the truth only with “stammering tongues,” but that does not matter, God can use our imperfectly stated testimony and transform it into a message of power in the hearts of those whom he is calling. Let us not be discouraged by thinking that the reason more people do not respond is because of the imperfect manner in which we proclaim the message. Of Jesus it is written that “never man spake like this man,” but his marvelous words of grace fell upon deaf ears, and we cannot expect that it will be otherwise with us.
And now we have the printed page, which enables us to increase the scope of the message. Thousands can thus be reached where perhaps comparatively few could hear the testimony otherwise. The number of God’s witnesses is small today, even as always, but the Lord in his providence has made it possible for these few to let their light shine in a world which has a population many times that of Jesus’ day.
And God’s providences along this line are again apparent in connection with the radio. Think of the millions who each week now have an opportunity to hear the kingdom message right in their own homes. Many indeed are hearing it as they hurry from one place to another in their automobiles. Recently we received a letter from one of these, a mother who was returning from the cemetery where her son had just been buried. As she was driving away from that scene of sorrow, she prayed that God might reveal to her the reason this tragedy had come into her life, and whether or not she might again see her boy. She turned on her car radio, probably, to get her mind off her troubles, and from that radio she heard the truth for the first time—she heard her prayer answered.
And so it is that from week to week countless thousands are hearing the truth. Some are blessed thereby, responding in terms of full consecration. Some are comforted with the thought of a new world soon to be established. Some, as in Jesus’ day, are roused to bitterness against the message and against those who proclaim it. What a blessing it is to be living in these last days and to be provided with this wonderful means of telling the world the blessed tidings of the truth. And all of us have a part in the radio work. The voices of those who utter the words are but incidental. It is a united work of all the Lord’s people, through their prayers and through the means provided to keep the message on the air.
Many will remember “The Photo Drama of Creation,” and the glorious witness the Lord’s people gave through its use. This was a method utilizing the voice together with illustrations. A similar message is again available, designed for use in homes as well as small and large halls. As we look around us for opportunities to demonstrate our loyalty to God and to the truth by telling others about it, we are sure to find some method which we can utilize; and we can all take our stand on the side of truth and pray for one another as we labor together to maintain the truth as a beacon light which can be seen by those who are seeking their way through the darkness, and who are hungering and thirsting after righteousness.
And we will be persecuted, even as Jesus was, for the darkness still hates the light. At the moment there is no violent opposition to the truth, but let us not be surprised should opposition again manifest itself. And when that time comes we all want to be found on the Lord’s side, willing and ready to die for the truth. Our faithfulness then, however, will be but the outgrowth, the logical result, of our self-sacrificing zeal now in letting our light shine.
This zeal should be leading all of us into finding some opportunities of bearing witness to the truth. Not all can have large opportunities. Perhaps with some it will mean simply being the companions of those who do carry the banner. The important thing is, not how much we can do, but our love for the truth, and our determination that when opportunity does offer we will be faithful in telling it to others.
Such is the position of those who are following Jesus in all things. As he was that “faithful and true witness,” so we should rejoice the more each day that it is our privilege to do as he did, for thus shall we be “beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the Word of God.” And if this be our happy portion, we will be among those who “live and reign with Christ a thousand years.”—Rev. 20:4