True Witness
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- Jesus was a witness of God the Father,
- The disciples were a witness of the testimony of Jesus, and
- The Holy Spirit is a witness of the life of God in man.
| For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. (Luke 6:34-44a) |
A witness can be a True Witness or a false witness. False witnesses accused Jesus before his death, and false witnesses have marred his testimony after his resurrection. The Disciples and Paul were testimonies of the Truth, living holy lives, and laying down their own lives for the testimony of Jesus Christ. In stark contrast to this testimony is the "Holy Office of the Inquisition" of the Catholic Church, which authorized the deaths and torture of millions of people. To decide whether a witness is a true witness, you only need to look at the fruits of that life to see if it mirrors the life of Jesus Christ, the firstfruits.
Bible Study
| Reference | Scripture |
|---|---|
| Matthew 24:14 | And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. |
| John 1:6-9 | There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. |
| John 1:15 | John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. |
| John 3:11-12 | Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? |
| John 5:31-37 | If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. |
| John 8:18 | I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me. |
| John 10:25 | Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. |
| John 15:26-27 | But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. |
| John 18:23 | Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me? |
| John 18:37 | 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. |
| Acts 4:33 | And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. |
| Acts 7:44 | Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen. |
| Acts 10:43 | To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. |
| Acts 14:17 | Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. |
| Acts 15:8 | And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; |
| Acts 23:11 | And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome. |
| Acts 16:16 | But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; |
| Romans 8:16 | The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: |
| Hebrews 2:3-4 | How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? |
| Hebrews 10:15-17 | Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. |
| Hebrews 11:4 | By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. |
| I John 1:2 | (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) |
| I John 5:6-12 | This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. |
| Revelation 1:15 | And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, |
| Revelation 3:14 | And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; |