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This Sabbath falls on a day that we would consider a “transitional time” in the modern world. To the Jewish calendar, and some would say, the correct way of marking sacred time, there is nothing particularly significant about the 1st of January, yet we do recognize it as a turning point, moving from one year to another. Some will reflect on the year that has passed, and consider whether or not they have accomplished all that they intended over the last twelve months. Some will make New Year’s Resolutions that, without the power of Christ, actually has very little power to control the works of the flesh.
One of the most pleasant things about being a child of Yahweh is that our resolutions do not depend upon limited human will. We have divine power that gives strength to our words. What we promise, we accomplish. What we commit to doing, we fulfill. The Scriptures tell us to be careful what we vow, that it is better not to vow at all, because we may find ourselves bound to something that is later discovered not to be in the best interest of ourselves, or others. The Bible tells us that Yahweh values integrity, especially when it is inconvenient, as we read in a description of those who will dwell with our Father in eternity. It includes the line “He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.” (Psalm 15:4b)
Words are powerful. You know, in a very real sense, words are the point of contact between the spiritual world and the physical one. Even though Yahweh can read our hearts, we are instructed to pray – He will answer our prayers, which are our desires translated into words. The enemy of souls recognizes this relationship, and has his own counterfeits with curses and occult rituals.
Words communicate ideas. They allow us to share experiences. They provide a means for us to introduce the Spirit of Christ to those who need the Savior. And it is the words of the Savior that I’d like to speak of in today’s study. This will be a very simple idea, not a complicated premise at all today, but one that may prove valuable as we reflect on this transitional time between the years, and – especially with a New Moon coming up in a couple of days – reflect on our relationship to our Father and His sanctifying work in our lives.
In our ministry, we speak of “the Faith of Yahshua” and “the Testimony of Yahshua.” What are these things? Are they the same? How are they different? The good news is that they are exactly what they sound like. It’s interesting, I was a Seventh-day Adventist for many years, and saw the phrase “the faith of Jesus” in the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy writings, and other Church literature, and it never occurred to me until I found this message that “the faith of Jesus” is exactly what it sounds like – Jesus’ faith, Yahshua’s faith. It is not, or at least not only, the faith that He created, but the faith that He had. Many people believed the same things that Christ did, to the extent that they understood them, but it is not called “the faith of John the Baptist,” or “the faith of Peter,” or “the faith of Paul.” The perfect faith is not about understanding the ministry of John, or the teachings of Paul… it is simply believing what Yahshua believed, and believing those things as completely as He believed them.
The Testimony of Yahshua, likewise, is just as simply understood; and yet again, it was not until I encountered the CSDA Church and its members that I truly understood what this simple phrase meant. The Testimony of Yahshua is, yes, the Spirit of Prophecy, like the Book of Revelation says, which can apply to Adventist writings like those of Ellen White. But the phrase itself is not limited only to that definition. Clearly, when John the Apostle was given the Revelation, this was almost two thousand years before Ellen White was born. Does this mean that the phrase “the Spirit of Prophecy” had no meaning for 20 centuries, waiting for a particular individual to be born? Certainly not.
Most simply, and more perfectly understood, the testimony of any witness is what that witness says, what that witness swears is true. The Testimony of Yahshua before the universe, which is invited to judge its own Creator, is what Yahshua says, what Yahshua swears to be true.
There is a trial going on, after all. We call it “The Great Controversy,” but before it had that name, it had been taking place, and affecting humanity. Yahweh established the universe, and set in place a Law designed to safeguard peace and joy for all eternity. One of His servants rebelled, and began to teach that the Law was faulty, and the Creator was unjust in His leadership. Again, this is a very simple message today, but a good one for stepping back and looking at the “big picture.”
In response to Satan’s rebellion, our Father did not exert His authority by force and destroy the dissenters. Instead, He allowed them a time to develop their philosophy, so that they could see for themselves, and so that all intelligent creatures could see, the difference between lawfulness and lawlessness, which is also called “sin.” He did not leave the rebellious ones without a warning about the consequences of their actions. He told them what the result of their transgression would be; however, these warnings were interpreted as threats, and merely added fuel to the fire of their treason. And then there was war in Heaven.
When the conflict was confined to earth, Yahshua invited the onlookers, especially the humans who were now being directly affected by the conflict, to actively take part in its resolution. We read passages such as this: “Hear ye, O mountains, Yahweh’s controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth, for Yahweh hath a controversy with His people, and He will plead with Israel. ‘O my people, what have I done unto thee? And wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against Me.’” (Micah 6:2, 3)
Israel, who at that point had begun to repeat the very accusations that Satan leveled against Him in the Heavenly realm, is invited to examine the accuracy of their complaints, to testify in the trial, to see if the Creator had indeed treated them poorly. In fact, Yahweh sent us His best witness, His own Son, to testify about the nature of the Law, and the character of the Almighty. And that He did. He gave us “the testimony of Yahshua,” and those who accept that testimony join the Father’s “side” in the controversy, and reject the witnesses that speak contrary to the Law.
Amazingly, many who claimed to accept the testimony of the Son actually reject that testimony. Yahshua came to testify that the Father’s Law is a good Law, applicable to all men, at all times, and for their very best good. Obedience to the Law does not make one righteous, but a righteous man, and woman, and child, one who accepts the Testimony of Yahshua and therefore receives justification, sees the blessing in the Law, and eagerly obeys it. But many, most, who claim to be Yahshua’s People reject what He said about the Law. They ignore or re-interpret what He said about His Father’s Commandments, and they hold to the very opinions of the Enemy, that the Law is imperfect, inapplicable, useless, and that without it we are better, freer, and liberated from slavery.
Amazingly, many who claimed to accept the testimony of the Son, as I have said, reject that testimony. Yahshua came to testify that the Father is loving, and patient, and kind, but for the sake of universal happiness, cannot overlook or justify sin. Those who claim to receive this Testimony nevertheless believe that sinners will be cast into eternally conscious torment, that some have been born pre-destined for endless, agonizing destruction, or that we require the intermediate intercession of a variety of saints and co-redeemers to appease the offended sensibilities of a very angry God.
We can see what a terrible injustice has been done to Yahshua, the perfect Witness for the Father.
The relationship between Yahshua’s faith, and Yahshua’s testimony, is simple. One leads to the other. The Faith of Yahshua leads to Testimony of Yahshua. What He believed is what He said, and what He did. What we believe is what we say, and what we do. We point out that faith OF is more than just faith IN. That is to say, it is not merely faith “in” Yahshua, trusting what He did on our behalf, but faith “of” Yahshua, which is more foundational, more intimate. There are both necessary. One cannot have faith OF without faith IN... if we did not have faith in Yahshua to save us, faith in Yahshua to have given us a perfect example and set of teachings, then why would we want to believe as He does? But those who believe in Him need to go beyond just accepting that He is, and what He has done; the devils also believe and tremble.
Those who are seeking “doctrinal salvation,” who believe that an intellectual acceptance of the truth is sufficient for the experience of everlasting life, go no further than this. Salvation, for them, is about having the right teachings, and therefore doing the right works as a consequence. It is, indirectly, a religion of works, using the doctrines as an intermediary to have the "right" motivation, and they think this means that their religion is based on faith.
This is a very delicate, but a very important distinction. Having the right motives, even doing the right thing because of the right motives, is not necessarily an indication of the right faith. This is hard, very hard, for the carnal mind to grasp, because to the flesh, that is all there is: reason and reaction. But our Father acts, and His Spirit inspires, in ways that appear to be contradictory, paradoxical. To receive everlasting life, you must first die. Those who humble themselves are exalted. The life of the Son of Yahweh was considered an acceptable sacrifice for rebellious creatures who could have been wiped out in an instant, and recreated from scratch with no effort from the Almighty. That makes no sense, no sense at all, unless for some reason, for some impossible reason, Yahweh actually loves us… not just the image of us, not just the idea of us, but us in reality, who cannot just be re-started without being fundamentally different beings. Why didn’t He just start again? Because He loves us – this “us” as we currently exist. That, to me, is just overwhelming.
True religion is to do the right thing (visit the sick, defend the widows and orphans etc.) not only for the right reason, the right motive, but also because we have the right nature. This is a subtle distinction. The carnal man sometimes acts selflessly... people throw themselves in the path of bullets and cars to save other people. But not everyone who sacrifices themselves has the salvational character of Christ. Paul says this distinctly: “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not agape, it profiteth me nothing.” (1Cor 13:3) No amount of good works, no amount of sacrifice, even of our very lives, gives the testimony of Yahshua, the testimony that one is saved. It is agape, it is that perfect, divine love that is impossible for humans to possess unaided. That is the only true cause of righteousness, and the only true source of Yahshua’s testimony.
Seventh Day Adventists, for example, believe that at some point a universal law will force them to choose between the Law of Yahweh and the law of man. Many would choose to defy that human law, especially if it came upon them as overtly as they think it will, and they would do so for what they think is the right reason – not just to avoid destruction, but because Yahweh wants them to do it. But are they doing it because they understand it is the only way to show love? Are they doing it because they value their fellow human beings as much as they value themselves? The “test” we are permitted to experience is really a test of love, love for our Creator, and love for our neighbor as ourselves. Those who would reject the Sunday Law, but consider the SDA Trademark Law (which tramples on the religious liberty of our fellow man) to be acceptable, do not understand the character of Christ that is being developed in the People of Yahweh. Thus, when they obey it is based on a perceived obligation to the commandments, not because the Law agrees with their spirit.
Some may give tithes and offerings for the right motive, knowing that it will assist the ministry of the Gospel workers in saving souls. That is, perfectly well, the right motive, at least “on paper.” But are they doing it grudgingly? Are they doing it longing for the things they would rather be purchasing with that money? You see, it is possible to have the right motives for an action, and yet, if that action is not in harmony with one’s spirit, with one’s true nature, it does not lead to peace, joy, or the other elements of the fruit of the spirit. It does not sanctify.
How do we mend this, in those who do not understand? How do we explain to them that it is about having the Spirit of Christ, Christ Himself in us, and not just agreeing with the teachings that we present about beliefs and practices? We need to emphasize the transformation. Yahshua said, “You must be born again.” We need to stress that the experience of sanctification, of being justified and then growing, is not an improvement over the life that they have now. They need to understand that they WILL die if they accept this message, and they will be born again as someone new. It is the “them” that they should have been all along, but the flesh is going to rebel against his idea, the flesh is going to fight for its life. The flesh is going to remind the poor sinner of all that he will lose, and try to get him to ignore all that he will gain, when Christ is living in Him as a renewed and Holy Spirit.
The wages of sin is death. The sinner must come to terms with his own, inevitable death, either on the cross with Christ, or in the lake of fire with Satan. “Who would you rather be with,” we ask, “in the hour of your death?” Death on the cross leaves you more alive than you could ever otherwise have been – this is one of those “paradoxes” I mentioned – and with a new testimony, the very Testimony of Yahshua. Death in the lake of fire leaves nothing but ashes and a legacy of regret.
Death on the cross leaves one with the right faith, the right spirit, not only in our heads, but in our hearts, in our deepest places, and then our spirit is “right” toward those things we do with a proper motive. The faith OF Yahshua means accepting as true, on an emotional, mental and spiritual level, as well as an intellectual one, the things that Yahshua believed. Having the testimony of Yahshua means that we say of the Father the same thing that He did. We become witnesses, just as He was, providing a testimony to the universe of our Father’s Law, and our Father’s character.
And we can know, with assurance, those things that Yahshua believed, because the faith leads to the testimony. What He said, that is what He believed. Again, as I said, this is a very simple message today, and this turns out to be a rather lengthy set-up for something incredibly, almost childishly, simple. Read, and believe, those things that Yahshua has said. Take Christ at His word, as inspiration tells us, and trust in what that word says, completely, and without permitting the shadow of doubt.
I have called today’s study “The Red Text.” Nowadays, most of my Bible reading is done online, through websites like Blue Letter Bible. But I still have quite a few physical, hard-copy Bibles, and one of my favorites was given to me many years ago by a friend. It’s a leather-bound King James Version with references in some places to Ellen White’s writings and an SDA hymnal in the back. Significantly, like many printed Bibles, in the four books of the Gospel it has the actual statements of Christ, as reported by the inspired authors, in red letters.
The Faith of Yahshua is expressed by the Testimony of Yahshua. That’s simple enough, right? So, if we wish to learn about the Faith of Yahshua, so that we may receive it, be transformed by it, and carry it ourselves to the world, we must read His written testimony. That is not all, of course. His living Spirit guides us as we read, bringing light to dark places in the mind, and His Family on earth, the Church, is also gifted with Apostles, Prophets, Teachers, and so on, as it says in Ephesians 4, to prevent any misunderstandings from spreading too far. When these are all used in their proper balance, a people become prepared for everlasting life.
We may read, in the red text, what Yahshua believed. We may read it directly, and for ourselves. It is not everything He believed, of course. We read at the end of John’s Gospel, “And there are also many other things which Yahshua did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.” (John 21:25) But that same John wrote in the previous chapter, “And many other signs truly did Yahshua in the presence of His disciples which are not written in this book; but these are written that ye might believe that Yahshua is the Messiah, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name.” (John 20:30, 31)
So, we don’t have everything, but we have enough. We may go to the red text and read what Yahshua believed, as directly, and as sufficiently, as is necessary to convert the soul. These are our “tests of fellowship” because there are two things necessary for unity in Christ – these being (as it is written on the flag of the Creation Seventh Day Adventist Church) the “Faith of Jesus,” or Yahshua, and the “Commandments of God.” These things are found in the testimony of Yahshua as expressed through His recorded words.
So, let us close with just a few brief examples of the red text, of the Testimony that reveals the Faith of our Savior, and then, I hope, this will inspire you to begin your own investigation of His testimony.
One of the first things the Gospels record Christ saying is found here: “But He answered and said, ‘It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.’” (Mat 4:4)
We could have a lot of commentary and deep study about that verse, but what does it say, just directly? It says that our physical sustenance is not the only thing necessary for our lives, but also the words that come to us from our Father. In this knowledge, as it was for Christ during this temptation, we have the power to resist the enemy, who may be able to deny us bread for a time, but can never deny us the Word of Yah.
Here is another, and perhaps we can do one from each Gospel. When Yahshua was about to heal the man who had been paralyzed, He first said to him, “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.” (Mark 2:5) The Scribes, overhearing this, and being experts in the written doctrines, began to ask themselves, “Who does this man think he is? Only God can forgive sins!” And Yahshua replied, “Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, ‘Thy sins be forgiven thee,’ or to say, ‘Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?’ But that ye may know that the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (He saith to the sick of the palsy) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.” (Mark 2:8-11)
And we read that the man did so. Again, a lot of deep, doctrinal teachings may be drawn from this passage… but what does it tell you, directly? The Son of Yah has the power to heal both the body and the sin-sick spirit. In Him we safely place our trust, and He fulfills His promise to make us whole.
Two more, the first from Luke: “Thou knowest the commandments: do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honour thy father and thy mother.” (Luke 18:20) This is in response to a rich young man asking Christ what he needed to do to have everlasting life. The Savior’s immediate response is to start listing the commandments. It is not that He is giving a step-by-step set of instructions to “be saved,” but rather an explanation of what salvation “looks like.” Now, some have pointed out that this is “before the Cross,” and that the commandments did not apply in the same way after that; but of course, anyone who claims to be a Christian, and yet is comfortable committing adultery, theft, murder, perjury or dishonor upon his parents… with such a one, do not even eat. The issue with the “commandments” in the New Testament has always been about the Sabbath only, and these clear teachings from Christ about the continuing validity of the Decalogue in a general sense, as an outward indication of righteousness, reveal that quite clearly.
Finally, we return to John, and here is a fitting passage to use as His final quotation. In speaking to His Father about His followers, Yahshua prays: “And the glory which Thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as We are one: I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me.” (John 17:22, 23)
This was the Faith of Yahsua. This is what He believed, completely and totally, that the world knows that the Father has sent His Son when we, His followers, are “made perfect in one.” It is not when we have agreement on all the doctrines. It is not when we reject all the misunderstandings. It is not when we have the right way to celebrate, or not celebrate, the Feast Days. It is not when we all use the exact same words when describing the Godhead, or have the same (limited) understanding of the person-like-ness of the Holy Spirit. No… the Faith of Yahshua, the belief of Yahshua, is that the world knows that the Father has sent His Son to save the world when we are one in spirit, in glory, in purpose, and in love.
Then, and only then, and only through the people who believe this, who have the Faith of Yahshua, can the work be completed. Only those who speak this, openly, rejoicing that the Son has set them free from sin, free to teach others about the love of Yahweh, only they can bear the Testimony of Yahshua, and thus finally overcome the Beast and his Image, Satan’s final attempt to overthrow the people of God.
As I began by saying, words are powerful. Read the red text. See, for yourself, that it is so. Hear the Faith of Yahshua. Receive the Testimony of Yahshua. It is then that the transformation occurs, just exactly as it is written: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2Cor 5:17) I thank Yahweh that it has been so, that this has proven true, for many who read these words. May it be so for many more who read them in the days to come.
David.