GOD IS LOVE Devotion 21 of 34 "And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world." (1 John 4:14) WE HAVE SEEN AND DO TESTIFY This is not a message emblazoned in the clouds of the sky, or written in stones of the holy land. While the message itself has come from God, it is testified by eye witnesses and participators in that love. This is not a message of empty and vain philosophy, or the propagation of human opinion. Well did Peter write, "For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty" (2 Pet 1:16). In the first of this Epistle, John confessed the same thing. "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you" (1:1-3a). THEY SAW IT When Jesus chose His disciples, He did so that they might "be with Him," as well as work for Him. As it is written, "And He ordained twelve, that they should be WITH Him, and that He might send them forth to preach" (Mk 3:14). When the early saints were used to replace Judas, they knew of the requirement to be with Jesus, and see the things that were to be testified. Therefore, Peter announced the criteria, "Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection" (Acts 1:21-22). THE POWERFUL EFFECT OF JESUS This situation confirms the powerful effect Jesus had upon those who walked with Him. They were never the same after they had willingly been with Him. Even as the glory of God altered the skin of Moses' face, so the influence of Christ altered the manner of the blessed twelve whom He ordained to be "with" Him. That change, mingled with and sanctified by the glorious message, obtains a power than cannot be successfully contradicted. CHOSEN MESSENGERS Those charged with initially declaring the Gospel were not volunteers. Of these men Jesus said, "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you" (John 15:19). Thus Peter affirmed, "Him God raised up the third day, and showed Him openly; not to all the people, but unto witnesses CHOSEN BEFORE OF GOD, even to us, who did eat and drink with Him after He rose from the dead" (Acts 10:41). – Tomorrow:
"He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love . . . God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." (1 John 4:9,16)
Again, the Spirit brings us into a consideration of the Gospel. Here, in the Gospel, is the most profound expression of the love of God. From one viewpoint, the Gospel is the announcement of Divine provision for us in the Person of Christ Jesus. From another view, it is the declaration of the love of God – or of God Himself. If believers are ever tempted to doubt that God loves them, let them run to the Gospel, take it into the heart and mind, and ponder its glorious message.
This reveals another aspect of God's character. His message is conveyed to men through men who have themselves walked with God – "holy men." God does not send us philosophers, but those who have walked with Him. Even in prophesying of the coming Savior, "holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Pet 1:21). He made His gracious intentions known "unto His HOLY apostles and prophets by the Spirit" (Eph 3:5). God has always followed this procedure. Thus did He say through Isaiah, "Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD" (Isa 52:11).
The single exception to this was Paul the Apostle. Yet, Jesus made a special appearance to him because he was "born out of due time" (1 Cor 15:8). Jesus personally taught Paul apart from involvement with the other Apostles. Paul alludes to this in his letter to the Galatians, acknowledging that his instruction was so thorough, the remaining Apostles could not add to it. "Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days." Fourteen years later, it was revealed to Paul that he should again go up to Jerusalem and confer with the most reputable of God's servants. Jesus had taught him so thoroughly, that he said of those early leaders, "those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me" (Gal 2:6).
Early in their ministry, when Peter and John were strictly commanded by a Jewish council "not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus," they answered without hesitation. "Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have SEEN AND HEARD" (Acts 4:19-20).
Now John confesses he also was still a part of this Divine purpose. He was speaking of what he had "seen" – namely that the Father sent the Son. When but a young man, he followed Jesus when called to do so (Mk 1:19-20). He was among three elite men who were afforded extraordinary glimpses of Jesus and His work (Matt 17:1; Mk 5:37; 9:2; 13:3; 14:33). But now He recalls the significance of those times in the power of the Spirit.
This is not a mere technicality – testifying to what they have SEEN. The power of the message is confirmed in this circumstance. Do you not recall how those first hearing the apostles marveled at them. "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus" (Acts 4:13). And how did they know these men "had been with Jesus?" Was it simply because they said so? It appears there was such power in the message these men declared, and such apparent confidence in their manner, that it could only be traced back to one thing. They had been with Jesus!
All of this is involved in the words, "We have seen and do testify."
PRAYER POINT: Father, I thank You in Jesus' name for the solidity of the Gospel, and for the liberating and powerful message that it carries to the humble and contrite spirit.