EXTRACT – WHO IS IN THE TESTIMONY?

There has always been a testimony. The expression "the testimony" is of frequent occurrence in the Old Testament ... Let us then first ascertain the testimony proper to the church, which now, even when general declension has set in, the faithful are called to maintain. There having always been a testimony, it varied according to the revelation God gave of Himself. … There was always, at every time, a feebleness or a declension in maintaining the testimony, or a surrender of it, when personal consideration weighed with the Lord's people; that is, … they forgot what was due to God, and considered only for themselves.

The testimony now is, "He [the Holy Spirit] shall bear witness concerning me", John 15:26. God sent His Son into this world "that whosoever believes on him may not perish, but have life eternal" (John 3:16); and He is now at God's right hand, the Head of His body the church, which is down here as the real tabernacle of testimony … the testimony proper to the church is that all believers now have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, and are set up in the life and Spirit of Christ, a new man, the "assembly, which is his body", Eph.1:22. … the testimony declared that the Man at God's right hand was the Man of His purpose, and that now, through divine grace, we were of Him, and not only enjoying the efficacy of His work in our souls, but that we were through the Holy Spirit in conscious and abiding union with Him, so that His interests and concerns were ours. We testify of Him. … The snare to which the Lord's people in every time have been exposed is to surrender the testimony to which they were called.

As the testimony is of God, it is plain that nothing but divine power can enable a man to maintain it. Hence the moment the heart is diverted from allegiance to Him, and faith wavers, there must be a declension or surrender of the testimony.

… No one is in the testimony who, though converted, is not at peace with God, though I trust there are those in this state who desire to follow on and to know the purpose of His grace more fully. I merely assert that in their present state they could not be in the testimony.

… The most devoted preacher of the gospel might not be in the testimony, and always when this great service becomes the one object, then the testimony is either overlooked, or is of little interest. When the benefit of man is paramountly before the servant, he often, unintentionally but assuredly, judges of everything in relation to it, and though he might not say in so many words, 'What is the good of the testimony to the lost soul?' yet the habit of his mind, and his practical feeling, is to this effect.

… Do we not find many Christians whose one idea in serving the Lord is the conversion of souls? And when it is so, I ask again, can the heart exclusively set on the serving of man consider for, or be consistent in any way with, the testimony of the Lord? … It is plain to be seen how a doctrine of this kind, however tacitly accepted, must allow or excuse the enjoyment of worldly things.

… The testimony is so unique, so distinctly characteristic of the rejected Lord, that any one in the testimony would refuse everything which would tend to his distinction here. … Nothing can be plainer. "They are not of the world, as I am not of the world", John 17:14. And it is to those hated by the world that the Holy Spirit was sent by Him to "testify of me". The testimony is of Christ in glory. … Paul was in the testimony, though forsaken by the saints. "At my first defence no man stood with me, but all deserted me. May it may not be imputed to them. But the Lord stood with me, and gave me power, that through me the proclamation might be fully made, and all those of the nations should hear; and I was delivered out of the lion’s mouth", 2 Tim.4:16,17.

In conclusion, we must distinguish between those who are earnestly seeking to be true to the Christian calling, really growing into the testimony, however slowly, and those who, while professing to be in it, are insensible to the nature of the practice which it demands. … Some then may exclaim, 'Who then is in the testimony?' I answer that though they are few, we are not for that reason to lower the standard. That, as I have said at the beginning, has ever been the snare of the adversary. 'As it is so hard to keep it up', he would say, 'let us reduce it or surrender it altogether. Let us turn back again into Egypt'. Nay, let us accept the gravity and blessedness of our calling, and look to the Lord that we may cleave the more to Him, and then by the Holy Spirit we shall be enabled to be really in the testimony, the only path or course suited or satisfactory to the devoted heart on the earth. The more we love Him, the more we are in every particular like Him, and unlike the world that would not have Him. When I lose sight of Him, I lose sight of the testimony, and lose the power to carry it out.

J.B. Stoney Vol.11 pp.63-68

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