Testifying of Truth

By Dr. Michael L. Williams

Psalm 119:13-14 With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.

Some of the most popular shows on television are those that involve crime and justice. The shows typically start with a crime being committed and the audience follows along while law enforcement officers solve the case and it goes to trial. At trial, witnesses tell their stories of what happened and by the conclusion of the show a verdict is made.

It is interesting that some people will say that art imitates life. They claim, what we see in art reflects what we see in life. Crime shows demonstrate this in that they have twists and turns that leave the viewer on the edge of their seat. Witnesses tell conflicting stories; suspects have politically incorrect agendas; and each side seeks verdicts that promote their version of how the law should be. Gone are the days when the person being charged breaks down and confesses they broke the law.

Sadly, we also see these changes in real life. People are charged with high profile crimes and prosecutors have to thread their way through a minefield of true and false witnesses to discover the truth. Decisions are rejected because those with no knowledge or regard for the facts accuse the authorities of bias or misconduct because they did not believe someone’s “version” of the truth.

Our key Bible passage today teaches us about the value of speaking the truth. It demonstrates that when we declare or “testify” of God’s judgments and testimonies we should do so with rejoicing like we would if we were suddenly endowed with riches. More specifically, what we say and do should be a direct result of God’s testimony.

God teaches us that His Word is truth. Jesus reinforced this as God when He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). He also told of the power and truth of God’s Word in saying, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17). Therefore, as believers, it is important that we look to God’s Word as our source of truth. It is important that we seek God’s testimony in all the affairs of life. When we do this, we can then rejoice in the fact that the judgments of the Lord can be relied upon. Therefore, when we speak of God’s judgments with our mouth, we can be sure that what we testify to is the truth. It is this truth that proves to be more valuable than riches. This truth is powerful, and eternal, and can be relied upon for making sound judgments in all the matters of life.

Let us pray that we stay focused on God’s testimonies and not the testimonies of the world. Let us consider that when any topic or subject is discussed, we should be bold witnesses of the truth according to what God says about the matter. Let us consider that although the opinions of many may drive public conversations and direction, it is the truth of God’s Word that needs to be spoken at the right time. Let us be bold in leaving a Godly testimony in all that we say and do. Let us preach the Word in the right context, doing the work of an evangelist: reproving, rebuking, and testifying of the riches of God’s Wisdom as manifested in Christ as His living Word. Praise be to God!