Jesus: A Witness to the Truth! #JesusFollowers

The office and work of a witness is to make known the truth, not to those who already know it, but to those who are not in possession of the knowledge of it.

When a witness is called into any of our courts of justice, it is in order that he may bring to our knowledge facts and circumstances which have a bearing on the case in hand, that those who are judges in the matter may obtain the information that is necessary to form correct judgment.

A witness is not expected to make anything true that is not true before his testimony is heard. No person supposes that the testimony of any witness will make that true which is not true. A faithful witness testifies only to facts which are true before his testimony is given.

Christ, the Savior of the world, in the character of a witness, makes nothing known to the children of men but what was true before he came into the world. Every point of doctrine that Jesus taught to the people, was just as true before he came, as it has been since.

Every divine promise contained in the Scriptures relating to the gift of everlasting salvation, and in reference to being blessed by God forever, were just as true before Jesus proclaimed them to the world as they are now.

The Messiah came in the character, and to do the work, of a witness - to make that known which was true before he came. As I have already remarked, a witness comes to show that which was true before his testimony is heard, and not to make something true by merely testifying to its existence.

According to the views of many Christians, the truth of the whole scheme of man's salvation depends entirely upon our believing it! This is another error. They seem to suppose that the thing to be believed, is not true until it is believed. Now, common sense teaches us better than this.

We know that believing a thing does not make it true, neither does disbelieving a thing make it false.

The truth of the case is as the laws of Nature have established it. Would your unbelief prevent the sun from rising? Would your unbelief make any difference as to the matter? Yes, just as much difference as it would in regard to the simple truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; but all the unbelief that ever existed, or ever will exist, can never make it false.

From a Sermon by Hosea Ballou, Nov. 2, 1834