By: J.M.G — 10/23/22
Just what is a “testimony?” The way it is used in our New Testament is as follows: Martureo, from martus (Greek), “to be a witness, i.e. testify (lit. or fig.), give evidence, bear record, obtain good/honest report, be well reported of, give testimony.” It can also mean “be a martyr.”
A testimony is an account of what a person or persons has seen or experienced. For the believer, it is a declaration of who Jesus Christ is and what He has done in us and for us. So, the authenticity of ones’ testimony is displayed in: 1) conversation; 2) conduct; 3) character.
The way “martureo” is used is found in Acts 13:22 and 14:3, as well as in Heb. 11:5: “… He raised up for them David as king to whom also He gave TESTIMONY and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will” [see Psalms 89:20 and 1 Samuel 13:14]. Obviously David was preferred over Saul as king, for David has a good testimony, as the LORD said, “… a man after my own heart, who will do all My will.”
Just ponder this. David must have had the “3-C’s” or else God would not had chosen him to ruler over His people.
In Acts 14:3 we read: (Paul) “… speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing WITNESSING to the Word of His grace, growing signs and wonders to be done by their hands.”
Again the (Greek) word “martureo” is used. Now come to the last Scripture where this particular Greek word is used:
“By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death… for before he was taken he had this TESTIMONY, that he pleased God” (Hebrews 11:5). This man of God had such sterling testimony that he was taken to heaven without seeing physical death!
Marturia, also from martus, “evidence given (judicially or generally), record, report, witness.”
John 3:32, 33; 5:34; 8:17; 21:24; Acts 22:18; Revelations 1:2,9; 6:9; 11:7; 12; 11,17 all use the Greek Word “marturia.”
Marturion, also from martus, “something evidential, i.e. (gen.) evidence given or (spec.) the Decalogue (in the sacred Tabernacle), to be testified, testimony, witness.” (Also the Greek word marturomai is found, which means “to be addicted as a witness, i.e. (fig.) to ob-test, take to record, testify”).
So, we put all these together they come to the 3-C’s: conversation/ conduct/character. Conversation: (Hebrew, derek/darak) “to walk, as trodden; (fig.) = a course of life or mode of action…” (Greek, anastrepho/anastrophe), “to live, abide, behave self, behavior.”
Some folks believe that “conversation” means “talk,” but it’s longer meaning is the way we “walk.” Keep this in mind when we look at those Scriptures where this Greek word is used.
There are several other words also: politeuma and politeuomai “a community, i.e. (abstr.) citizenship” and “to behave as a citizen (fig.) be, live.” (from polites, “a townsman/ citizen”).
Here is one more Greek Word: tropos/trope, “mode or style, character, manner, means, way, to turn.”
Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 1:12, “For our boasting is this: the testimony (manturion) of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity…” (NKJV).
Paul, here in 2 Corinthians 1:12-14 discusses his own conduct (conversation); he prefaces the section with the statement about his habitual behavior and attitude toward the community… his conformity to God’s grace.
So, conversation, character, and conduct all fit together.
What you, readers, need to do is look up the following texts in which you’ll find all the above Greek words:
2 Corinthians 1:12; Galatians 1:13; Ephesians 2:3; 4:22; Philemon 1:27, 3:20; 1 Timothy 4:12; Hebrews 13:5,7; James 3:13; 1 Peter 1:15, 18, 2:12, 3:1,2,16; 2 Peter 2:7 and 3:11. These texts speaks about (1) Character/(2) conduct/(3) conversation:
(1) Character – one has to contrast the “old man” (Romans 6:6; Galatians 5:24; Colossians 2:11; Ephesians 4:22; Colossians 3:8: note: this verse, “But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of our mouth.” Here we run across what we would normally call conversation. With the “new man,” aka, “new creation:” “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: old things have passed away; behold all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17: old self and new self). The new self, i.e. Christian must develop a Christ-like character. Sadly too many refuse to do this, hence, they become “religious” and not “righteous.” So, salvation, i.e. being born again (John 3:3,5) starts this character transformation process – dying to “self”/living for “Christ.”
You see, God will know the difference between the authentic and the phony. We’re to CONFORM to the image of Christ: “For whom He foreknew, he also predestined to be CONFORMED to the image of His Son…” (Romans 8:29).
Conformed: Greek, symmorphos, “formed, i.e. (fig.) similar, fashioned like unto,” from sun (a prim. prep. denoting “union”), association, companionship, resemblance, beside, completeness.”
Speaking of “completeness” and “union,” Paul wrote: “… till we all come to the UNITY of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man (i.e. “mature”), to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13). Wow! There is a lot there! All this spells “character,” “Christ like image.” How many Christians do we know that has a Christ like Character? Do we have one? I need WORK!!!
(2) Conduct – the way we act reflects who we serve. If we still act like devils (old man/woman) then we are not fully in the center of God’s will. We talk/sing like angels but live like devils! Amen? This process of conversion is a life-long process. I mean till we come to the UNITY of the faith; growing into a mature man/woman, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
It is God’s perfect will for His children to grow into man/womanhood, aka “a perfect man.” (Colossains 1:28; Colossians 2:2; 1 Corinthians 14:20). God wants us to become “one new person” (Ephesians 2:15) though there anthropos suggests humanity (male/female), while here – Ephesians 4:13 – aner is the term for male, i.e. Son of God.
Paul makes it clear in Ephesians 4:15,16 that Christ is the head and the body male/female members. [Ref. 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 and Romans 12:4,5 where Christ is identified with the whole body, including the head].
The apostle begins to indicate how the new life in Christ contrasts with the Gentiles’ old life/existence, Ephesians 4:17-24. Literally, the “old self” (v.22) and the “new self,” (v.24), aka “old man”/“new man” (anthropos, person), as at 2:15.
Authenticity – a truly converted/transformed life will be marked by obedience. Do we see this in all the liberal churches today?
Test: The way we can tell if we are mature or not is in testing. By this I mean the 1 Peter 4:12 type, aka FIERY TRIAL! Let the “sword that cuts and the fire that burns” be turned upon us. The Sword, i.e. Spirit/Word cut corruption off/out of us; let the Fire, i.e. Spirit burn the HELL out of us – whoever survives will be counted worthy.
(3) Conversation:
True, conversation can be what we speak, talk. But as we’ve examined the texts where this word is used, it usually always relates to our lifestyle or citizenship etc. So, there is a difference between talk and walk.
Jesus’ “a tree is known by its fruit” argument in Matthew 12:33-35 is an example. “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit,” (v.33). Jesus drives this sword deeper into the Pharisees: “Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, SPEAK good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks,” (v.34). What Jesus is getting to is that we speak out whatever fills our hearts. Now I know the “religious” were experts at hypocrisy. In Matthew 23 Jesus accuses them of, “they say, and do not do” (v.3). He says “… for a pretense make long prayers,” (v.14). They were guilty of swearing falsely, v.16-22. But all their “religious” talk/conversation” did not fool Jesus. No sir! Neither will ours.
In closing, out testimony is important, we may fool men but not God. Not even the devil himself, for he is the master of lies and deceit.
Jesus’ good/bad tree and good/bad fruit was His way of “telling off” the religious hypocrites. The whole conversation centered upon Jesus’ “3-C’s:” He cast out demons with His own Word and the Pharisees accused Him of casting out demons by the power of Satan. This, Jesus calls blasphemy (v.31). His fruit (Jesus’) was good; their fruit (Pharisees’) was bad. Because he was able to drive out demons proved the point; their words reflected their conversation: Evil/ Bad. So, in short, the admission of Jesus’ goodness cannot be made by the “religious,” for they are evil, and the words that proceed from their evil hearts cannot be good.
Judge for yourself where you live.
