Do you really have a Testimony? I find it interesting that
in some LDS forums the moment I mention something from the TaNaKh regarding a
doctrine that might appear to conflict with someone's opinion the first thing
they ask me is if I have a testimony. What I find interesting by this statement
is that the majority of LDS people do not have a testimony as defined by Hebrew
Scripture. 99.999% of what I hear on the 1st Sunday of the Month are not actual
testimonies that would fall under Hebraic Definition and in many ways I think
this condition of not actually having a testimony is a merciful gift of YHVH.
In Hebrew a testimony is a first hand witness of an actual
event. In other words it would be something you experience such as touch,
sight, smell, etc. The concept of testimony being something you could bear
witness of in court. So imagine for a second that you were called up to bear
witness of something at a trial. Let's say you said you witnessed someone
murder someone else. You are on the stand and you state that Mr. SoAndSo
murdered the guy next door. The prosecuting attorney would then ask, "Did you see
it?" You answer, "No". Then he would ask how do you know he did. You
answer "The spirit told me he did." Do we honestly think that would
hold up in court.
Well God's tabernacle is also his court room and when we
bear witness of something we are stating we have actually experienced something
first hand. To bear witness of something you have not experienced is considered
bearing false witness.
So is it possible that when people get up and say, "I
know that Jesus is the Christ" or I "know" this Church is true
they are bearing false witness. Technically yes, but in another way no.
Unless a person touched handled, saw, and spoke with the
Messiah then in truth they are not an actual witness and if they said I KNOW
that Jesus is the Christ they would technically be bearing false witness. This
is why the 12 Apostles (Witnesses) of the Lamb were actual witnesses. They had
seen, touched, ate with, spoke with, learned from the Master. They could
actually bear a first hand testimony that they had seen the resurrected
Messiah.
So if this is the case then what are all these
"testimonies" we hear on the first Sunday of the Month. Well most of
them fall under the Hebrew concept of Chokmah- wisdom or information given by
the spirit of YHVH. Just because it is given by the Spirit of YHVH would make
it no less valid, but the purpose of the Spirit Giving this information is to
lead you along until that which is spiritual becomes manifest in your life in
the here and now. In other words your "information from the Spirit"
is given as a confirmation as grace (YHVH enabling power) to give you comfort
and promise that you are on the path to receiving the actual Experience!
16 Therefore, blessed are they who humble themselves without
being compelled to be humble; or rather, in other words, blessed is he that
believeth in the word of God, and is baptized without stubbornness of heart,
yea, without being brought to know the word, or even compelled to know, before
they will believe.
17 Yea, there are many who do say: If thou wilt show unto us
a sign from heaven, then we shall know of a surety; then we shall believe.
18 Now I ask, is this faith? Behold, I say unto you, Nay;
for if a man knoweth a thing he hath no cause to believe, for he knoweth it.
19 And now, how much more cursed is he that knoweth the will
of God and doeth it not, than he that only believeth, or only hath cause to
believe, and falleth into transgression?
20 Now of this thing ye must judge. Behold, I say unto you,
that it is on the one hand even as it is on the other; and it shall be unto
every man according to his work.
21 And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a
perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things
which are not seen, which are true. (Alma 32)
The Messiah wants us to come into his presence and be one
with him in the here and now, but at the same time he is the master teacher and
knows exactly how to guide us along to reach that condition. Does the clay say
to the potter, " You are doing it Wrong!"
