THE PRIMACY OF TESTIMONY

The primacy of testimony is built on God's transforming work of grace in the life and history of  people who by nature, are not worthy and good- Eph. 2:8-10. Testimony is concerned with a name of joy, power, honour and renown which the Lord has invested His love, power and grace to build among His people. God does everything to protect, defend, vindicate and avenge His loving and gracious investments that has brought Him joy, honour and praise among His people. This is the reason why He introduced Himself as a jealous God that brings judgment upon those He invests on- Ex. 20:4-6. Hence, He first establishes testimony in the life of His people before appointing a law that serves as a standard of living for them.

The primacy of testimony, witness or record is that it is the power of the law appointed as a standard of life and justice for any people. When testimony is lost, the law becomes powerless and weak to be enforced. The power of God upon en is dependent on testimony.  When God's testimony is not upheld in our lives (as God's children) for the outside world to see, through our character and works; it will be lost and His message that we carry to the world will lose its power and authenticity; what follows next is blasphemy and profanity against God and His people by the unbelievers- Ezek. 36:22-32.

The testimony of god is all about what He has done and Who He is and this becomes a standard for what He can do and will do. His testimony becomes the standard for enforcing His law among men. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy and we are given power to overcome the devil by the blood of Jesus, by the word of our testimony and by not loving ourselves unto death- Rev. 12:10-12.

When the church has lost her testimony before the hostile world, she will be powerless before it to sustain her witness for the Lord. The Lord also gives a testimony of restoration and victory to the repentant and obedient people- Isa. 25:6-9; Ps. 126.

All has the same purpose of sanctifying, magnifying, and glorifying the name of the Lord in His people so that they will be a name of joy, praise, honour and renown to Him before the peoples of the earth. This was why the ark of the covenant was called the ark of testimony and the tabernacle was called the Tent of testimony- Ex. 39:35. The ark and the tabernacle were so called because they were symbols of God's presence in the midst of His people; and were the bearers of His glory-cloud, and contained the manna, the tables of the law, and Aaron's rod that budded.