The testimony of your acts and lifestyle on earth is the record of the conducts of the account of your entire life written on high in the book of human reckoning, which is the book of remembrance. The book of Job 16:9.
During your life time or at your funeral – death, men shall speak about you according to what they see you ‘ve done: though they may not see all your good or bad works, but God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing whether it be good, or whether it be evil, to reward you accordingly – he that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. Ecclesiastes 12:14. Revelation 22:11-12.
To understand the reason why we have to keep walking and maintaining good reputation in uprightness of life before God is so imporatant, you can you see clearly from how God was so happy and confident before Satan about the testimony of Job’s uprightness and intergrity of life, – And the Lord said unto Satan, hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? The book of Job 1:8. Note: good reputation is not good before God if it is not in what is good and acceptable before him in the light of his word – in all honesty and transparency and fairness. It should not be the way Ananais and Saphira his wife sough for good name and testimony in a deceitful and lying manner against the spirit of God in the early church.
Your praises and commendation is of God, and if you are deformed and ill spoken against falsely, you should rejoice and be exceedingly glad, great shall be your reward in heaven. People can persecute and speak falsely about you, but what about the testimony of your conscience? For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. 1 John 3:20-21.
What is the personal assesements of your sincerity, uprightness of heart and life, honesty, intergrity, goodness, kindness, transparency, truthfulness? For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward. 2 Corinthians 1:12.
Job’ personal testimony of his conscience was irreproachable – my righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live. The book of Job 27:6.
What about apostle Paul’s testimony of his ministerial work and honesty in life? Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20: 26-27: 33-35.
Rich or poor, God will accept and reward the goodly, godly, righteous and Christlike characters in the kingdom of heaven – A poor man is better than a liar – better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich. Proverbs 19:22. 28:6.
Spirituality without divine nature – manifesting gifts of the spirit, living in the spirit, without walking in the spirit, the absence of the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:25) is the deception of many who are going up to heaven through the broad way and wide gate, but the end is destruction. Having a form of godliness, though, you have more gifts than others, and manifest the greatest gift of the spirit without godly behaviours, be assured of rejection and destruction at the end. Matthew 7:13-14.
This is the reason why the Spirit of God gives different kinds of his gifts severally in proportion to everyone as he will, but he gives all the nine fruit of the spirit to each and everyone of us to manifest the moral beauty of Christ who lives in us.
Characters borne by the fruit of the spirit of God is more inmportant to him than any service and work done for him or others through the gifts of the spirit. The vessels of honour are those who are honourably walking in Christ to sanctify his holy name by their irreproachable, holy and righteous conducts. Such men and women shall be used on earth, spared and preserved to serve God throughout all eternity. The issues of believer’s credibility is more important before God than every other things, so that we might abstain from all appearances of evil to walk in the light as he is light – you are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe. 1 Thessaloninas 2:10.
The testimony of believer’s conduct is the attestation of his way of life and his integrity in the beauty and soundness of his morality in his representation and presentation of the Christ in him, just like the testimony of Christ spoken about Nathanael when Philip first brought him to Christ, –behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile – a trust- worthy man without deceit or pretense, whose doings was of a piece with his profession. This was the testimony of Christ about Nathanael when Philip brought him to the Lord in their first encounter – if we received the witness of man, the witness of God is greater. John 1:47. Note: the full testimony of your conducts and personality in Christ Jesus comes from your conscious application of the fruit of the spirit – limited to the cultivation and dilligent personal discipline you’re applying and manifesting from the nine fruit of the spirit in your daily conversation, situations and encounter with men in the world and in the church – becoming more and more like the peaceful Christ by the fruit of peace – more and more in patience and tolerance like Christ by the fruit of longsuffering – more and more of a gentle spirit like Christ by the fruit of gentleness – abounding more and more in every good works like the Lord by the fruit of goodness – rooted and grounded in the faith settled, being full of faith, walking and standing string in the faith, doing everything by the fruit of faith – becoming more and more of our an humble spirit like Christ by the fruit of meekness – becoming more and more like Christ in self-control by the fruit of temperance: for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth; proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. Galatians 5: 22-24.
Believers should live in such a way that they should be able to remind others of how they’ve lived, and what they’ve been as good men while with them. Paradventure, people tends to forget who you are and what you stand for, you should be able to remind them of who you are and what you stand for – But how? Did any of the men I sent to you take advantage of you? When I urged Titus to visit you and sent our other brother with him, did they make any profit? No, of course not. For we have the same Holy Spirit and walk in each other’s steps, doing things the same way. 2 Corinthians 12:17-18.
Attitude and character is the very essence of what we are and is formed by a collection of core values and moral attributes which define our pattern of behaviour. God is more intrested in our conducts with good reports than demonstrating the gifts of the Spirit without good conducts. Working miracles, moving mountains, dissolving doubts and fears and prophecying are all meaningness to God if we are not walking and growing in the fruit of the Spirit which will our conversation to be as it becomes the gosple of Christ for a good testimony to follow or be seen by others. Philippians 1:27.
Wherever you are, you should be the same. You can’t be a child of God in the south – north and be a child of Satan in the west -east. You should not be a devil at home but saint out side, that’s a damnable deceptive hypocrisy. Testimony is the believer’s sound conducts, his godly behaviours, his ways of life and manners of living with scriptural background in godly characters and fruitful conversations – beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God. Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true. 3 John 11-12.
Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm. Proverbs 3:30. Strive not with a man because of the colour of his skin, his family background or because he was brought up in a ghetto. We don’t have power to chose the colour of our skin at birth or to which family – rich or poor to come from, but we can chose to live and have a positive influence and impactful different life from where we were brought up. Nathaniel didn’t know anything about Jesus but he has already condenmed the just and holy man simply because Christ grew up in Nazareth, a town in Galilee. Philip was trying to bring him to Christ, but his first response was, can anything good come out of Nazarene? Even at Sodom and Gomorah, all were not gay. We should not expect all Nazerene to be bad. There are bad and good men everywhere, we should dealt with each person individually, not collectivelly, not on the merit of where they are coming from or colour of skin. John 1:46.
Never generalize people to be the same, though they are from the same evil father, mother, nation, tribe or colour, what they have, or they don’t have, otherwise, you’ll find yourself sinning against God – better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich. Proverbs 28:6.
Judge not by appearance, nor by colour of the skin, neither by any wordly standards of evaluation, but make a righteous judgement of a man’s conducts through the eyes of the scriptures and discernement of spirit. Every tree is known by its fruit. Christ taught us not be sentimental and be carried away by any fanciful and spectacular deeds of supernatural manifestation from anyone in his name, but to look deeper for the fruit which speaks of who the person realy is which reveals what is in them – man’s characters, bahaviours and spoken words defines man, from the abundance of heart the man speaks.
The end game or purpose of your testimony is to replicate Christ in you. People should not only heard about you as a Christian, but they should be able, like the Samaritans people replied to the woman who introduced Christ to them, that though you have spoken to us about him, but we have seen with our own eyes that he is indeed the Christ.
Were the believers not first called as Christians at Antioch? The conscious expression of Christ image in us should cause men to called us Christ like – Christians, men and women of good and honest reports (Acts 6:1-3), church worker or not, we must not only have a good reports from within the church, but also from the unbelievers in the neighbourhood – moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil – for this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: if any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having his children not accused of riot or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre. 1Timothy 3:7. Titus 1: 5-9.
If glorious things are spoken of Zion, the city of our God (Psalms 87:3), glorious reports and testimonies should be spoken about the inhabitants of Zion – God knows we are honest, but we should let everyone else to know it too. Are we not the salt of the earth and light of the world? Should the salt lose its sweetness in the world, it shall be good for nothing, but men shall throw it away and trample it on their feet. Should they fail to walk in the world as children of light, they will cause others to stumble and shall be held responsible for their misrepresentation of Christ by the Lord himself.
These are the royal priesthoods who should maintain and preserve the royal dignity by potraying the highest moral standard and honour of the Kingdom in their various assignments and engagements of which divine duty and calling has employed them. Believers should live transparently, able to challenge and defend their intergrity and good conducts before all men, both inside and outside the church – And Samuel said unto all Israel, behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you. And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day. Behold, here I am: witness against me before the Lord, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you. And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man’s hand. And he said unto them, the Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, He is witness. 1 Samuel 12:1-5.
As Christ ambassadors on earth, we should first think of the outcome of any action before it’s execution. Good conducts strenghtens the hands and rejoices the hearts of the brethren in the Lord while bad and evil conducts weakens and discorages the feeble hearted, make others to be offended in Christ and backslide, and this rejoices the heart of the arch enemy of Zion – Satan.
Scandalous reports of a believer’s conducts brings reproach and shame to the name of God of Israel in the church and world – O Israel, you only have I known of all the famillies of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities – the church is the spiritual Israel of God and his family that bears his name on earth.
The body of Christ is a spiritual family dignified above all the families of flesh and blood of the earth, and the distinguishing favors of God bestowed upon her should serve to restraint her from sin (the integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them. Proverbs 11:3); if not, they shall not serve to exempt her from divine punishment of reproach of sin to tarnish the kingdom’s image before the world. Amos 3:2.
God will sanctify his name and dignity at the expense of those who are responsible to do so but failed. We should not profane his holy name by ungodliness and iniquity, to bring disgrace upon our relationship with God and put a slight upon the favours and honours with which we are distinguished as children of God. If we are children of God, we should talk, live and walk increasingly in obedient to the gospel of Christ to bring praises to his eggective redemptive works in us. God’s holy name and honour must not be drag into the mud, even as David did in the matter of Uriah the Hittite, with whose wife (Bathsheba) he committed adultery, subtly took her to be his wife and slew the husband with the sword of the children of Ammon – howbeit, because of this deed thou hast given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die. By this single thoughtless act of sexual immorality (the little foxes spoils the vine and dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so a little folly (sin) him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour. Ecclesiastes 10:1), irreparable damages were done to the testimony of David’s life, written and included as parts of the testimony of his entire life in the book of the chronicles of God – that David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, save (except in his moral failure which damaged his testimony and reputation and brought the curse of an endless war into his house. 2 Samuel 12:10) only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. 1 Kings 15:5.
Apostle Paul made Timothy to know that to have a good testimony, you must be a good example for others to see, speak about it and to follow – let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12.
The ministers should not be in the displeasure of the worshippers for the ungodly and sinful disappointments which they found from those who are expected to speak and do as those who shall be judged by the law of liberty – the discouragements and offences they have caused through their compromising and negative behaviours and lifestyles which may give room for the enemy to gain advantage and to sway over the people which are meant to be won to the Lord. We see such bad example and the scandals caused by the sons of Eli, whose moral conducts in the temple services and relationship with the people of God tarnished the office of the priesthood and were labeled, not as sons of God, but as sons of Belial (worthless, evil and un-circumcised in heart for the attestations of their evil doings and dealings with the worshippers) as they brought shame to God’s name and rebellion to his honour. 1 Samuel 2:12. Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And he said unto them, why do ye such things? For I hear of all your evil dealings (testimonies) by this entire people. Nay, my sons; for it is no good report (testimony) that I hear: ye make the LORD’s people to transgress. If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD would slay them. 1 Samuel 2: 22-24.
The Lord will not be slacked to defend the testimony of his holy, great, glorious and precious name. He shall cut off any man or woman misrepresenting him if they persist in their sinfulness as he did against Eli who was killed in the same day with his two sons and his daughter in law for the avenging of the misrepresentation of his holy name on earth – thus saith the Lord, as the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants’ sakes, that I may not destroy them all. 2 Samuel 2: 27-36. Isaiah 65: 8.
It is evil and damnable before the Lord and punishable before the court of law to accuse anyone falsely in order to damage their testimony or character, but the sons and daughters of Satan in the church shall do so (1 Kings 21:10-13): speak not evil of another brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. James 4:11.
The sins of gossiping and backbitting are as damaging and punishable before the Lord (Psalms 15:3): much more as well as in men who was drawn and they bought into falsehood to take up a reproach against their neighbours without verifying and establishing the truth of the matter under two to three witnesses – woe unto you that spoils when thou are not spoilt – not only that such shall be spoilt, they shall not make heaven neither see God’s face because it is written, thou shall not raise a false testimony: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous (to damage other’s credibility and good name) witness. Exodus 23:1. Isaiah 33:1.
Blessed are you, when men shall speak evil of you and shall falsely accuse you for my name sake, rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great shall be your reward in heaven. Christ was without fault, but destroy his testimony, he was falsely accused of using the power of darkness to cast out demons, called as the man that has the devil; how much worst is Satan through the envious brethren in the church and the unbelievers in the wolrd are keenly looking for any fault and mistake to reproach the name of Christ, if we are not walking cautiously; with watchfulness every way as wise, not as fools.
As deceivers, and yet true. 2 Corinthians 6:8. The accuser of the brethren – Satan will go to any length to damage the believer’s credibility by evil and slanderous reports, but who shall lay any charge against the elects of God? Is it not written that every tongue that shall rise up against the elect in judgement shall be condemned?
David says, my defense is of God, which saves the upright in heart. Psalms 7:10. God will keep you from the strife of tongue, but will engage the enemies in battle to protect, vindicate and to defend the testimony of his name in the favour of his children against any spiritual or physical attack of deformation of their character.
Do not slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you, and you will bear the guilty. Proverbs 30:10.
The spirit of envy made Aaron and Mirian, Moses senior brother and sister, sought to undermine the credibility and to damage his reputation and dinimished his worth and authority in the camp because he took and married an Ethopian woman, thinking they had found an occasion to reproach him of which the Lord frowned against – why are you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses: and the Lord spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out. And the Lord came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth. And he said hear now my words: if there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them; and he departed. And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous. And Aaron said unto Moses, alas, my lord, I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned. Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he came out of his mother’s womb. And Moses cried unto the, Lord saying, heal her now, O God, I beseech thee. And the Lord said unto Moses, if her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? Let her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in again. And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days: and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again. Numbers. 12:1-15.
The nine fruit of the spirit of God is designed to shape and form you into the image of Christ if you walk in the spirit as you are living in the spirit. It is parts of your testimonies when people talk about your as a very loving man, self less and considerate, a man full of love: (b) A happy man, rejoicing in his God, in every situation, you always sees hil happy, the joy of the Lord is his strenght: (c) Non problematic man, hardly upset any, everyone loves him for his calmness, always avoiding conflict, very peaceful man: (d) he always takes his time with people, very understanding and full of patience: (e) a very considerate man, always smiling, very kind and well understanding: (f) a very good man, liberal, giving, always there to help others in his little manner, his goodness is outstanding: (g) a very honest man, trustworthy, a man of fair mindedness and of intergrity, he is faithful: (h) he always avoid troubles and confrontations with others, a very gentlen man: (i) he is man of good a manner, very polite and careful in doing his things, quiet and reserved with self-control – this is the divine nature of which his divine power has made us to partake to cultivate and manifest, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lusts.
Sin is a reproach to any man. Proverbs 14:34. All the negative traits which are the works of the flesh does not speak well of anyone who is a child of God, but they serves as bad label to our reputation to defame our testimonies in the Lord if we do not mortify them, but to give room for others to rightly calls you a fornicator, a talkative, liar, manipulator, jealous, envious, evil, adulterer, drunkard, lesbian, gay, extortioner, theif, idolatrous, coveteous, greedy, ill mannered, ill mannered, furious, troublemaker, unrully, abusive, rude, obnoxious, seductive, deceiver, furious, traitor, arrogant, rebellious, a talebearer, a trouble maker, backbitter etc. Galatians 5:19-21. 1 Corinthians 5:9-11.
As believers’ in Chrust Jesus, we ought to behave wisely in all our ways and in relationships with all men, being respectful and respectable, either inside or outside the church as David did before the presence of King Saul and before all Israelis and was greatly admired, well-spoken of and loved by all and the Lord was with him. 1 Samuel 18:14-16.
In order to build a strong, godly, blessed and lasting legacy and good reputation for ourselves and for our children after us (the just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.Proverbs 20:7), we must maintain good works to maintain a good name – testimony against any thoughtless, sinful and negative action, carelessness and any little folly on our part may cause or bring great and irreparable damage (s) to our reputation. This is exactly what the enemy seeks daily against us, to damage our reputation in the Lord – remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants; how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people; wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O Lord; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed. Psalms 89: 50-51: 102:8.
Dorcas was a woman of tender and liberal spirit in the early church but she died prematurely after a brief illness and the brethren unanimously refused to deliver her up to the early grave and refused to bury her. She was full of good works and almsdeed: so useful to all in her capacity and good works and her good name – testimony is equaled to none: if not, none would care much to keep her lifeless body: not for so long after her demised. She sew coats and garments for widows and the needy in her church and community with her own loving hands.
Because the disciples in her church learnt that Peter was nearby, they sent two men to beg the apostle to visit the grief-stricken congregation and Peter did not delay in accompanying the two men to the death chamber at Joppa where the weeping widows were assembled: and he must have been moved as they reverently exhibited the coats and garments Dorcas had made for them and put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed and with the word of power and authority, he turned to her lifeless body and commanded; Tabitha, arise,’ and life returned. Dorcas sat up, and Peter presented her alive to the saints and widows. Acts 9:36-43.
The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot – a good name is better than riches: mind you, what people actually knows and speaks rightly about you matters a lot and you should care about such as well! Proverbs 10:7.
You should be living daily in the consciousness of maintaning your good testimony by your careful and wise dealings before others, establishing your works and ways before the Lord. God will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed. Ecclesiastes 3:17.
Your testimony is the criteria for eternal judgment (Hebrews 6:2), justification or condemnation before the righteous judge who shall render to every man according to his works and according to the fruits of his doings, good or bad, your works – testimonies follows you to heaven. Revelation 20: 11–15.