Topic: The Law of Witnesses

John 8:12-18 > Matthew 3:17 > St. John 12:27-30 > John 15:26-27, The Acts 2: 1-4, 37-38 > The Acts 10:34-45 > Romans 8:16 > Hebrews 2:4 > Hebrews 10:15-16 > 1 John 1:2 > John 5:31, 32, 36, 37 > John 8:18 > 2 Nephi 11:3 > 2 Corinthians 13:1 > The Acts 4:33 > The Acts 5:29-32 > 2 Nephi 31:4-20 > 2 Nephi 29:3, 6-9, > 1 Nephi 13:38-40 > 2 Nephi 27:12-14 > Ether 5:4 > Doctrine and Covenants 17:6 > Doctrine and Covenants 6:28 > Doctrine and Covenants 107:23 > Doctrine and Covenants 1:2

Throughout scripture the Lord has taught and employed a law that is critical for you and me in finding and learning truth and obtaining our salvation. This law is called the Law of Witnesses. Jesus teaches this law as He addresses the Pharisees in John chapter 8 verse 12 through 17. The Pharisees were not unaware of this law as Jesus points out; He uses this law to condemn them for not accepting His and His Father's witnesses of His divinity. He reminds them of at least two instances when the Father bore witness of Him. These accounts were at His baptism in the river Jordan: Matthew chapter 3 verse 17; another was just after His triumphant entry into Jerusalem: St. John 12:27-30. On both of these occasions the Father spoke from Heaven testifying of His Son that those present might believe in Him.

Witnesses are used throughout the scriptures to testify of truth. For example, Throughout the Old Testament, the Lord called prophets to witness, or testify of the coming of Jesus Christ. When the people turned to wickedness, prophets called the people to repentance and prophesied, or testified of coming destruction if they did not. Without witnesses we would not know who or what to believe; everyone could claim truth. In this Scripture Train, I will teach you, by scripture, how the Holy Ghost speaks to our hearts and minds. Then I will employ the Law of Witnesses to testify of 1, the divinity of Jesus Christ and His gospel and 2, the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and other Latter-day scripture. I promise you, in the name of Jesus Christ, that if you do not reject the Holy Ghost and His witness that you will feel Him testify to your heart and mind and you will know that what I teach is true. You will have the Holy Ghost as a witness, my testimony as a witness and the scriptures as a third witness.

The greatest testator given to mankind by God is the Holy Ghost. In John chapter 15 verses 26 and 27, we read of this precious gift given to us by the Father to reveal truth. Jesus testifies that He will send the Holy Ghost to His disciples as a gift from the Father. He calls Him the Spirit of Truth and teaches that He will testify of Him, Jesus Christ. He also instructs His disciples that they, too, will testify of Him. We see this promise come to pass in Acts chapter 2 verses 1 through 4 and in verses 37 and 38. When Peter and the other Apostles were gathered in an assembly with many other men from all over the known world, the Holy Ghost descended upon them and they were filled. As the preaching continued, the Holy Ghost pricked their hearts and they were led to ask, “What shall we do?” Peter was then able to instruct them. In The Acts chapter 10 verses 34 through 45, we read of a similar incident occurring, here Peter, acting as a witness of Jesus Christ, testifies of Him and as he did so, the Holy Ghost fell upon those who heard the word.

How does this work? In Romans chapter 8 verse 16, Paul teaches us how this works. Within our mortal bodies, there exists a spirit. The Holy Ghost is a personage of Spirit and when He comes upon us, a witness occurs, a communication, a spiritual manifestation, spirit touching spirit, which causes a physical reaction within our physical bodies. This physical reaction is a feeling of warmth, peace and comfort in our hearts. Not only does the Spirit communicate to our hearts, after the manner described, but this communication awakens within our minds a recognition of truth. Thus, both our hearts and our minds are in a state of agreement. We know and feel the truth. With this special witness, we become witnesses ourselves and can thus testify of truth. When we do, we will feel and recognize this same witness again just as we did the first time. These truths that I teach in this Scripture Train, are born witness to by Paul in his letter to the Hebrews chapter 2 verse 4 and chapter 10 verses 15 and 16. God is a witness and sends signs, wonders and divers miracles; He also sends the Holy Ghost to bear testimony to all the truths we see, hear and feel. When the Holy Ghost comes upon us, as stated above, then we see the fulfillment of verse 16 in chapter 10 take place; “I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them”. We become totally converted to keeping the laws, for they have been burned into our hearts and minds. In 1 John chapter 1 verse2, John uses the word ‘manifested’ in his description of how he came to know the truth of, “That eternal life, which was with the Father”. This is a perfect description of revelation that comes through the Holy Ghost. Yes, the Apostles, saw and heard, but until the truth was manifested and witnessed to them by the Holy Ghost, what they saw and heard could have been denied.

The Holy Ghost must accompany all testifiers and all witnesses or it can be legally denied. Christ, Himself taught this truth. In John chapter 5 verses 31, 32, 36 and 37, Christ teaches that if He bears witness of himself, then His witness is not true, or can be legally denied, we cannot be held accountable on the word of one witness. This is why God instituted the Law of Witnesses, so that when truths are witnessed to they cannot be denied, but we will be held accountable for them. So, Christ teaches us that the Holy Ghost is one witness, the Father is a second witness and the third witness is the works that he does. In John chapter 8 verse 18, Christ reaffirms that God is a witness of Him. In 2 Nephi chapter 11 verse 3, Jacob, the brother of Nephi, teaches us that in some past day, the Lord gave the Law of Witnesses, which states, “By the words of three…I will establish my word.” Paul teaches this as well, in 2 Corinthians chapter 13 verse 1. As we read and study scripture we see this law in effect all the time. Remembering that the Holy Ghost is always a witness of truth, then other two can be disciples going out two-by-two; or the testimony of one disciple and the word written by another. As Jesus went about teaching, He was one witness, His disciples were many more witnesses, the Holy Ghost was another, plus they had the written word recorded by prophets of old. There does not need to be just three, there can be many witnesses as Jacob testifies.

In The Acts chapter 4 verse 33 and chapter 5 verses 29 through 32, we read two great testimonies of Jesus Christ given by His Apostles. We also read that the Holy Ghost was there to bear witness of the Savior. The Book of Mormon also bears witness of Jesus Christ. We read of Nephi's testimony of Him in 2 Nephi chapter 31 verses 4 through 20. As we read, we learn that the Holy Ghost witnessed of Him and last but not least, we read that the Father also witnessed of Him. As an additional witness of Jesus Christ, I also bear you my witness that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of the world, the redeemer of all mankind. He is my Savior, He is my friend, He lived to show me how to return to the Father; He died and was resurrected that my soul could live again in perfect form. He atoned for my sins so that through repentance I will be able to present myself clean before Him at the Judgment Day and dwell eternally with Him and the Father.

By the grace of God and Jesus Christ, we have been given in our day the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and The Pearl of Great Price; additional scripture to assist us and guide us, along with the Holy Bible, back to the presence of God and Jesus Christ. Why do people complain and murmur that we have more of the word of God? In 2 Nephi chapter 29 verses 3 and 6 through 9, our Lord asks of us this very question! Don’t you know, He asks, that there are more nations than one? Doesn’t everyone need the word of God? Does He just leave out some of His children, no, of course not! These are beautiful verses and need to be studied with sincerity. In 1 Nephi chapter 13 verses 38 through 40, Nephi teaches us that these books, these later scriptures, will establish the truth of the Holy Bible! The Holy Bible is one witness of Christ; the Book of Mormon is a second witness of the Savior! Are there any other religions in the world that has a second witness? No! Jesus Christ only, has more than one witness of His divinity. In 2 Nephi chapter 27 verses 12 through 14, we learn that there will be three witnesses to this second witness of Jesus Christ. We know from history that there were three who by the gift and power of God viewed the plates of gold from which the Book of Mormon was translated. In Ether chapter 5 verse 4, a separate prophet who lived among a separate people recorded an additional prophecy of the three witnesses. I add as my witness, along with many others, that I know the Book of Mormon is the Word of God! It is a marvelous and wonderful gift. God, who loves us and who wants us to know Him and His Son, Jesus Christ, gave it to us. I know that this book establishes the truths of the Holy Bible and that together the Holy Bible and the Book of Mormon testify of the Redeemer of world, the Savior of all mankind, even Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ, as recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants section 17 verse 6, added His testimony of the Book of Mormon. Thus, our Savior becomes an additional witness to the truths of this marvelous book. The Doctrine and Covenants not only testifies of the Book of Mormon, but also testifies of the Law of Witnesses and of the divinity of Jesus Christ. In section 6 verse 28, this wonderful book testifies of the Law of Witnesses.  In conjunction with the Law of Witnesses, section 107 verses 23 defines the role of the Twelve Apostles as special witnesses of the name of Christ in all the world. As a testimony from the Doctrine and Covenants, section 1 verse 2 should suffice: “The voice of the Lord is unto all men, and there is none to escape.” The Holy Ghost will testify to you that these books of scripture are the word of the Lord unto all mankind, everywhere and that if we give heed to them and obey their instruction then we will come unto Christ and be saved or exalted in the Kingdom of God. I testify of these things and that all that I have written is true. In the name of my Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen. 

Topic: The Kingdom of Christ

Luke 23:42 > Matthew 16:28 > Colossians 1:12-13 > 1 Nephi 13:37 > Ephesians 5:5 > Romans 8:14-17 > Ephesians 1:18-22 > Matthew 28:18 > John 1:12 > John 3:35 > John 6:37 > John 16:15 > John 5:18 > John 10:30-38 >John 17:20-22 > The Acts 17:28-29 > 2 Corinthians 3:18 > Galatians 4:7 > Ephesians 4:11-15 > Doctrine and Covenants 76:50-60

In a previous Scripture Train, Requirements for Salvation, we spoke of salvation in the kingdom of God.  The scriptures also speak of salvation in the kingdom of Christ. We see references to the kingdom of Christ in, Luke chapter 23 verse 42, Matthew chapter 16 verse 28, Colossians chapter 1 verses 12 and 13 and 1 Nephi chapter 13 verse 37. In Ephesians chapter 5 verse 5, Paul equates the kingdom of Christ with the kingdom of God; indeed, they are the same kingdom. We see from these verses, something we should already understand, and that is that Jesus Christ is an heir of God and of all things. Paul teaches this doctrine in Romans chapter 8 verses 14 through 17. Not only does he teach that Christ is an heir of God, he teaches that all those who become children of God, all they who are led by the Spirit of God and all those who have suffered with Christ, are heirs with Christ. Paul spoke of the richness and the glory of this inheritance to the Saints in Ephesians chapter 1 verses 18 through 22. In these verses, he also spoke of God setting Christ at His own right hand in His kingdom. From these verses of scripture, we learn that the kingdom of Christ is the kingdom of God, He having inherited all things from His Father. Then we learn that we who are His children, will also inherit all things in Christ; let’s examine this a little further.

In Matthew chapter 28 verse 18, Christ states that all power is given Him in heaven and earth. Emphasis needs to be placed on the word ‘all’. In John chapter 1 verse 12, we learn that all who receive Christ and believe in Him, are given power to become the sons of God. It should be noted here that they are given power to become; it does not necessarily mean that they will. To know why, refer back to the Scripture Train on Salvation. In John chapter 3 verse 35, we see that God gave all things into His hand. In John chapter 6 verse 37, we see that Christ knows that all the Father has promised Him will come; then in the next phrase, we learn that all who come unto Christ will receive His promises. He says this by saying they will not be cast out; it is obvious that the intent of His saying is that He will do the same for them. In John chapter 16 verse 15, we can infer the same doctrine. All things that the Father hath are Christ’s; then says Christ that the Father will take all of those who are His children, and show all these things to them. Why would He do this? Because, eventually all these things will be our inheritance as well. 

In John chapter 5 verse 18, the Jews accused Christ of making Himself equal with God by saying God was His Father. If this is the case, then obviously, the Jews understood what it meant to be called a son! In their ancient laws the oldest son would inherit all of his father’s worldly possessions, thus becoming equal with his father, almost as it were, becoming his father; in our case, we have the same potential as Christ to become equal with God as we follow His example in all things. We start on the path as we become the sons and daughters of God through believing on Jesus Christ and being baptized in His name, thus taking upon ourselves His name. In John chapter 10 verses 30 through 38, this same doctrine is once again taught by Christ; He states, “I and my Father are one”. He says, “Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?” This teaches that just as Christ and the Father are one, we, His sons and His daughters, also have that potential. Why would God and Christ go to all this tremendous effort to bring us back into their presence if it were not for the fact that we are God’s children and we do have potential to become as He is? This is what all these scriptures are teaching us! In John chapter 17 verses 20 through 22, Christ prays that we may be one in them as they are already one in each other. We are taught this doctrine in The Acts chapter 17 verses 28 and 29, we are God’s offspring! In 2 Corinthians chapter 3 verse 18, we will be changed into their image, from glory to glory! Paul teaches the Galatians in chapter 4 verse 7 that if we are a son, or a daughter, of God, then we are an heir of God, through Christ. Paul teaches the Ephesians in chapter 4 verses 11 through 15, that Christ is a perfect man and that we, through our unity of faith can obtain the same measure, the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Finally, in the Doctrine and Covenants section 76 verses 50 through 60, we learn the characteristics of those who will inherit all things and become gods, even the sons of God.

The Jews of Christ’s day thought it blasphemy for Him to teach that He was the Son of God, equal to God. So why do the Christians of our day, think it blasphemy for the sons and daughters of God, to know they can become like Christ and God?