Testimonies are Righteous

“Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with the whole heart.” – Psalm 119: 1,2.

The word of God is to be studied carefully. Some times a portion may be skimmed over lightly, however it may have a deep meaning and contain thought provoking truths that should be more carefully considered.

I am sure that many of us have come across these two verses in Ps 119: 1,2, but how many people have taken the time to analyze these verses, to find out, what is the golden truth hidden in them? If we have not done so, let us do it now with earnest prayer. May the living God give us understanding and knowledge.

In the first verse the psalmist says, “Who walk in the law of the Lord!” In the second verse he says, “Who keep his testimonies”. The psalmist diligently differentiates between the law and testimonies, as they both are different.

In following verses of this same chapter in Ps. 119, reading up to verse 6, in place of the word ‘law’ he uses other words, ‘precept’, ‘statutes’, and ‘commandments.’ But again, the testimonies are different from them. If you want to differentiate between the law and testimony clearly we need to read Isa. 8:20. “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word it is because there is no light in them.” The law and the testimony both are different here as we read also in Psalm 119:1.

In the Tamil Bible, the translated version, it reads the word law as “Vedham”. The assistant of Seganbulk the missionary one who came to Tranqubar translated the first Tamil Bible. Since the translating assistant was a Brahmin he used most of the Sanskrit and Hindi words. The word Vedham is derived from the Sanskrit word “Vedham”. You can refer the religious canonical book of Hindus where they say Rig-Yedha, Yesur Vedha, Sama Vedha and Adhavana Vedha. The word Vedha or Vedham means canon or the rule. So the Tamil translator of the Bible used the proper words “Vedham” for the word law.

Here the word law denotes the Ten Commandments. We can then come to the conclusion that the Psalmist encourages us that walking in the law of the Ten Commandments and keeping the testimonies is the only way of Salvation. There is not a vast difference between the words walk and keep. Therefore the law of God and testimony can’t be neglected in the Christian life, particularly in the Adventist life style.

The laws of God, or Ten Commandments, are in the centre of the Bible and the other words surrounding them are the testimonies in the Bible. However, using the principle laid out in Isa 8:20, when the apocrypha was tested no sequence of truth was found in it. Therefore the books of the apocrypha were rejected. Since we are studying about the testimonies let us see more about these testimonies.

In Psalms 119:88 the Psalmist says, “Revive me according to your loving kindness, so that I may keep the testimony of your mouth.” The testimonies are from the mouth of God. He created heaven and earth by that same mouth. In verse 24 of the same chapter it says, “Your testimonies also are my delight. And my counselors.” The testimony of the mouth of God is the only counselor for us. No organization, policy, or human philosophy can be placed in this stead. Further, in this same chapter in verse 144 it says, “the righteousness of your testimonies is everlasting; give me understanding and I shall live.” From the phrases “The righteousness of your testimonies is everlasting”; we are very sure that the righteousness of Christ or the righteousness of the law of God is everlasting. The righteousness of the testimonies is also everlasting. It means that the righteousness of Christ is closely paralleled with the righteousness of the testimonies. Both are everlasting.

Since the plan of salvation was first instituted, God is maintaining this system of testimony. In Deut. 31:24, 26, it says “so it was when Moses had completed writing the words of this law in a, book, when they were finished,” that Moses commanded the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord saying; “Take this book of the law, and put it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there as a witness against you.”

The word “witness” and “testimony” have the same meaning. After Moses completed writing the book of law, he commanded the Levites to put this book beside the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. Two things must be carefully considered in these verses. The first is this book of the law that was written by Moses with his own hands, and the other is that Moses commanded the Levites to put this book of law beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord God. What was inside of the Ark of the Covenant? The law of God – the Ten Commandments that were written by His own hands and given to Moses at Mount Sinai. His own hand wrote the law of God, so there would not be any mistakes or errors in the writing. Also because it is an everlasting righteousness. The Eternal God will create eternal things only. The removable, or changeable Mosaic Law or Ceremonial Law, was allowed to be written by the hands of Moses, a mortal man. One thing we should never forget as written in Psalms 119:144 is that the testimonies are everlasting.

The Psalmist in the same chapter of 119:99 says, “I have more understanding than all my teacher’s, for your testimonies are my meditation.” According to the historical findings of the book of Psalms, never do they say that king David wrote Psalm 119. The Author of this Psalm 119 is anonymous and some of the anonymous psalms are traditionally attributed to Ezra. However it may be that King David also was meditating on the testimonies. This can be understood from Psalm 51:16-17. These verses reveal that King David understood the spiritual meaning of the sacrifices in the Mosaic Law – a law of ceremonies. In another words it can be said that the book of law kept beside the ark of covenant of God are the testimonies or the Ceremonial Law.

God expected that the same spiritual meaning should be understood by the Israelites who practiced the Ceremonial Law that it is the testimony and has sanctifying power. Since they did not understand this they would not accept Jesus Christ who was born in Bethlehem as their Redeemer. Their failure to meditate upon the testimonies led them to reject Christ, the Son of God.

This Mosaic Law is the testimony that was kept beside the ark of covenant was to point forward to the sacrifice and the redemption of Jesus Christ when He was crucified on the cross of Calvary. The Apostle Paul reaffirms this in his theological definition for Mosaic Law, says that this law was a shadow of things to come. It was a shadow pointing forward to Christ and His sacrifice upon the cross. He describes this in Colossians 2:14-16. “Having wiped out the hand writing of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and power. He made a public spectacle of them, over them in it. Therefore let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbath.”

Many of the other Christian churches are quoting the above verses to defend the argument that the law of God was nailed to the cross. Their immature understanding of the Word of God or their preconceived erroneous doctrines, which originated from the Roman Catholic Church and the Augustinian theological concept, causes this misunderstanding.
Now we are very clear in our understanding, that the Ceremonial Law are the testimonies which were kept beside the Ark of the Covenant of God and were abolished when Christ was crucified upon the cross of Calvary and sacrificed Himself as a lamb.

One thing we have to understand is that the sacrificial system was only abolished but not the testimonies, because we read earlier in Psalms 119:144, “The testimonies is everlasting.” So we can come to the conclusion that the sacrificial system was abolished and the testimonies are changed. How are the testimonies changed? It is Justification by faith and the Righteousness of Christ. The changed testimonies are only described in the books of the New Testament. Some of the scripture references to support this doctrine of the justification by faith and the righteousness of Christ are: Romans 4:1-8, Romans 3:21,31.

In the book of Revelation we read the counsel to the Laodicean church in chapter 3, the seventh church period, which is a representation of the Seventh-day Adventist church. They are encouraged to obtain the white raiment, which is the righteousness of Christ (Rev. 19:8). This counsel to Laodicea, or the golden truth of the Righteousness of Christ message, was proclaimed in 1888 at the Minneapolis conference. In 1888 the message proclaimed was, “Christ our righteousness.” Gods messenger, Sr. E.G. White, writes as follows “The Lord in his great mercy sent a most precious message to His people through Elders Waggoner and Jones. This message was to bring more prominently before the world the uplifted Saviour, the sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. It presented justification through faith in surety. It invited the people to receive the righteousness of Christ, which is made manifest in obedience to all the commandments of God….” TM91, 92.

In every meeting since that General Conference, souls have eagerly accepted the precious message of the Righteousness of Christ. We thank God that there are souls who realize that they are in need of something which they do not possess. They need: gold (faith), love, the white raiment of Christ’s righteousness, and the eyesalve of spiritual discernment. If you posses there precious gifts, the temple of your human soul will not be like a desecrated shrine. Brethren and sisters, I call upon you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth to work where God works. “Now is the day of gracious opportunity and privilege.” COR p 45.

The above statements prove that Sr. E.G. White’s understanding of the changed testimony [changed from Antitypical] is according to the Word of God. This is confirmed in all the writings of E.G. White where the central theme is Christ our Righteousness. In Testimonies to Ministers page 79,80, we can read that Sr. E.G. White says the message that was given at the Minneapolis conference is a testimony to the church. Therefore none of the E.G. White writings should be neglected. To reject them would mean you are rejecting the testimony. The writings of E.G. White are not her own words but were inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit of Prophecy given as a gift to the remnant church as written in Rev12:17,19:10. The Spirit of Prophecy is the Testimony of Jesus, according to the Word of God. Rejecting the counsels in the Spirit of Prophecy is rejecting the Testimony of Jesus. Those who are rejecting the Spirit of Prophecy are not keeping the Testimonies and it will result with them losing sight of Christ as the Israelites did. As the Mosaic Law was canonical to the Israelites the Testimonies to the Church by E.G. White are canonical to the SDA church.
The following statement reveals how the Seventh-day Adventist Church is heeding the counsel of the testimonies of E.G. White “…. Satan takes the council of every mind that is not decidedly under the control of the spirit if God. Some have been cultivating hatred against the men whom He has commissioned to bear a special message to the world. They began this satanic work at Minneapolis. Afterward, when they saw and felt the demonstration of the Holy Spirit, testifying that the message was of God. They hated it the more, because it was a testimony against them. They would not humble their hearts to repent, to give the glory, and vindicate the right. They went on in their own spirit filled with envy, jealousy and evil surmising, as did the Jews. They opened their heart to the enemy of God and men. Yet these men have been holding positions of trust, and have been molding the work after their own similitude, as far as they possibly could…” TM 79,80
“…. Yet many have listened to the truth spoken in demonstration of the spirit, and they have not only refused to accept the message, but they have the light. These men are the ruin of souls. They have interposed themselves between the heaven sent light and the people. They have trampled upon the Word of God and are doing despite to his Holy Spirit.” TM91

“One thing is certain: Those seventh day Adventists who take their stand under Satan’s banner will first give up their faith in the testimonies of God’s spirit.” 3 SM84.6. “I have been shown that unbelief in the testimonies has been steadily increasing as the people back slide from God. It is all through our ranks, all over the field. But few know what our churches are to experience….”5T 75,76.

The testimonies are not to be neglected; they are for the spiritual benefit of the remnant. They are righteousness, which leads to eternal life.

May God bless His chosen children to walk in the right path, which will lead them to remain with Jesus where He is now. Amen

Brother Davidsampathkumar, India
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