The Testimony Exhibition

The Testimony Exhibition

During my late teens I observed the corruption of sin in a rescue mission in Los Angeles. I listened to the testimonies of men with criminal records: The first said that he had been in prison three times, and had lived a life of sin; the next had been in prison four times, and had sinned even more; the third man had had six imprisonments, and added dope to the alcohol of the first two. I was uneasy; these men seemed to be exhibitionists, though I did not know the meaning of the word at that time. If the man who had testified first had waited till last he might have remembered a few more convictions, and have found a deeper black for his portrait. Finally, I could not contain myself any longer. I rose to say that I had a greater testimony than any man who had spoken.  There was an intense silence as these men, eroded with cancerous sin, turned to look at the beardless youth who was seemingly raising their bid to take the game.  And then I cried out that the reason I had a testimony greater than any that had been given was that I was able to say that Jesus Christ had saved me from all these horrors, and He had kept me from them.  I can remember a very dirty old man bursting into tears.  Perhaps looking upon me conjured up the memory of his youth and what he might have been.

But although I had such a testimony, and still have it, I am able to look down through the electronic microscope of the Word of God and see the corruption of the nature which is mine by inheritance, and to acknowledge that all of the seeds that brought forth such corruption in these men were and are within my being, as they are within yours.  It is in the light of this truth that the true Christian will be very humble, and will desire to grow in compassion toward those who are out of the way.

None is righteous, no not one; no one understands, no one seeks for God.  All have turned aside, together they have become worthless, no one does good, not even one....For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Rom. 3:9-12;23)

1.  How often do you look through “God’s microscope” to understand your sin nature?

2.  According to Dr. Barnhouse, why should Christians be so humble?

3. What does the reality of sin show us about the grace and mercy of God?

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