Article June 3, 1967 Issue

"Ye are my witnesses"

JEANNE ROE PRICE

In one of the most beautiful passages in all the Bible, the prophet Isaiah tells us of God's precious promises to mankind and of His ever-present guidance and protection even in dangerous situations. "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee," ^{Isa. 43:2;} God says, "and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." And a little further on: "Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee. ... Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am God."

Here, as in other places in the Scriptures, God calls upon us to be His witnesses, to bear testimony to His oneness, His allness, His infinite power, His government of men and nations. But it seems at times that evil also calls upon us and boldly demands that we bear witness to its presence and power. It even tempted Jesus and glibly quoted Scripture to back up its temptations. But Jesus, in words that have rung down through the ages, rejected evil's challenge and triumphantly bore witness to God, to good.

To us, today, comes the same challenge—whether to bear witness to God or to bear witness to evil, to listen to God's Word of Life, Truth, and Love or to evil's lying insinuations of sin, disease, and death. There is really no choice but to take our stand, as Jesus did, and confidently, steadfastly bear witness to God's government of man and the universe. To listen to and believe what evil says is suicidal, for it is the root of all unhappiness, of sin, and of pain. It is bearing false witness against God, ourselves, and our neighbor; and this is breaking one of the mighty commandments of God.

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