We Speak That We Do Know and Have Seen

John 3:11 and 32 - "We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen;..."

In the Lord's Church we say that we know and testify that we have seen the hand of the Lord daily in our lives. We are taught to testify that we know the things that the Spirit has taught us. We believe, until the Spirit testifies, then we know. Also, this gospel is a gospel of events, things that happen; things that have happened, are happening, and will happen. If we have seen a miracle, we testify that we have seen a miracle. If we have seen the hand of the Lord in all things we testify that we have seen it. When prophecy is fulfilled, we testify that we know and have seen. This is the same church as in Christ's day we teach and learn the gospel the same way now as they did then.

In the records of the early church there were some philosophers attending a street meeting of the church. They attempted to philosophize with Barnabas but Barnabas stopped them and stated "We come here under a mandate of Him who sent us to announce to you his marvelous words and deeds. And in support of what we say we do not produce carefully worked out arguments, but call up witnesses from among your own number. ... I recognize standing right here in the crowd," Barnabas continued, according to Clement, "quite a number whom I remember to have heard what we have heard and to have seen what we have seen. Now it is entirely in your power to receive or reject our message. But we cannot keep back those things which we know will be for your good, for if we are silent, the condemnation will be ours, but if we speak and you don't receive it, the loss will be yours. As for your ridiculous propositions, we could answer them easily enough, and we would if you were asking them in a sincere desire to know the truth."

"And ye receive not our witness."

The people in all ages are tested and tried for accepting a living prophet. All throughout the scriptures wicked generations considered themselves righteous because they venerated the dead prophets; but they could not accept the living ones. Many Israelites in the old testament could not accept living prophets like Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Elijah. But those same people believed in Moses. It was the same in Christ's day and he told them bluntly - ye receive not our witness. Our generation is no exception. We will be tested and tried to see if we accept the living prophets. It is evident that many of this generation venerate the dead prophets, most of all Christ. Now it is true that Christ is living, but He is not here on earth right now. And He is again testing us the same way as He always has, by sending living prophets.