Chapter Two

 Fruit of lips

 

A Life Built On The Rock Or A Life Built On The Sand? 

The fruit of the lips is more important than many people think. When it comes to understanding fruit in relation to God, most Christians think of the fruit of the Spirit and say that this is what we should produce, often placing the idea on a bucket list of things to do. They do not fully grasp the true importance of the fruit of the Spirit, let alone the necessity of the fruit of the lips. As will become evident in this chapter, the fruit of the lips is the most important fruit because it signifies that the correct foundation has been laid for a person’s salvation. How each individual builds on that foundation is up to them, but unless it is laid correctly, rather than on an eternal rock, each person is attempting to construct their life on shifting sand.

Foundations: Rock or Sand?

Let us look at what Jesus had to say in the book of Matthew:

Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will tell me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name do many mighty works?’ Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from Me, you who work iniquity.’

 “Everyone therefore who hears these words of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine, and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man, who built his house on the sand. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the multitudes were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them with authority, and not like the scribes. (Matthew 7:20-29)

As we finish reading from the Sermon on the Mount, we notice that although the teaching is simple, those who heard it were astonished by how God speaks—with authority, not uncertainty; with simplicity, not complexity. Simple concepts, powerful in effect, are like a seed that grows into the largest of fruit trees and is capable of populating the Earth.

The essence of who we are and what we become lies in our understanding of the reasons why we choose to acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ or not. In the following discussion on the fruit of the lips, we will explore the underlying reasons for our confession that Jesus Christ is Lord, why we need this confession, and what constitutes genuine fruit of the lips.

The Difference Between Profession and Confession

When Jesus spoke about those who called Him Lord but were unknown to Him, we see that iniquity was rooted in the heart of their confession—that is, their profession. Having read in the book of Matthew what Jesus is recorded to have said, we are surprised to find that the Apostle Paul writes:

You know that when you were heathen, you were led away to those mute idols, however you might be led. Therefore I make known to you that no man speaking by God’s Spirit says, “Jesus is accursed.” No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” but by the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:2-3) 

No one who possesses the Spirit of God merely makes a profession of faith when saying that Jesus is Lord. Rather, this is a confession that proceeds from faith and is made through faith, testifying to faith in the Lord Jesus, which is evidenced by fruit.

For skeptics and unbelievers, the idea that a difference exists between a profession of faith and a confession of faith is seen as a contradiction. This is viewed as conclusive evidence that the Bible is an incoherent collection of fables that has no bearing on the truth about life whatsoever. However, for those of us who have reached out to God and discovered that Jesus Christ has risen from the dead, the Bible is not a myth but a written witness to the plan and purpose of God, culminating in the revelation of the Son of God as Lord of lords and King of kings. We know this because we possess the joy of salvation (Psalm 51:12), and as the prophet declared: “My soul will be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation. He has covered me with the robe of righteousness” (Isaiah 61:10). This is not a mere myth or thought, but a reality that we have come to know as our daily experience. On the other hand, if we believe Jesus Christ is Lord but do not possess the joy of salvation, the Bible states that all who trust in Him will not be put to shame (Psalm 25:1-5; Jeremiah 17:7; Romans 10:11). As we will see, everything begins with the fruit of the lips. Understanding the distinction between a profession of faith and a confession of faith is one of the most helpful insights we can possess; for one brings forth thorns only to be burned, while the other, from the heart, leads to eternal life!

Four Views of Peter and the Rock

Jesus made the statement that He would build His church on a rock, and this has been variously interpreted to mean an actual rock, an organization, an idea, or a confession.  This is what Jesus said:

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18) 

We will look at four ideas that have been put forth regarding what Jesus said concerning the rock. Some say that the rock is Christ, others say that the rock is the Apostle Peter, while some believe that the rock is the revelation of Christ. A fourth view posits that Peter’s confession is the rock.

Is the Rock Christ?

Is the rock upon which Jesus will build the church Himself? We can affirm this because Jesus is the rock upon which the Church is built, and this is evident in the Scriptures. However, the specific Scripture in question is not referring to Jesus.

The best way to approach this is to consider the context within which Jesus makes the claim that He will build His church (that is, those who have been called out of the world to gather) on the rock of salvation.

Now when Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

They said, “Some say John the Baptizer, some, Elijah, and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.”

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. I also tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my assembly, and the gates of Hade will not prevail against it. I will give to you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven; and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven.” Then He commanded the disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ. (Matthew 16:13-20) 

Examining what Jesus said here in the present tense, we find Him presenting a question to His disciples to discover what they know. This question is framed within the context of what people are saying about who He might be. Then, specifically, Jesus asks His disciples who they say He is.

Notice that Jesus does not ask who they think He might be. He asks who they “say” He is. In effect, Jesus is asking, “What would you testify about me if you were asked who I am?”

Peter speaks out and says, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus then goes on to declare that Simon Bar-Jonah has just had a revelation and calls him Peter (Gr. petros, meaning "little rock"). He then says that upon this rock (Gr. petra, meaning "large rock mass") I will build my church. There is a correlation here with what Jesus conveys in the story about a person building on sand rather than on the rock (Matthew 7:24-27). The word Jesus uses for rock (petran) in the sand and rock narrative is the same Greek feminine form of the word He uses when saying, “Upon this rock (petra) shall I build my church.”

Is the Rock the Apostle Peter?

Looking at the passage in Matthew chapter sixteen, the English translation of the Greek text seems a little awkward. The natural assumption is that Peter is the rock upon which Jesus will build His church. As we have seen, the Greek has a different implication, with the word translated as Peter meaning a piece of rock. Nevertheless, the view that Jesus will build His Church upon Peter has been used to support the doctrine of Apostolic Succession. This is the case even when the truth is known about the distinction between a piece of rock and an immovable mass of rock. Support for the teaching of Apostolic Succession is also drawn from Peter having been the spokesman at Pentecost and, later on, having received the revelation that the gospel was to include the Gentiles when he was at Joppa. Indeed, we learn in the book of Acts that Cornelius, the Gentile, was instructed to summon Simon “who is called Peter” (whom the Roman Catholic prelates would have us believe is the rock upon which Jesus will build His church).This is what the Scripture says:

Cornelius said, “Four days ago, I was fasting until this hour, and at the ninth hour, I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer is heard, and your gifts to the needy are remembered in the sight of God. Send therefore to Joppa, and summon Simon, who is also called Peter. He lodges in the house of a tanner named Simon, by the seaside. When he comes, he will speak to you.’  Therefore I sent to you at once, and it was good of you to come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God to hear all things that have been commanded you by God.” (Acts 10:32-33)

This provides plausible evidence to support the view that Jesus meant for Peter to be the rock upon which He would build His church. However, some argue that the church in Jerusalem was intended because the Apostle Paul became recognized as the Apostle to the Gentiles. Hence, if Paul were to be the Apostle to the Gentiles, and if the church were to be built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, this changes matters somewhat. Clearly, the church was to be built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. This becomes evident when we consider what Jesus had to say in the book of Luke and what the Apostle Paul declared in the book of Ephesians:

Therefore also the wisdom of God said, “I will send to them prophets and apostles; and some of them they will kill and persecute.” (Luke 11:49)

 

So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the chief cornerstone; in whom the whole building, fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

(Ephesians 2:19-21)

Historically, both Peter and Paul are believed to have been slain in Rome. Therefore, Romanists claim that this is evidence of apostolic succession, regardless of how anyone wants to address the issue. According to them, fellow citizens are those who hold their allegiance to the Roman Catholic Church. Anyone arguing that there were more than two apostles can be shown Scripture that clearly states Peter was an apostle to the circumcised Jews, while Paul was distinctly the Apostle to the uncircumcised Gentiles (as we shall see in due course).

However, if Paul is the Apostle to the Gentiles, this complicates the establishment of the “Doctrine of Apostolic Succession” through Peter, regardless of whether both Paul and Peter were slain in Rome. The claim of apostolic succession is rooted in what Jesus said to Peter when he confessed that Jesus is the Son of the Living God.

The Apostle Paul did not receive his revelation of Jesus Christ from Peter; he received his revelation from Jesus Himself. This raises an objection regarding apostolic succession, concerning Paul being based upon Peter’s revelation and what Jesus said about this apostle being the rock upon which He would build His church. This is what the Apostle Paul wrote:

For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:11-12)

In the passage from Matthew chapter sixteen, Jesus was referring to something that He was seeking from the disciples. Jesus aimed to find out two answers: first, who people said He was, and second, who His disciples said He was. He was speaking in the context of what people were saying about Him; He definitely was not speaking in the context of building His church. Instead, He was focused on people’s opinions of Himself. Therefore, Jesus was asking, “Who do people say I am?” The emphasis was on what was said, not just on the mere thoughts that the disciples might have had concerning Him.

The Apostle Peter had a revelation, and the Apostle Paul had a revelation. Consequently, Peter is declared to be the Apostle to the Jews, while Paul is declared to be the Apostle to the Gentiles. In fact, nowhere in Scripture is Peter declared to be the Apostle to the Gentiles. What we do have is Peter declaring that God had chosen him to introduce the gospel to the Gentiles, but this is not a declaration of apostleship. When Paul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem, we learn:

When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”

The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as He did to us, and He made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” [i]

And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. (Acts 15:4-12 ESV)

Peter was used by the Lord to introduce the message to the Gentiles, as he was given the words as spokesman at Pentecost to testify to the glory of God. However, from what we read, it appears that Peter did not demonstrate the same effectiveness in his apostleship to the Jews as Paul did to the sons of Israel (Acts 9:15). As it stands, James, the Lord’s brother, was the leader of the church at Jerusalem (Galatians 1:19; 2:9), and he is identified as one of the apostles, though he was not mentioned among the twelve. Scripture only has Paul declaring himself to be the Apostle to the Gentiles. Moreover, Peter writes that some of the revelations of Paul are difficult to understand, which suggests that he was receiving further instruction on biblical truth from Paul. However, Paul claims that Peter had received apostleship to the circumcision (meaning the Jews). In the following Scriptures, we see Paul declaring himself not only as a preacher, a teacher, and a servant of Jesus Christ but also as an apostle to the Gentiles (the uncircumcision), while Peter was appointed as an apostle to the circumcised (Jews):

For I speak to you who are Gentiles. Since then as I [Paul] am an apostle to Gentiles, I glorify my ministry. (Romans 11:13)

 

…to which I [Paul] was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth in Christ, not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. (1 Timothy 2:7)

 

But I write the more boldly to you in part, as reminding you, because of the grace that was given to me by God, that I [Paul] should be a servant of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving as a priest of the Good News of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:15-16)

 

 But from those who were reputed to be important (whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God doesn’t show partiality to man)—they, I [Paul] say, who were respected imparted nothing to me, but to the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the Good News for the uncircumcision, even as Peter with the Good News for the circum-cision (for he who appointed Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision appointed me also to the Gentiles); and when they perceived the grace that was given to me, James and Cephas and John, they who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision. (Galatians 2:6-9) 

Any claim that the rock was Peter and that this forms the basis of apostolic succession does not hold up, because Peter was only an apostle to the circumcised (the Jews) and not to the Gentiles. Paul received his revelation from Jesus Himself and was appointed to take the message of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and His second coming to the Gentiles. There was no apostolic succession or passing down of the baton from Peter to Paul, which would be required for such a claim to be verified as true. Instead, Peter warns readers about false teachings when he writes:

Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you; as also in all of his letters, speaking in them of these things. In those, there are some things that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unsettled twist, as they also do to the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. You therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware, lest being carried away with the error of the wicked, you fall from your own steadfastness. (2 Peter 3:15-17)

The evidence from the Scriptures suggests that there is possible support for the teaching that Peter was indeed a pre-eminent spokesman who was singled out to bring the message of life to both the Gentiles and the Jews in the initial days of spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. However, this is as far as it goes. There is no suggestion that the Church was built upon Peter alone; neither was the Gentile Church built solely upon Paul, who claimed to be the Apostle to the Gentiles.

When the Lord Jesus was speaking to Ananias, just after blinding Saul, He said that this man was to become “My chosen vessel to bear My name before the nations and kings, and the sons of Israel” (Acts 9:15). Paul may have claimed to be the Apostle to the Gentiles, but he was also an apostle to the House of Israel, which included not only the Jews but also the lost tribes of Israel. The Apostle Paul was the chosen vessel of the Lord Jesus to reveal the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27). Peter noted that certain things taught by Paul were difficult to understand, and the ignorant twisted what he wrote in his letters and other Scriptures (2 Peter 3:15-16). Peter recognized that the Apostle Paul’s writings were Holy Writ inspired by God. However, this admission by the “Apostle to the circumcised” did not elevate the Apostle Paul to being the rock upon which the Lord Jesus Christ was to build His Body, the Church, even if this suggests that Peter was supplanted by the one chosen to be the Apostle to the Gentiles and the sons of Israel.

What is clear is that Jesus is the rock upon which His Body, the Church, is built. Jesus also spoke of sending prophets and apostles (Luke 11:49), the pillars among the saved (Galatians 2:9), whose teaching, the Apostle Paul stated, was to become a foundational layer upon which the Church was to be built. Salvation is found only in Jesus Christ and walking in accordance with His ways, but it is also personal and requires an individual revelation of who He is.

There is no doubt that the Rock on which Jesus was to build His Church was Himself; for what better analogy can be given than Jesus being the immovable Rock upon which people can build cities and empires, which the winds of hurricanes cannot destroy and the rain they bring cannot wash away? It is a different matter for those who build upon sand.

In respect to what was said to Peter, however, we are discussing what Jesus meant in His reply, “Upon this rock I will build my Church.” Many people overlook that Peter provided a public confession. They focus on what appears to have been a revelation Peter had that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the Living God. This leads to the view that “upon this revelation I will build my church” is what Jesus meant when referring to the rock after Peter’s confession. We concede that the rock was not Peter himself, because he did not possess the revelation that the Apostle Paul was given. He confessed that some of Paul’s insights were difficult to understand.

The Rock Is The Revelation Of Christ?

The question now becomes: Is the rock upon which Jesus is to build His Church to be understood as the revelation of Himself as the Christ, the Son of the living God?

The idea that the rock represents the revelation of Jesus Christ appears to be a very compelling conclusion. As Jesus said of Simon Bar-Jonah, God had given him this revelation. Furthermore, Jesus stated that nobody could come to Him unless the Father draws him (John 6:44). Unless a person has a revelation of Jesus Christ, it is impossible for that person to believe in Him. This idea resonates throughout the New Testament. When Jesus, as a baby, was presented at the temple for purification rites, the Holy Spirit came upon Simeon, and he declared Jesus to be the light for revelation to the Gentiles (Luke 2:32). This implies that it is necessary for all who are to be saved to have a revelation of who Jesus is. But is this revelation really the rock upon which Jesus will build His Church? Those who claim it is the confession of Jesus being the Christ, the Son of the Living God, argue differently.

The Rock Is Peter’s Confession?

The confession of Peter that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, is asserted to be an affirmation of faith. There is no dispute about this. However, it does not appear to be an affirmation that was given after careful consideration of who Jesus might be. It seems to have been blurted out spontaneously without any thought at all. This is not to say that Jesus’ disciples had not pondered in their hearts whether their leader was the Christ. The disciples, as evident from earlier incidents, no doubt believed Him to be the Chosen One and had hoped this to be the case from when they first encountered Jesus. Here, however, Peter had a revelation that Jesus was the Christ and confessed this in the context of Jesus asking, “Who do people say I am?” When Jesus asked His disciples who they say He is, He was effectively seeking out what they were prepared to say in defense of themselves as His disciples. Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Son of the Living God came by revelation.

Bearing Testimony to Jesus Is Critical to Salvation

The Apostle John wrote that believing, confessing, and bearing testimony to Jesus is critical to salvation. In fact, according to the Apostle, this is how we know those who are of God and those who do not belong to Him. This is the case even though what is declared may be a deceptive profession and not a true confession at all.The following is some of what the Apostle John had to say:

By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus has come in the flesh is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already….Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. (1 John 4:2-3, 15)

 

Whoever denies the Son, the same doesn’t have the Father. He who confesses the Son has the Father also. (1 John 2:23)

 

For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who don’t confess that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the Antichrist. (2 John 1:7)

The revelation of Jesus being the Son of God requires the same confession, and not a deceptive profession, if we are to be acknowledged by Jesus in Heaven. This is what Jesus said:

Everyone therefore who confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.  But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 10:32)

 

I tell you, everyone who confesses Me before men, him will the Son of Man also confess before the angels of God; but he who denies Me in the presence of men will be denied in the presence of the angels of God. (Luke 12:8-9)

The Advantages Of Confession

As we can see, it is possible to deny Jesus. We do this when we willfully sin. However, for those who delight in the ways of the Lord and confess His name, their names shall be confessed in Heaven before the angels of God. Jesus confessing a person’s name before the angels of Heaven is tantamount to the angels being instructed to take that person’s side. This applies to us if we are willingly confessing, “Jesus is Lord,” from a sanctified heart. Now, this might not seem like much of a deal, but when we consider that an angel has the power to destroy seventy thousand people without too much effort (1 Chronicles 21:12-15), we are talking about powerful allies. This is what the Bible informs us about angels, and what it means for us, if we are being con-fessed before them in Heaven:

For He will put His angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways. (Psalm 91:11)

 

Aren’t they all serving spirits, sent out to do service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation? (Hebrews 1: 14)

The writer of the book of Hebrews sees our confession as something worth maintaining, regardless of what we might think. Some people consider prayer to be a form of confession. Others have the mentality of a person driving a vehicle that is approaching an intersection where traffic lights indicate whether it is safe to proceed. They make their requests to God on the basis that they expect to have their prayers answered as if they were traffic light signals: “Yes, you can,” “No, you cannot,” and “Prepare to wait.” This has some merit in helping the petitioner, because if nothing happens, at least he or she knows that waiting could be part of the deal. This appears to be the summation of the writer of Hebrews, because, as we read through the book, we learn:

Hebrews 3:1 Therefore, holy brothers, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Jesus.

 

Hebrews 4:14 Having then a great high priest, who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold tightly to our confession.

 

Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering; for He who promised is faithful.

 

Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and embraced them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

Salvation Is More Than Temporal

The issue that we need to understand is that salvation extends beyond this temporal abode on planet Earth in which we find ourselves. Salvation is about experiencing eternal life, and once we possess it, we never want to let it go. Hence, we will know those who truly have eternal life by the kind of confession that comes from their lips. This is supported by walking in the footsteps of Jesus (1 John 2:6).

Paul the Apostle was adamant that a person needed to confess Jesus Christ as Lord to be saved. For the Apostle, there was no other way a person could be saved: neither by works nor by might; only through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and this had to be confessed. He wrote:

Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. (Romans 10:9, 10) 

When we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord, we are testifying that Jesus has the final say, for He alone has the power over death. It is upon this confession of faith that the Lord Jesus Christ builds His Church.

The True Fruit of Lips

This is the true fruit of the lips: the confession of faith that humbly acknowledges Jesus as Lord. As a consequence of what has taken place within the heart of the person, and due to the overflowing abundance of God’s word dwelling within, praise comes forth from the lips in the form of confession of faith, joyful acknowledgment of Jesus, and thanksgiving for what God has done.

What Should Be a Natural Occurrence of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit brings together in fellowship a body of people who worship God the Father through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. This body of people consists of us believers who bear witness to Jesus through our confession of faith in Him, empowered by the Holy Spirit dwelling within. Jesus is real to us, and the fact that we are His disciples becomes evident by our fruit. The fruit of lips is a natural occurrence and not something we have to remember to produce. It is a natural product of our lives. Our confession of Jesus as Lord of our lives is not something we feel we have to profess to sound virtuous in front of others; it is a natural expression, for this is a daily occurrence.

Confession Is About Testimony

Confession is about testimony. Testimony is very serious business. Even in courts of law, only testimony is admitted as evidence. Expert witnesses are summoned to give testimony based on what they believe the forensic evidence at a crime scene might mean. Regardless of whether there is eyewitness evidence of a crime that took place or just forensic evidence with which to proceed, only testimony of what the individuals believe they saw at the scene or discovered in a lab regarding material taken from the scene is admissible in a court case. Nothing is admissible in the witness box without testimony; even an exhibit has to be accompanied by testimony. When we are dealing with our eternal habitation, the stakes are higher, and we cannot afford to have false testimony.

This is what the Apostle John has to say about testimony and what he himself testifies:

He who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. He who doesn’t believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. The testimony is this, that God gave to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. (1 John 5:10-11)

 

That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us. Yes, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son, Jesus Christ. And we write these things to you, that our joy may be fulfilled.

 This is the message which we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.  If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and don’t tell the truth.  But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:3-7)

Concerning Opposition And Persecution

The journey of those who desire to leave behind the world and its ways is not for the fainthearted, but for those who believe that God raises the dead and will deliver them from harm. Those who follow the ways of the Lord will find themselves encountering opposition in one form or another. Some will face mockers, others intimidation, and still others violent persecution, even unto death. However, we can take heart and rejoice, as one testimony from an ex-communist Russian soldier encourages us to do. The soldier became a Christian and confessed “Jesus as Lord of all” to his comrades. He was stripped naked and forced to hold two pails of water in his outstretched arms on a freezing winter night, with the guards given orders to shoot him dead as soon as he dropped one of the pails or lowered his arms. His commanding officers scoffed, saying they would now see if God is real. The next day, a couple of hundred men became Christians, including the officers, because the soldier, unbeknownst to them, had two angels keeping him warm while he held the buckets. The feat was humanly impossible. Only with the help of God could anyone survive being naked in subzero temperatures without suffering hypothermia, let alone hold two pails of water with outstretched arms to resemble being crucified on a cross.[ii]

Often the obstacles Satan uses to prevent us from holding fast the good confession come from our own household. This is what Jesus said:

Everyone therefore who confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.  But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 10:32-33)

 

Don’t think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn’t come to send peace, but a sword.  For I came to set a man at odds against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s foes will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me isn’t worthy of Me.  He who doesn’t take his cross and follow after Me, isn’t worthy of Me.  He who seeks his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. (Matthew 10:34-39)

The Blind Man From Birth

In the Gospel of John, we find a story about a family that illustrates how, even when faced with the blatantly obvious, people may hesitate to stand up for the truth in order to avoid offending those who intimidate them. Here is the account:

As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

Jesus answered, “Neither did this man sin, nor his parents; but, that the works of God might be revealed in him. I must work the works of Him who sent me, while it is day. The night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” When He had said this, He spat on the ground, made mud with the saliva, anointed the blind man’s eyes with the mud, and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So he went away, washed, and came back seeing. The neighbors therefore, and those who saw that he was blind before, said, “Isn’t this he who sat and begged?” Others were saying, “It is he.” Still others were saying, “He looks like him.”

He said, “I am he.” They therefore were asking him, “How were your eyes opened?”

He answered, “A man called Jesus made mud, anointed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash.’ So I went away and washed, and I received sight.”

Then they asked him, “Where is He?”

He said, “I don’t know.”

They brought him who had been blind to the Pharisees. It was a Sabbath when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. Again therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, I washed, and I see.”

Some therefore of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, because He doesn’t keep the Sabbath.” Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” There was division among them. Therefore they asked the blind man again, “What do you say about Him, because He opened your eyes?”

 

He said, “He is a prophet.”

The Jews therefore did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and had received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight, and asked them, “Is this your son, whom you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”

 

His parents answered them, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but how he now sees, we don’t know; or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. He is of age. Ask him. He will speak for himself.” His parents said these things because they feared the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if any man would confess him as Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, “He is of age. Ask him.”

 

So they called the man who was blind a second time, and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.”

He therefore answered, “I don’t know if He is a sinner. One thing I do know: that though I was blind, now I see.”

They said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?”

He answered them, “I told you already, and you didn’t listen. Why do you want to hear it again? You don’t also want to become his disciples, do you?”

They insulted him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses. But as for this man, we don’t know where He comes from.”

The man answered them, “How amazing! You don’t know where He comes from, yet He opened my eyes. We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God, and does His will, he listens to him. Since the world began it has never been heard of that anyone opened the eyes of someone born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.”

They answered him, “You were altogether born in sins, and do you teach us?” They threw him out.

Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and finding him, He said, “Do you believe in the Son of God?”

He answered, “Who is he, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”

Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him, and it is He who speaks with you.”

He said, “Lord, I believe!” and he worshiped Him.

Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, that those who don’t see may see; and that those who see may become blind.”

Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things, and said to Him, “Are we also blind?”

Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.” (John 9:1-41)

There is much we can learn from the account of Jesus healing the eyes of a man born blind. However, what is important for now is understanding that the confession of the truth is critical for salvation, and as we read this account, we see how people are challenged. The parents feared men and may well have suggested to their son not to confess Jesus as Lord, for it is not until the Pharisees’ second interrogation that the son begins to realize he is being deceived into denying the truth. Jesus is the truth!

Stand Strong Because There Will Be Victims

One youth I knew asked Jesus into his life through prayer. Both he and his girlfriend at the time came to acknowledge Jesus and rejoiced at the sensation that occurred after their prayers for forgiveness had been made as they called upon the name of the Lord. The youth came from a Cosa Nostra family. Within three months, both the youth and his girlfriend’s families convinced them they were wrong. The confessions that this couple made were weak. The influence of their parents won the day. Not wanting to embrace the Lord of Life, the young man and woman eventually went their separate ways.

In Jesus’ day, many believed in Him, but prestige and honor from man became a telling factor in whether they were willing to commit their lives to the message of the Cross. Even for us, whether we truly believe or whether we are hypocrites depends on whether our fear of men is greater than any reverence we might have for God, righteousness, and justice. We might acknowledge Jesus, as many have done before, and then find ourselves making the compromise that is common among those who fear men or prize the acceptance of men more than the Lord and Savior of men from eternal punishment. The Apostle John records:

Nevertheless even of the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they didn’t confess it, so that they wouldn’t be put out of the synagogue, for they loved men’s praise more than God’s praise. (John 12:42-43)

 

The difficulty for many preachers is played out in the corridors of power. Would a preacher forgo fame and fortune to do the will of God? The famous preacher Billy Graham once had a prostitute placed in his hotel room, no doubt to entrap him for nefarious reasons. He escorted her out as soon as he saw her, before the photographers had the opportunity to catch them together. Yet, Billy was said to be compromised by his support for President Nixon, his involvement with the Freemasons, and because he also personally received honors from the Pope. Dr. William Franklin Graham Jr.’s defense was that he wanted to be all things to all men in order that he might win some. Although there is evidence that Dr. Graham made compromises, I once read where one politician went on record as saying that Billy Graham is the only televangelist he would trust. Amazing!

Jimmy Swaggart had a great testimony of what it meant to put Jesus first when contrasted with that of his cousin, the singer Jerry Lee Lewis. Unfortunately, visiting prostitutes became his downfall—even if Swaggart has since repented of his ways.

Regardless of what people do, one thing we can be sure of: fame and fortune can lead us away from pure devotion to our Lord Jesus Christ. While we can point the finger at other people, we need to be mindful of what the Apostle Paul said:

But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, “‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘to Me every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess to God.’” So then each one of us will give account of himself to God. (Romans 14:10-12)

Hold Fast Your Confession

One truism we can bank on is this: where our treasure exists, there our heart will be. If the fight we fight is the fight of faith, this is not a defense of our doctrinal beliefs. Many think it is, so they quote from the Epistle of Jude, “Defend the faith,” to justify their doctrinal stance. However, the fight we have is not with men, but with the Devil, and our confession is the means by which we win this fight. Read what the Apostle Paul says about holding fast to the good confession as the fight of faith:

Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you confessed the good confession in the sight of many witnesses. I command you before God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate testified the good confession, that you keep the command-ment without spot, blameless, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ; which in its own times He will show, who is the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light; whom no man has seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and eternal power. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:12-16)

If we truly stand with Jesus, we will follow in His footsteps, and as we fight the good fight of faith, we will hold fast to the good confession. Many think that when we become Christians, we need to become Bible-bashers to prove our allegiance to the Lord, but this is not the case. Note what the Apostle said in the above text about Jesus testifying to the good confession before Pontius Pilate. This is what the disciple, that Jesus said He loved, stated regarding the event:

Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not of this world. If My Kingdom were of this world, then My servants would fight, that I wouldn’t be delivered to the Jews. But now My Kingdom is not from here.”

Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are you a king then?”

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I have been born, and for this reason I have come into the world, that I should testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.”

   Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?”

When he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no basis for a charge against Him.” (John 18:36-38)

The Kingdom Of God Is Not Of This World

The Kingdom of God is not of this world. When we speak of bearing the fruit of lips, we are not talking about conquering the Earth to rule the world; we are talking about conquering the Devil, having been freed from his grip, so that we might rule with Jesus in the New Earth and New Heavens. We are referring to our testimony as the means by which other captives can be encouraged to take up the fight against sin and death and be set free. How? By allowing Jesus to reign in their lives.

When the Apostle Peter went to Joppa and spoke to Cornelius, he did not go there with a prepared sermon, nor did he need the endorsement of men. He went to Joppa with the full knowledge of what had happened in his life and what he knew to be true. Of this, we can be sure: the Apostle went there to testify. This is what Luke has recorded about what he said:

We are witnesses of everything He did both in the country of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they also killed, hanging Him on a tree. God raised Him up the third day, and gave Him to be revealed, not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen before by God, to us, who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that this is He who is appointed by God as the Judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about Him, that through His name everyone who believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the word. They of the circumcision who believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was also poured out on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in other languages and magnifying God.

Then Peter answered, “Can anyone forbid these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just like us.” He commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay some days. (Acts 10:39-48)

Preaching And Testifying 

The Apostle Peter testified about what he knew of the Lord Jesus Christ. He said that Jesus had commanded him and the other disciples to preach to the people and to testify. Preaching is essentially announcing the good news, while testifying is about how that good news has affected us. This is the fruit of lips. This is the good confession. This is what our Heavenly Father wants us to do in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit. We are to testify about what the Spirit of the Lord is doing in our lives and give all the glory to our Heavenly Father. We are to confess our faith in Jesus and not profess a faith that is merely something we adhere to because we love the praises of other people. Notice what the Apostle Paul says when arrested in Jerusalem:

But this I confess to you, that after the Way, which they call a sect, so I serve the God of our fathers, believing all things which are according to the law, and which are written in the prophets; having hope toward God, which these also themselves look for, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. Herein I also practice always having a conscience void of offense toward God and men. (Acts 24:14-16)

Paul confesses his situation. He does not put forward propositions as the basis of an argument to justify his belief. Instead, he confesses that Jesus is the way to the truth and acknowledges this as a sect. We also need to confess that we believe Jesus is the way, because no other person in history has been testified to as having risen from the dead. Our confession, first and foremost, needs to be that Jesus lives. And He lives in us!

When writing to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul commends the members of the congregation for their obedience to their confession, for indeed, faith without works is dead, and only hypocrites say they believe in Jesus but do not demonstrate a change in their behavior. This what the Apostle wrote:

For this service of giving that you perform not only makes up for lack among the saints, but abounds also through many givings of thanks to God; seeing that through the proof given by this service, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the Good News of Christ, and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all; while they themselves also, with suppli-cation on your behalf, yearn for you by reason of the exceeding grace of God in you.  (2 Corinthians 9:12-14)

With this in mind, the obedience of faith is about confession and demonstrating a changed heart. The fruit of lips can also be said to include speaking in tongues. This is because when we speak in tongues, we are, in fact, uttering praise to God in the Spirit, even if we do not understand what we might be saying. In fact, there is evidence within the Scriptures that speaking in tongues is a sign of having received the Spirit of God.

Peter and Cornelius at Caesarea

When the Apostle Peter was speaking to Cornelius and his company, and he heard them speaking in tongues and magnifying God, he perceived that they had received the Holy Spirit just as he had (Acts 10:45-47). Those who oppose speaking in unknown tongues today say that this incident was a one-off event and no different from the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4). When the Apostle Paul came across disciples who had been baptized by John the Baptist, he told them that they needed to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and receive the Holy Spirit. This they did, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. Here is the account from the book of Acts:

While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples. He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”

They said to him, “No, we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

He said, “Into what then were you baptized?”

They said, “Into John’s baptism.”

Paul said, “John indeed baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Jesus.”

When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke with other languages and prophesied.  They were about twelve men in all. (Acts 19:1-7).

As we can see, the Apostle Peter is out of the picture, and here we have the Apostle Paul, who was neither at Joppa nor converted on the Day of Pentecost, rebaptizing disciples in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and telling them they need to receive the Holy Spirit. The evidence is seen in the fruit of lips that praise the name of the Lord, now with a new tongue, which is speaking in other tongues. This undermines the argument that this was only a sign meant to occur on two occasions to testify to the giving of the Holy Spirit to the Jews and then to the Gentiles.

Acceptance of All Scripture

Now, if we confess that we believe the Bible is the written word of God that bears witness to the plan and purpose of the Lord God Almighty, then we cannot deny or reject what we do not like. If we confess that the Bible bears witness to Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, we also need to accept all of the Scriptures as they testify to what we ought to do and what we ought not to do. For this is what the Apostle Paul told the Corinthians: 

Now I desire to have you all speak with other languages, but rather that you would prophesy. For he is greater who prophesies than he who speaks with other languages, unless he interprets, that the assembly may be built up. (1 Cor. 14:5)

 

For he who speaks in another language [unknown tongues] speaks not to men, but to God; for no one understands; but in the Spirit he speaks mysteries. But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, exhortation, and consolation. He who speaks in another language edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the assembly (1 Cor.14:2-4)

 

I thank my God, I speak with other languages more than you all. (1 Cor. 14:18)

 

Therefore, brothers, desire earnestly to prophesy, and don’t forbid speaking with other languages. (1 Cor. 14:39)

Concerning Speaking In Tongues

We see here that speaking in tongues, or in another language, can involve a language that is not of men. Speaking in unknown tongues comes from the Holy Spirit and is a form of praise to God. Those who are baptized in the Holy Spirit should allow God to bring forth the heavenly language as they praise His name. Speaking in tongues, as led by the Holy Spirit, is the fruit of lips that offers praise to God. Unfortunately, we find unbelievers, while claiming to be believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, forbidding this practice, contrary to what the Bible states. On the one hand, they will tell people that every word in the Bible is the literal Word of God. On the other hand, just like the hypocrites they are, they deny the truth of their own statements by cutting and splicing what is true and promoting what is false according to their own human philosophy, which contradicts what is actually written in the Bible. The prophet Isaiah says that God creates the fruit of lips, and in the book of Hebrews, we learn that this is something we should continually offer up to God.

I create the fruit of lips: Peace, peace, to him who is far off and to him who is near,” says Yahweh; “and I will heal them.” (Isaiah 57:19)

 

Through Him, then, let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which proclaim allegiance to His name. (Hebrews 13:15)

This is not to say that everybody who can speak in unknown tongues is doing so by means of the Holy Spirit; because even though the Apostle Paul states that nobody can confess Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit, this does not prevent hypocrites from making the profession. However, everyone who is baptized in the Holy Spirit can speak in other tongues to the praise and glory of God. It is simply a question of whether they are willing to let the Holy Spirit have full reign in their lives. Many people I know who claim to be Christians do not speak in tongues, and they are genuine believers, whereas many I know who do speak in tongues are questionable believers when it comes to their lifestyle. But then they themselves have to give an account of what they do. Likewise, so do we if we forbid speaking in tongues. It is far better to realize the value of speaking in tongues and understand that when we pray in tongues, it is the Spirit Himself within us speaking mysteries to God (1 Corinthians 14:2, 14). The gift of tongues is a powerful tool for earnestly praying for another person over an extended period until we feel our prayer has been heard. Whatever the case, we all have to stand before the judgment seat and give an account of every word we utter (Matthew 12:36).

Of course, it is possible to honor God with our lips while our hearts are not truly with Him. As Jesus said:

He answered them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. But they worship Me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

(Mark 7:6-8)

Anyone who puts the Bible before Jesus and teaches that it is the Living Word of God is guilty of worshiping our Lord and Savior in vain. We need to have a personal relationship with Jesus (John 5:39-40) so that He can baptize us in the Holy Spirit. This is what the Bible says:

Luke 3:16: John answered them all, “I indeed baptize you with water, but He comes who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to loosen. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire.”

 

Acts 1:4-5: Being assembled together with them, He commanded them, “Don’t depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which you heard from Me. For John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

 

Acts 2:3: Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” 

The fruit of lips is not just restricted to whether we are acknowledging Jesus or speaking in tongues as we pray to God, uttering mysteries in the Spirit. The fruit of lips is the result of the abundance within our hearts. For what comes out of our hearts can defile us (Matthew 15:18) and give the enemy every chance to oppose us in Heaven. Instead of the angels of God protecting us, Jesus is required to defend us (1 John 2:1-2) when the accuser of the brethren prosecutes his case against each one of us individually, claiming that we are not behaving worthily enough to be covered by the precious blood He shed.

A Renewed Mind

The Apostle Paul instructs us that we need to be transformed so that the Devil has no hold over us, by having a renewed mind and making the effort to contemplate thoughts that are worthy, positive, and beneficial. This is what he has written:

Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God. (Rom. 12:1-2)

Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:8)

As we can see from what the Apostle Paul has written, if we are to bring glory to the Father, we need to have a renewed mind and think about that which is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, gracious, virtuous, and praiseworthy. The aim of us Christians is to be a witness to the mercy of God and to testify to what Jesus is doing in our lives, not to use unworthy language while focused on worldly pursuits that only result in evil thoughts being expressed.

When it comes to the things we say and do, it is one thing to say and another to do. However, if we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, we will not be slinging mud, keeping an account of wrongs, or devising evil plans; our hearts will be mindful of doing the work of our Lord. In the event that we fall by the wayside, by looking to the Lord Jesus, He will pick us up so that we might get back on track again.

Using Discernment

Each one of us who names the name of the Lord ought to depart from living a life to appease those in the world. Our delight ought to be found in living to serve the Lord Jesus Christ by bearing fruit in our lives to the glory of God. This means learning how not to throw pearls before swine, nor give dogs what is holy, which is not too difficult if our desire is for the Holy Spirit to enlighten us with wisdom and truth. When we share with people about Jesus, knowing how to share our testimony is important, and knowing when to speak is crucial. For the Lord Jesus said that there will be times when we are all called to give an account of ourselves. This is what Jesus said:

Behold, I send you out as sheep among wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you. Yes, and you will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them and to the nations. But when they deliver you up, don’t be anxious how or what you will say, for it will be given you in that hour what you will say. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. (Matthew 10:16-20)

Learning how to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves is the key to walking with our Lord. Without this, there is great difficulty in bringing forth the fruit of lips that brings praise to His name and spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of our precious Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, as we sow seeds of life in the hearts of our hearers.

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[i] Being saved through the grace of Lord Jesus implies faith is required, as does going through a door, and is not the same as being saved by grace alone.

[ii] This account was related at a meeting in the 1970s by a visiting emissary seeking support for Open Doors Ministry to Communist Russia.