Devotional: Corroborating Evidence

Corroborating Evidence

When we think of a witness, we automatically think of a person who, by personal presence and perception, has seen a thing. We often refer to them as an "eyewitness." However, the all-too-common problem is if 10, or 100, people witness an event, there will often be 10, or 100, different versions of what took place. So the rule of thumb is to find witnesses who testify jointly, corroborating the evidence.

But what about the witness which was not seen with the natural eye? What about the inner knowing within a person - perhaps the mother or father who simply "knows" when their child is in danger? That too, is a type of witness. And yet, it needs corroborating evidence also; without such, it's hard to support the so-called witness. And this is why God gave us His Spirit, "For the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God" (Romans 8:16). In other words, God's Spirit within the believer corroborates the evidence and testimony.

The Spirit of God within a believer cannot be seen with the natural eye. It is sometimes even hard for the believer himself to have assurance of God's Spirit abiding in him... without a witness. And the first witness is God's Holy Word. We are promised, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His Name" (John 1:12). Then, because we believe Jesus is the Son of God and confess Him as our Lord, we are told our heart becomes His home. The witness is found in Galatians 4:6, "And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, 'Abba, Father!'"

God's Word and God's Spirit are two witnesses jointly testifying that we are children of God. But unless the believer himself "believes" this, there is no corroboration (no certainty). I know that sounds like an oxymoron - a believer who isn't sure he or she believes - but it is prevalent everywhere. I recently asked a waitress if she was a Christian and she said yes. But then when I asked her if she was going to heaven, she was suddenly unsure. The "believer" had doubt. She either didn't trust God's Word or His Spirit. Instead, her trust was in outside influences, or possibly a guilty conscience.

When I speak of outside influences, I am referring to wrong theology spoken by misguided persons, or perhaps correct theology simply misunderstood by the hearer. And the guilty conscience is something all of us deal with. We don't mean to doubt, but we ask ourselves, "How can God forgive and accept me?" By entertaining such thoughts, we open ourselves to doubt and then eventually, deception.

But "...the Spirit bears witness with our spirit..." Without any outside evidence, there is a connection within. It cannot be seen, but it can be felt. "By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit" (1 John 4:13). The Holy Spirit of God is our Helper, Comforter, Counselor, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby. In all these roles, He is continually bearing witness of His presence within us. And the best way for us to recognize Him is to know God's Word. Jesus said, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you" (John 14:26). We must remember the Spirit of God will never contradict the Word of God. Therefore, the more we read and study God's Word, the more we will hear the witness of the Holy Spirit in our heart. And the more we recognize the Holy Spirit as He bears witness with our spirit (leading and guiding us), the more we will trust and believe. So the corroborating evidence is three-fold: God's Word, recognition of God's Spirit, and ultimately, our faith in both.

And isn't that the goal? To become strong believers? Whittaker Chambers once said, "A witness, in the sense that I am using the word, is a man whose life and faith are so completely one that when the challenge comes to step out and testify for his faith, he does so, disregarding all risks, accepting all consequences." I love that! It perfectly describes the one who has acknowledged God's Spirit bearing witness with his spirit and then acts accordingly. He is the one who believes that we always triumph in Christ! And that "...greater is He who is in [him] then he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4). He (or she) understands Satan's ultimate deception is to show truth as error and error as truth, yet they are unmoved because their trust is in the Spirit of God bearing witness with their spirit to discern the difference.

So remember, "If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is [always] greater..." (1 John 5:9).