The term testimony in a legal sense is a statement made under oath—one person, a witness, attesting to firsthand knowledge of that which is in question.
Testimony in the common sense is assertion of what a witness has seen, heard, handled, or experienced firsthand.
The Apostle John, in 1 John 1:1–4, gives readers a testimony to what he witnessed:
That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you...
The Apostle Peter, in 2 Peter 1:16–18, also gives testimony to what he witnessed:
...but were eyewitnesses of his majesty
The Lord, in Acts 1:8, gave a forth-telling of what would happen after He ascended:
...ye shall be witnesses unto me
Paul gave testimony of his encounter with Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus on at least two occasions as we read in the book of Acts (Acts 22:3–16, Acts 26:9–18). The Lord told Paul what He would do with Paul:
For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard” (22:15).
...for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen... (26:16).
It was a life-changing moment for Paul when he personally met the Lord Jesus Christ. And the Lord said that He would use Paul and Paul’s testimony to deliver the Gentiles from their sins (Acts 26:18).
The idea of giving a testimony has its roots in Acts 1:8 and continued with the apostles, and until now, people give their testimonies—their firsthand accounts of what Jesus Christ has done for them; how Jesus Christ saved them from their sins and made them whole.
Apparently, the Lord is pleased to use Christian testimonies in turning people from their sins to faith in Him.
Sadly, many Christians today vehemently focus only on Matthew 28:19–20 and neglect Acts 1:8. They are too busy making (or forcing) disciples, instead of nurturing their own relationships with the Lord. That appears to be part of the idea in Revelation 2:4 when the Lord rebuked the church of Ephesus.
This is why there must be a balance between teaching and sharing. People absolutely need the Word of God (cf. Romans 10:17, 1 Peter 1:23), but they also want to hear what the Lord has done in our lives.
These days, too many Christians talk a good talk but lack the witness of Jesus Christ in their lives—and the world sees it, and the name of God, His Son Jesus Christ, and Christianity are shamed by such contradictions (cf. Romans 2:24).
So, to answer you question more directly, the theological roots for giving one’s testimony are found with the Author and Finisher of our faith—the Lord Jesus Christ who shared His relationship with the Father. In turn, believers today testify of Christ in their lives, in spirit and in truth.
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Written by Jerry Smith
Image source: https://www.istockphoto.com/portfolio/nhungstudio
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