JOHN'S TESTIMONY.
John:—I am more than pleased to speak on this important matter. As an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, I taught the people to do the will of God as it had been laid down by the Savior.
The World:—It is recorded in the Gospel which bears your name that Christ said, "God so loved the world that he gave his only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life?"
John:—That is correct.
The World:—Did you not infer from that that all a man had to do in order to be saved was to believe in Christ?
John:—I did not; for Christ, just a little while before, had said to Nicodemus, who knew that Jesus was a Teacher sent of God: "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." (John 3: 5.) There is something more than belief in those words.
The World:—Did you not teach the people that the blood of Jesus Christ would cleanse them from all sin?
John:—I did; but it was on the condition that they walked as Christ walked. This is what I said: "If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." (I John 1: 7.) After Christ had taught us the principles of the Gospel, He said to us: "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." (John 13: 17.) Again He said to us: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me the works that I do shall he do also." (John 14: 12.) The Lord gave me a vision when I was on the Isle of Patmos: "and I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." (Rev. 20: 12.) In the face of all these things, how could I believe that belief alone in Christ was all that was necessary for salvation?
The World:—The witness is excused.