Bible Ballistics: Vol. 8 No.14 You CAN Know Truth!!! Now!!!
With all the hoopla, political pundits, and accusations flying across broadcast media as well as social media, what are we to do? We must realize that truth is truth no matter what the popular opinion of the day says; no matter what the latest “poll” says; no matter what sports stars, actors and actresses may say, truth hasn’t changed because GOD has never changed and HIS ‘truth’ IS truth. His truth is not only “words” but also, and more importantly, a person; God sent His own son to be truth, to live truth, to make truth known and available to us through a personal relationship with God, which cost HIS Son’s blood at the Cross for us.
Jesus came so we could not only know ‘about’ truth but so that we could come into relationship with “truth”! Jesus says of Himself that He IS “truth”! No hesitation, no doubt, no option “B”—Jesus boldly declared that HE IS the only way to God—and that way is “the truth”—Jesus Himself! You can choose to accept the truth or not, God gave every person the right to choose, but there are consequences for every choice. We CAN know truth only through Jesus, and Jesus alone, all because of His death burial and resurrection for sin—my sin and yours!
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6
“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all
that which I also received,
how that Christ died for our sins
according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried,
and that he rose again the third day
according to the scriptures:
5 And that he was seen of Cephas,
then of the twelve:” 1 Corinthians 15:1-5
We can know truth because truth comes to reside within those who come to Jesus in repentance and faith. And God doesn’t call us to Himself through His Son to leave us to our own devices, but God transforms our lives into the glory and reflection of HIS SON.
“And we know
that all things work together for good
to them that love God,
to them who are the called
according to his purpose.
29 For whom he did foreknow,
he also did predestinate
to be conformed
to the image
of his Son,
that he might be the firstborn
among many brethren.” Romans 8:28-29
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” Philippians 1:6
God’s saves and transforms us into the image of His Son—that IS truth. God will restore all who will come to Him through the truth of the Gospel—the blood that Jesus shed for all who will believe Him—Him, the truth. And as we said earlier, God doesn’t leave us to do it all alone. He gives us His Holy Spirit to direct our steps, when we simply (though not easily) hear and obey His leading.
“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” John 14:16-17
“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh……..25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” Galatians 5:16 & 25
God empowers us to walk in, by, with and through HIS Spirit. The world won’t understand what they see but that’s the point; that truth in us will so ring in their ears, eyes and hearts that some will be drawn to Jesus. That is our true purpose! And while the old adage that you “can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink”, is true; you can “salt” his oats and create a thirst for the “water” of the Word—Jesus!!! And we never do it alone!!!
“I will not leave you comfortless:
I will come to you.
19 Yet a little while,
and the world seeth me no more;
but ye see me:
because I live,
ye shall live also.
20 At that day ye shall know
that I am in my Father,
and ye in me,
and I in you.
21 He that hath my commandments,
and keepeth them,
he it is that loveth me:
and he that loveth me
shall be loved of my Father,
and I will love him,
and will manifest myself to him.” John 14:18-21
All this because Jesus brings “new birth”! Are you walking in truth with Jesus? Do you love HIM or the world? Have you been “born……of God”? Are you walking with the One who came that you COULD KNOW TRUTH? The choice is totally yours, “receive HIM” or “receive HIM not”—and it truly is a life and death choice. But you CAN know Him/Truth, today!
“He came unto his own,
and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him,
to them gave he power
to become the sons of God,
even to them that believe
on his name:
13 Which were born,
not of blood,
nor of the will of the flesh,
nor of the will of man,
but of God.
14 And the Word was made flesh,
and dwelt among us,
(and we beheld his glory,
the glory
as of the only begotten
of the Father,)
full of grace and truth.” John 1:11-14
Jesus, The Son of God, “full of grace and truth”, will impart His grace and truth to those who come to Him, so that we can walk in HIM/truth! His truth in us will be evident to the world by the walk of truth displayed in our lives. Does your walk match your talk? Are you and I being the “truth” that the world needs to see? Or are we liars who are fooling ourselves and living something other than the truth before a lost and dying world? John dealt with this issue in his first letter.
“This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But 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. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” 1 John 1:5-2:6
How do we know that we know? John talks about walking in the “light” of God, and we can only do that when we “walk in the Spirit”—the Holy Spirit which God gives to indwell every one who is “born again”!!! It’s one way that we know we are living a life that displays God’s work within us. Not perfection, as John so aptly states above, but a constant pursuit of God, excellence, His light and His truth!! Yet even when we fail, (And as humans we will stumble!) we “have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous”! When we confess our sins, He will forgive and cleanse us—and to confess our sin, means to agree with God that sin IS sin, and realize that we need forgiveness and restoration, not soothing words to justify our sin. We must seek His ways continually—desiring to “know” truth and “walk” in “light” of The Truth, Jesus!
“Shew me thy ways, O Lord;
teach me thy paths.
5 Lead me in thy truth,
and teach me:
for thou art the God of my salvation;
on thee do I wait all the day.” Psalm 25:4-5
“O send out thy light and thy truth:
let them lead me;
let them bring me unto thy holy hill,
and to thy tabernacles.
4 Then will I go unto the altar of God,
unto God my exceeding joy:
yea, upon the harp will I praise thee,
O God my God.” Psalm 43:3-4
Walking in God’s truth brings joyous fellowship with The Father and The Son, through His Holy Spirit! Jesus came to give us that kind of life and the ability to “know” HIM!!! So the question is, “Do you know Him?” God sent Jesus so that we could “KNOW” truth.
“He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.” Psalm 57:3 (And Jesus is the truth in flesh that God sent to and for us—eternal truth to give eternal life to those who will believe. See John 1 above.)
“For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” Psalm 100:5
His truth endures whether any particular person believes it or NOT, for Jesus IS TRUTH and HE IS eternal. He was before all things, and will endure as our Lord, our God and our Savior for all eternity. And if we will but come to HIM we can know truth because HE IS truth, and His Spirit will dwell within us, and we can live with HIM forever throughout eternity! All because He IS eternal truth.
“Giving thanks unto the Father,
which hath made us meet to be partakers
of the inheritance of the saints in light:
13 Who hath delivered us
from the power of darkness,
and hath translated us
into the kingdom
of his dear Son:
14 In whom we have redemption
through his blood,
even the forgiveness of sins:
15 Who is the image
of the invisible God,
the firstborn of every creature:
16 For by him were all things created,
that are in heaven,
and that are in earth,
visible and invisible,
whether they be thrones,
or dominions,
or principalities,
or powers:
all things were created by him,
and for him:
17 And he is before all things,
and by him all things consist.
18 And he is the head of the body,
the church:
who is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead;
that in all things he might have
the preeminence.
19 For it pleased the Father
that in him should all fulness dwell;
20 And, having made peace
through the blood of his cross,
by him to reconcile
all things unto himself;
by him, I say,
whether they be things
in earth,
or things in heaven.” Colossians 1:12-20
Jesus is God, and He took on a body of flesh so that we might KNOW truth-Himself, the person and the “word” of truth! All because God is the God of truth and mercy.
“But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.” Psalm 86:15
We can walk in HIS mercy and truth, not just by “do’s and don’ts” but by ‘knowing’ truth and “BE”ing what God wants us to “be”! God is way more concerned about your heart than simply your outward actions; because Jesus Himself said that our actions come out of our “heart”. Our actions will eventually reveal, and betray what is truly in our heart. (Mt.15:16-20). Don’t have time for God? Don’t have time for church? Don’t have time to help anyone but yourself? Don’t have time to read the Word of God? What do your actions say about your heart? Truth will prevail, and God will judge by HIS standard NOT yours—and HE will judge!
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” Hebrews 4:12-13
“Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously. …….. 13 Before the Lord: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.” Psalm 96:9-13
And because Jesus is truth, we as believers, children of God, are to live truth before the world! It must start in our homes, we are to be the mothers, fathers, step-parents, the sisters, brothers or authority-figures in any young persons life, that live out the Truth of Jesus. We are the only truth that some will see—and that makes it our job, our responsibility, our privilege to live “TRUTH”, to live “JESUS” before a lost and dying world—be it near or far. To live Jesus/Truth before our family, our neighbors, in our workplace, and our community, and in our churches! What truth do your actions reveal? That you love the bar more than God? That you love sports more that God? That you love self more than God? That you love bling more than God? That you love the vulgar instead of the holy? The list could go on endlessly, and only you can answer any of these questions, but they demand an answer, and one day we will all give an answer, whether or not we choose to face it now.
And for those of us who choose to follow Jesus, and HIS truth (That being HIS person, His words, and HIS Word!) there may be other consequences—perhaps the same consequences that Jesus also faced for US!
“Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. 16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. 17 These things I command you, that ye love one another. 18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin. 23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also.” John 15:15-23
We must be prepared to pay the price for following Jesus. We will not always be popular, and it is becoming more and more dangerous to live and proclaim Biblical truth! What will we do when it becomes not only unpopular but unlawful? That day could be closer than we think. We must cling to the Cross and it’s message with wisdom and courage. But remember, we can’t share truth if we don’t know it! Or HIM!
“Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 2 But have
renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness,
nor handling the word of God deceitfully;
but by manifestation of the truth
commending ourselves
to every man’s conscience
in the sight of God.
3 But if our gospel be hid,
it is hid to them that are lost:
4 In whom the god of this world
hath blinded the minds of them
which believe not,
lest the light of the glorious gospel
of Christ,
who is the image of God,
should shine unto them.
5 For we preach not ourselves,
but Christ Jesus the Lord;
and ourselves your servants
for Jesus’ sake.
6 For God,
who commanded the light to shine
out of darkness,
hath shined in our hearts,
to give the light
of the knowledge
of the glory of God
in the face
of Jesus Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:1-6
While we’re called to it, we must all choose whether we will stand confidently in and for truth, or fall for the lies of the world—and they are abundant around us. To be free of the lies, we MUST know truth, first the Person of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and then to also know what He has said in His Word—all of it!!! When trouble, persecution and conflict come we can only stand fast on the truth of the Word of God. We are marching to the beat of a different drummer than the world, and may our lives ever testify to Him and His Word!!!
“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. …… 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:10-14
And don’t forget, that there are those who will refuse to believe—everyone has the right to choose. But there is a consequence to every choice.
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves,
covetous,
boasters,
proud,
blasphemers,
disobedient to parents,
unthankful,
unholy,
3 Without natural affection,
trucebreakers,
false accusers,
incontinent,
fierce,
despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors,
heady,
highminded,
lovers of pleasures
more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness,
but denying the power thereof:
from such turn away.
For of this sort are they
which creep into houses,
and lead captive silly women
laden with sins,
led away with divers lusts,
7 Ever learning,
and never able
to come
to the knowledge
of the truth.” 2 Timothy 3:6-7
We can walk confidently in truth, worshipping God with our lives, in Spirit and Truth—knowing that we know, that we know, that we know!!! So what do you KNOW?
“But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” John 4:23-24
Like this:
Like Loading...