Tags
Jesus Is Truth, John 15:17-21, John 8:32-36, Lies, Matthew 6:19-21, Romans 8:14-21, Trendy Or Truth, Truth
Bible Ballistics: BBs #494 Trendy Or Truth???
“And ye shall know the truth,
and the truth shall make you free…….
34 Jesus answered them,
Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Whosoever committeth sin
is the servant of sin.
35 And the servant abideth not
in the house for ever:
but the Son abideth ever.
36 If the Son therefore
shall make you free,
ye shall be free
indeed.” John 8:32 & 34-36
This is a portion of the discourse that Jesus had with some of the religious leaders as well as some who believed in Him. It is one of my favorite chapters in John (Along with so many others—John is such an amazing book!). If you read it through, you’ll find that it is a great turning point in the ministry of our Lord Jesus, as He clearly delineates the difference between popular opinion and truth, and Jesus IS truth—in His person, His nature and His words—whether we believe and accept Him or not!
We live in a world that is much more concerned with “trendy” than with “truth”—and my friends we must be on our guard all the time for the lies that abound around us. Jesus clearly tells us that if we “shall know the truth”, and remember HE IS the truth (See John 1:1-14, and John 14:6), that He/Truth “shall make you free”! He didn’t say that we would be “set” free, but that He would “make” us free—in fact, in the change of our heart and relationship with God, that will be seen in our actions and reactions toward the things around us. He even goes on to repeat this principle in verse 36:
“If the Son therefore
shall make you free,
ye shall be free
indeed.”
When Jesus makes us His child (by being born again of His Spirit, See John 3:1-21) we are endued with His Spirit and His power to recognize, resist and reject sin—and while we can’t escape it’s presence, we can overcome its power through the power of His Holy Spirit. Paul gives us a great picture of this in Romans chapter 8, and we’ll peruse some portions of this letter. (Take some time and read the entire chapter for yourself for an amazing blessing!)
“For as many as are led by the Spirit
of God,
they are the sons of God.
15 For ye have not received the spirit
of bondage
again to fear;
but ye have received the Spirit
of adoption,
whereby we cry,
Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness
with our spirit,
that we are the children of God:
17 And if children,
then heirs;
heirs of God,
and joint-heirs with Christ;
if so be that we suffer with him,
that we may be also glorified together.
18 For I reckon that the sufferings
of this present time
are not worthy to be compared
with the glory which shall be
revealed in us.
……21 Because the creature itself
also shall be delivered
from the bondage of corruption
into the glorious liberty
of the children of God.” Portions of Romans 8:14-21
Trendy says if you know Jesus and have enough faith you won’t suffer, you won’t be sick, you won’t have financial needs, your won’t be persecuted for your faith—Truth says:
“the sufferings
of this present time
are not worthy to be compared
with the glory
which shall be revealed
in us”
Jesus Himself gave us the truth that “the servant is not greater than his lord”! (See John 13:16)
“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.” John 15:17-21
Jesus reminds us that when we are His, we will experience the same rejection and ridicule that He did, because the world “hates” the things of God—including Jesus and His truth! So we must choose whose praise we are longing for and pursuing. If you want the world’s praise, then simply do the “trendy” new thing that the world promotes; but if we want the praise and approval of God we must live our lives pursuing holiness and truth in the power and provision of our Lord Jesus Christ—HE IS TRUTH!
We must take up our cross and follow Jesus wherever He directs our steps, regardless of the response or consequence. May we ever seek the rewards of heaven rather than the popular trends of the world!
“Lay not up for yourselves
treasures upon earth,
where moth
and rust doth corrupt,
and where thieves break through
and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves
treasures in heaven,
where neither moth
nor rust doth corrupt,
and where thieves do not break through
nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is,
there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:19-21
Where’s your heart? Fixed on the “trendy” or the “truth”?