How important is the Truth?

Hello To All:

It is good to be back. It is good to be, once again, engaged in this great work, that our Lord Jesus Christ has set before me: this privilege of seeking to help each of you to become a victorious disciple in Jesus Christ.

This past month, of personal reflection, has been challenging and rewarding. The title, for today's posting, reflects the challenge that my Lord Jesus Christ set before me; and the reward comes from being empowered by the indwelling and manifesting presence of Jesus Christ, to rightly respond to the challenge. Can we say Amen and Amen? Thank you Jesus!

Our text comes from First John, verse two, where we find written: "For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever."

Recently, I have had a number of conversations, some with believers; and some with people holding to a variety of different perspectives. There was a common thread, which seems to be all too common, even amongst those who call themselves Christian. The perspective goes something like this: In order to understand and recognize what is false, I need to study it.

There is a certain level of logic to this perspective; but, it is a logic that is based on a false premise: it is the logic of the world's perspective. For example: If I were to learn all there is to know about a certain false system of thinking - does this prepare me to recognize all false systems? The answer, of course, is no. Regardless of how well prepared that I might be, to recognize what is false about one perspective; this will not prepare me to recognize all that is false.

The Lord our God, has an entirely different way of preparing us to recognize the lies of the world's systems: He teaches us about truth! He teaches us about Himself. In the title, for this posting, I have capitalized: "Truth." This was done because God is Truth! We can see the evidence of this unfolding revelation, contained in the King's Book, as we look at the following texts: (For the sake of clarity, I have emphasized the appearance of the word truth, in these texts.):

1. (Deuteronomy 32:4): "He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of TRUTH and without iniquity, just and right is he."

2. (John 1:17): "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and TRUTH came by Jesus Christ."

3. (John 14:6): "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

4. (2 John 2): "For the TRUTH'S sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.

Since the fullest revelation of God is given in and through His Son Jesus Christ; and since God is the "God of truth,": it then follows, that the fullest revelation of TRUTH is in the Son Jesus Christ. We can see this in the above texts. Our main text (2 John 2), reminds us that the indwelling presence of Jesus Christ is: "the Truth...which dwelleth in us." Thus, all of us who are converted to Jesus Christ; and thus, all of us who can be rightly called Christian; are also, all those who should be rightly recognized as the Truth bearers.

We are the vessels, within which, Jesus Christ chooses to manifest Himself to this fallen world. But, the manifesting presence of Jesus Christ, the Truth, is limited by whatever is false in us; and by whatever is false, around us, that we embrace as the truth. Jesus Christ, certainly has the power and the authority to force His way in; but, He does not; instead He gives us the privilege of freely choosing; and He honors the choices we make. If we choose to embrace that which is false; then it should be understood that Jesus Christ will not manifest Himself in and through us!

The only way to recognize what is false in the world; and the only way to recognize what is false in us: is to know the TRUTH - Jesus Christ. The better that we know Jesus; the better equipped we will be, to recognize all that is false in us and in the world.

Thus, the answer to the question posed by the title to this posting, should be something like this: The Truth that is the revelation of Jesus Christ, should be and needs to be the most important reality of our lives. Our full allegiance must be given to the person of Jesus Christ. If this is not our perspective, then we will be seriously limited in our progress towards victorious discipleship in Jesus Christ.

Let us pray for one another, that we will stand firmly for the TRUTH.

Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus I continue to be:

Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus