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WHAT IS TRUTH?
How can truth be defined? Why is it important to know the truth? How much does it affect the way we live our lives?
Webster defines it as 'conformity to fact or reality'.
What is the opposite of truth? Nonconformity to reality?
The 'truth' may mean different things to different people. I hear people saying 'the truth of the matter is' or 'it's no lie', or 'its the God's honest truth'. But what they speak does not seem to be truth. There may some truth in it, but it also appears that they may be hiding something or exaggerating a bit.
Remember those True and False questions from school? If the question was not totally true it would have to be answered false. So any partial truth is a falsehood.
Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?, says the judge. You take the stand. Yet you are only allowed to answer the questions that are posed to you. That does not bring out the whole truth. It may bring out a partial truth that could lead to someone appearing to be guilty.
How is truth established? Do you believe everything that people tell you or promise you? How can you distinguish the truth? How can you be certain that you have all the facts, the complete facts, and nothing but the facts? Are there absolutes? Is there an absolute truth?
The Word of God is Biblical truth. It is absolute truth. This truth is the complete, and unchangeable truth. It is non-negotiable. God's Word was delivered and entrusted to men. It was complete, without error, and for the good of man. God is whole, complete, pure, unchangeable and without error. His Word declares the true nature of who He is. We are not complete nor without error. When we view upon God's Word it declares that we are not pure, we are not perfect. It declares that we need to change. Our life was created with an ability for it to be changed. We are not able to change ourselves. The change must occur on the inside and not just in our outward actions. Trying to muster enough willpower does not bring permanent change.
God's Word will change us. As we learn more about God, as we spend time in His Word, meditating on truth, we are changed in our inner being. We begin to reflect more of God's nature. Change will not happen if we try harder to fix our problem. We are full of darkness until God's truth shines deeply into our soul. There is nothing that we can do to be more like God. We can't will ourselves to do perfectly or discipline ourselves not to do something wrong.
God designed it so that we would have to come to Him. That is how He planned it. He wants us to come to Him, spend time in His presence, and communicate with Him. That is called abiding in Him. What develops from that relationship is that which He has influenced in us. What grows from that is the natural result of that relationship. And what that looks like is more like God's own character. We can't force ourselves to produce that. And even if we could, we could not sustain it for very long, especially in times of temptation or difficulty.
Our time with God is to become a natural desire. It is not meant to become a ritual but is to be motivated by a heart of love. As we sit and contemplate our God, and the unchanging truth of His Word, we will begin to grow in many ways, producing the fruit that Word brings; our respect, honor, trust, love , dependence, desire,...
God is still the same as He always has been. He was and always will be perfect and the 'truth'. He is holy and just, and must judge. If we don't look anything like Him, He won't know who we are. What does it matter?
21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
Matt 7:21-23
He gave us a warning. We may have done good things in His name, but if we never really had a relationship with Him, He we cast us away. He is not able to dwell with wickedness. Wicked ways are ways of untruth. He is loving and merciful, but He is coming again to judge. We can't live life without Him. Take a look at your character. Does it look anything like God's? Whom do you most resemble in your character? Have you taken on the standards of the world? The world is full of lies and deceit. What it promises is only temporary.
God defines truth in His Word.
37 Pilate asked him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."
38 Pilate asked him, "What is truth?" John 18:37-38 (NRSV)
When Christ said, I am the Truth, he said, in effect, I am a King. He conquers by the convincing evidence of truth; he rules by the commanding power of truth. The subjects of this kingdom are those that are of the truth. Pilate put a good question, he said, What is truth?
When we search the Scriptures, and attend the ministry of the word, it must be with this inquiry, What is truth? and with this prayer, Lead me in thy truth; into all truth. But many put this question of truth aside, who have not patience to preserve in their search after truth; or not humility enough to receive it. By this solemn declaration of Christ's innocence, it appears, that though the Lord Jesus was treated as the worst of evil-doers, he never deserved such treatment. But it unfolds the design of his death; that he died as a Sacrifice for our sins. Pilate was willing to please all sides; and was governed more by worldly wisdom than by the rules of justice. Sin is a robber, yet is foolishly chosen by many rather than Christ, who would truly enrich us. Let us endeavor to make our accusers ashamed as Christ did; and let us beware of crucifying Christ afresh. --Matthew Henry Concise
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6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him." John 14:6-7 (NRSV)
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The testimony of John concerning Christ
14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth. 15 (John testified to him and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.'") 16 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known. John 1:14-18 (NRSV)
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But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:23-24 (NLT)
The term "spirit" refers to the sphere of worship. True worship happens when a believer's spirit is connected with God's Spirit, not when a believer is in any particular physical place like Jerusalem or Samaria. God's Spirit is everywhere, therefore worship can happen anywhere. The term "truth" implies that the human worshiper is open and conforming to God's revealed ways of worship and life, specifically Jesus' call to repentance and honest, spiritual worship.--Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary
==============================================18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. 19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them.20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools.23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.24 So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies.25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.26 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other.27 And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.28 Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done.29 Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip.30 They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents.31 They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy.32 They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too. Romans 1:18-32 (NLT)
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Mankind's Willful Rejection of God
God made his truth evident (1:18-20), but humans suppressed and rejected it is added to begin Paul's thoughts on how all humanity is responsible for their sins. The core of the law is summed up in 1:19: "For the truth of God is known to them instinctively". That basic knowledge about God is available by simply viewing God's creation (1:20). People are without excuse. This statement implicates Paul's audience—people who made excuses for why they were exempt from God's wrath in mankind's universal guilt. Mankind rejected the true God (1:21-23) for its own image (—Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary
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The apostle begins to show that all mankind need the salvation of the gospel, because none could obtain the favor of God, or escape his wrath by their own works. For no man can plead that he has fulfilled all his obligations to God and to his neighbor; nor can any truly say that he has fully acted up to the light afforded him. The sinfulness of man is described as ungodliness against the laws of the first table, and unrighteousness against those of the second. The cause of that sinfulness is holding the truth in unrighteousness. All, more or less, do what they know to be wrong, and omit what they know to be right, so that the plea of ignorance cannot be allowed from any. Our Creator's invisible power and Godhead are so clearly shown in the works he has made, that even idolaters and wicked Gentiles are left without excuse. They foolishly followed idolatry; and rational creatures changed the worship of the glorious Creator, for that of brutes, reptiles, and senseless images. They wandered from God, till all traces of true religion must have been lost, had not the revelation of the gospel prevented it. For whatever may be pretended, as to the sufficiency of man's reason to discover Divine truth and moral obligation, or to govern the practice aright, facts cannot be denied. And these plainly show that men have dishonored God by the most absurd idolatries and superstitions; and have degraded themselves by the vilest affections and most abominable deeds.
—Matthew Henry Concise===============================================
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11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. Eph 4:11-16 (NLT)
Sinful desires are deceitful lusts; they promise men happiness, but render them more miserable; and bring them to destruction, if not subdued and mortified. These therefore must be put off, as an old garment, a filthy garment; they must be subdued and mortified. But it is not enough to shake off corrupt principles; we must have gracious ones. By the new man, is meant the new nature, the new creature, directed by a new principle, even regenerating grace, enabling a man to lead a new life of righteousness and holiness. This is created, or brought forth by God's almighty power. —Matthew Henry Concise
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Don't leave the path of truth
15 Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.16 Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior.17 This kind of talk spreads like cancer, as in the case of Hymenaeus and Philetus.18 They have left the path of truth, claiming that the resurrection of the dead has already occurred; in this way, they have turned some people away from the faith.19 But God’s truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “All who belong to the Lord must turn away from evil.”[2] 2 Tim 2:15-19 (NLT)
Here we see the real and true cause of the apostle's suffering trouble in, or for, the sake of the gospel. If we are dead to this world, its pleasures, profits, and honors, we shall be for ever with Christ in a better world. He is faithful to his threatening' s, and faithful to his promises. This truth makes sure the unbeliever's condemnation, and the believer's salvation.
—Matthew Henry Concise
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We must make our lives a living testimony of
our profession of faith
5 This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth.7 But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts. 1 John 1:5-10 (NLT)
Nothing can be more absurd than the conduct of those who doubt as to the truth of Christianity, while in the common affairs of life they do not hesitate to proceed on human testimony, and would deem any one out of his senses who declined to do so. The real Christian has seen his guilt and misery, and his need of such a Savior. He has seen the suitableness of such a Savior to all his spiritual wants and circumstances. He has found and felt the power of the word and doctrine of Christ, humbling, healing, quickening, and comforting his soul. He has a new disposition, and new delights, and is not the man that he formerly was. Yet he finds still a conflict with himself, with sin, with the flesh, the world, and wicked powers. But he finds such strength from faith in Christ, that he can overcome the world, and travel on towards a better. Such assurance has the gospel believer: he has a witness in himself, which puts the matter out of doubt with him, except in hours of darkness or conflict; but he cannot be argued out of his belief in the leading truths of the gospel. Here is what makes the unbeliever's sin so awful; the sin of unbelief. He gives God the lie; because he believes not the record that God gave of his Son. It is in vain for a man to plead that he believes the testimony of God in other things, while he rejects it in this. He that refuses to trust and honor Christ as the Son of God, who disdains to submit to his teaching as Prophet, to rely on his atonement and intercession as High Priest, or to obey him as King, is dead in sin, under condemnation; nor will any outward morality, learning, forms, notions, or confidences avail him.
—Matthew Henry Concise
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A Psalm of David.
1 Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord?Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?2 Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right,speaking the truth from sincere hearts.3 Those who refuse to gossipor harm their neighborsor speak evil of their friends.4 Those who despise flagrant sinners,and honor the faithful followers of the Lord,and keep their promises even when it hurts.5 Those who lend money without charging interest,and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent.Such people will stand firm forever. Psalms 15:1-5 (NLT)
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153 Look upon my suffering and rescue me,for I have not forgotten your instructions.154 Argue my case; take my side!Protect my life as you promised.155 The wicked are far from rescue,for they do not bother with your decrees.156 Lord, how great is your mercy;let me be revived by following your regulations.157 Many persecute and trouble me,yet I have not swerved from your laws.158 Seeing these traitors makes me sick at heart,because they care nothing for your word.159 See how I love your commandments, Lord.Give back my life because of your unfailing love.160 The very essence of your words is truth;all your just regulations will stand forever. Psalms 119:153-160 (NLT)
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14 “For this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: I was determined to punish you when your ancestors angered me, and I did not change my mind, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.15 But now I am determined to bless Jerusalem and the people of Judah. So don’t be afraid.16 But this is what you must do: Tell the truth to each other. Render verdicts in your courts that are just and that lead to peace.17 Don’t scheme against each other. Stop your love of telling lies that you swear are the truth. I hate all these things, says the Lord.”18 Here is another message that came to me from the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.19 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: The traditional fasts and times of mourning you have kept in early summer, midsummer, autumn, and winter are now ended. They will become festivals of joy and celebration for the people of Judah. So love truth and peace. Zech 8:14-19 (NLT)
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People have made some big blunders through the years. No matter how right they thought they were, they were still wrong.
Human reasoning is limited. Often we don't know all the facts or had never considered something that was important. We should examine what we hear and be careful what we believe. Have you ever had a dawning moment. If we continue in deception we are headed the wrong way through this life. The truth of God's Word is a plumbline that God has been given us as a guide. God will honor us for continuing to scrutinize our beliefs and actions and admitting when we are wrong. Coming to a full knowledge of the truth is the goal. We are responsible for our own growth. We cannot be fed when our spouse reads the Word of God; we must partake of it our self. As we learn more about Jesus, the Truth will set us free.
Being set free from guilt, sin, and death. We will be free to worship God and connect with Him in spirit and in truth.
Jesus said in John 14:12-17a NLT " I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done and even greater works because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes ask anything in my name and I will do it! If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth."
Ask for the Holy Spirit to guide you into the truth, and you will know the truth.
Christian books can be informative, encouraging, inspiring, and interesting. They should also be uncompromising. There is a demand for entertainment, and sometimes it comes in deceitful ways. Please align everything up with God's Word. Man's interpretation is not always accurate. A story with a Christian perspective might bring home a good moral story or point, but the Christian life is not so cut and dried. The Bible offers many stories for different settings. We need to study each one in the context in which it was given. Then we can begin to understand what was being taught, but it is still only in part. Scripture should be viewed in light of other references given in the Word of God. There is a danger in making it say what it was never meant to say. We can't chose a nice verse and apply it to our situation, that is improper use of God's Word. God has a rich meaning in the Holy Scriptures. It is meant to be dug into and plowed through. It is meant to take root in the deepest recesses of our heart, mind, and soul. It brings words of life to the parched soul.
I pour my heart out on this web site. I pray my heart reflects God's own heart. I want to know His precepts, His Word. God's Word is a deep mine and we have much yet to learn. We are all in the learning process, and as we discover the Word, we grow in maturity. We have not reached perfection and never will , and we are all at different levels of faith, and continue to work it out as we grow. God is still shaping, molding, and creating to display more of His glory. Each of us are God's special, unique, and precious creation. We can learn and grow, It is a lifelong process, but don't ever give it up. We must remember to renew our mind daily, to meditate on God's Word. He is faithful to teach us more. Our faith will develop and grow stronger as we do. We want to stand strong as the world becomes a difficult place to live out our faith. The world wants to suck us into its mold.
The enemy wants to destroy our faith.
We are in an era of preparation for the Lord's second coming. We are so blessed to have the complete Word of God in one book. Take the time to read and study, ponder and meditate, pray and discuss it with others, and ask God to lead you through it with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Handle the Word of God correctly.
Don't stop learning.
Seek truth while it may be found.
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Webster defines it as 'conformity to fact or reality'.
What is the opposite of truth? Nonconformity to reality?
The 'truth' may mean different things to different people. I hear people saying 'the truth of the matter is' or 'it's no lie', or 'its the God's honest truth'. But what they speak does not seem to be truth. There may some truth in it, but it also appears that they may be hiding something or exaggerating a bit.
Remember those True and False questions from school? If the question was not totally true it would have to be answered false. So any partial truth is a falsehood.
Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?, says the judge. You take the stand. Yet you are only allowed to answer the questions that are posed to you. That does not bring out the whole truth. It may bring out a partial truth that could lead to someone appearing to be guilty.
How is truth established? Do you believe everything that people tell you or promise you? How can you distinguish the truth? How can you be certain that you have all the facts, the complete facts, and nothing but the facts? Are there absolutes? Is there an absolute truth?
The Word of God is Biblical truth. It is absolute truth. This truth is the complete, and unchangeable truth. It is non-negotiable. God's Word was delivered and entrusted to men. It was complete, without error, and for the good of man. God is whole, complete, pure, unchangeable and without error. His Word declares the true nature of who He is. We are not complete nor without error. When we view upon God's Word it declares that we are not pure, we are not perfect. It declares that we need to change. Our life was created with an ability for it to be changed. We are not able to change ourselves. The change must occur on the inside and not just in our outward actions. Trying to muster enough willpower does not bring permanent change.
God's Word will change us. As we learn more about God, as we spend time in His Word, meditating on truth, we are changed in our inner being. We begin to reflect more of God's nature. Change will not happen if we try harder to fix our problem. We are full of darkness until God's truth shines deeply into our soul. There is nothing that we can do to be more like God. We can't will ourselves to do perfectly or discipline ourselves not to do something wrong.
God designed it so that we would have to come to Him. That is how He planned it. He wants us to come to Him, spend time in His presence, and communicate with Him. That is called abiding in Him. What develops from that relationship is that which He has influenced in us. What grows from that is the natural result of that relationship. And what that looks like is more like God's own character. We can't force ourselves to produce that. And even if we could, we could not sustain it for very long, especially in times of temptation or difficulty.
Our time with God is to become a natural desire. It is not meant to become a ritual but is to be motivated by a heart of love. As we sit and contemplate our God, and the unchanging truth of His Word, we will begin to grow in many ways, producing the fruit that Word brings; our respect, honor, trust, love , dependence, desire,...
God is still the same as He always has been. He was and always will be perfect and the 'truth'. He is holy and just, and must judge. If we don't look anything like Him, He won't know who we are. What does it matter?
21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
Matt 7:21-23
He gave us a warning. We may have done good things in His name, but if we never really had a relationship with Him, He we cast us away. He is not able to dwell with wickedness. Wicked ways are ways of untruth. He is loving and merciful, but He is coming again to judge. We can't live life without Him. Take a look at your character. Does it look anything like God's? Whom do you most resemble in your character? Have you taken on the standards of the world? The world is full of lies and deceit. What it promises is only temporary.
God defines truth in His Word.
37 Pilate asked him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."
38 Pilate asked him, "What is truth?" John 18:37-38 (NRSV)
When Christ said, I am the Truth, he said, in effect, I am a King. He conquers by the convincing evidence of truth; he rules by the commanding power of truth. The subjects of this kingdom are those that are of the truth. Pilate put a good question, he said, What is truth?
When we search the Scriptures, and attend the ministry of the word, it must be with this inquiry, What is truth? and with this prayer, Lead me in thy truth; into all truth. But many put this question of truth aside, who have not patience to preserve in their search after truth; or not humility enough to receive it. By this solemn declaration of Christ's innocence, it appears, that though the Lord Jesus was treated as the worst of evil-doers, he never deserved such treatment. But it unfolds the design of his death; that he died as a Sacrifice for our sins. Pilate was willing to please all sides; and was governed more by worldly wisdom than by the rules of justice. Sin is a robber, yet is foolishly chosen by many rather than Christ, who would truly enrich us. Let us endeavor to make our accusers ashamed as Christ did; and let us beware of crucifying Christ afresh. --Matthew Henry Concise
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6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him." John 14:6-7 (NRSV)
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The testimony of John concerning Christ
14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth. 15 (John testified to him and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.'") 16 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known. John 1:14-18 (NRSV)
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But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:23-24 (NLT)
The term "spirit" refers to the sphere of worship. True worship happens when a believer's spirit is connected with God's Spirit, not when a believer is in any particular physical place like Jerusalem or Samaria. God's Spirit is everywhere, therefore worship can happen anywhere. The term "truth" implies that the human worshiper is open and conforming to God's revealed ways of worship and life, specifically Jesus' call to repentance and honest, spiritual worship.--Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary
==============================================18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. 19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them.20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools.23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.24 So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies.25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.26 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other.27 And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.28 Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done.29 Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip.30 They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents.31 They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy.32 They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too. Romans 1:18-32 (NLT)
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Mankind's Willful Rejection of God
God made his truth evident (1:18-20), but humans suppressed and rejected it is added to begin Paul's thoughts on how all humanity is responsible for their sins. The core of the law is summed up in 1:19: "For the truth of God is known to them instinctively". That basic knowledge about God is available by simply viewing God's creation (1:20). People are without excuse. This statement implicates Paul's audience—people who made excuses for why they were exempt from God's wrath in mankind's universal guilt. Mankind rejected the true God (1:21-23) for its own image (—Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary
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The apostle begins to show that all mankind need the salvation of the gospel, because none could obtain the favor of God, or escape his wrath by their own works. For no man can plead that he has fulfilled all his obligations to God and to his neighbor; nor can any truly say that he has fully acted up to the light afforded him. The sinfulness of man is described as ungodliness against the laws of the first table, and unrighteousness against those of the second. The cause of that sinfulness is holding the truth in unrighteousness. All, more or less, do what they know to be wrong, and omit what they know to be right, so that the plea of ignorance cannot be allowed from any. Our Creator's invisible power and Godhead are so clearly shown in the works he has made, that even idolaters and wicked Gentiles are left without excuse. They foolishly followed idolatry; and rational creatures changed the worship of the glorious Creator, for that of brutes, reptiles, and senseless images. They wandered from God, till all traces of true religion must have been lost, had not the revelation of the gospel prevented it. For whatever may be pretended, as to the sufficiency of man's reason to discover Divine truth and moral obligation, or to govern the practice aright, facts cannot be denied. And these plainly show that men have dishonored God by the most absurd idolatries and superstitions; and have degraded themselves by the vilest affections and most abominable deeds.
—Matthew Henry Concise===============================================
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11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. Eph 4:11-16 (NLT)
Sinful desires are deceitful lusts; they promise men happiness, but render them more miserable; and bring them to destruction, if not subdued and mortified. These therefore must be put off, as an old garment, a filthy garment; they must be subdued and mortified. But it is not enough to shake off corrupt principles; we must have gracious ones. By the new man, is meant the new nature, the new creature, directed by a new principle, even regenerating grace, enabling a man to lead a new life of righteousness and holiness. This is created, or brought forth by God's almighty power. —Matthew Henry Concise
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Don't leave the path of truth
15 Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.16 Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior.17 This kind of talk spreads like cancer, as in the case of Hymenaeus and Philetus.18 They have left the path of truth, claiming that the resurrection of the dead has already occurred; in this way, they have turned some people away from the faith.19 But God’s truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “All who belong to the Lord must turn away from evil.”[2] 2 Tim 2:15-19 (NLT)
Here we see the real and true cause of the apostle's suffering trouble in, or for, the sake of the gospel. If we are dead to this world, its pleasures, profits, and honors, we shall be for ever with Christ in a better world. He is faithful to his threatening' s, and faithful to his promises. This truth makes sure the unbeliever's condemnation, and the believer's salvation.
—Matthew Henry Concise
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We must make our lives a living testimony of
our profession of faith
5 This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth.7 But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts. 1 John 1:5-10 (NLT)
Nothing can be more absurd than the conduct of those who doubt as to the truth of Christianity, while in the common affairs of life they do not hesitate to proceed on human testimony, and would deem any one out of his senses who declined to do so. The real Christian has seen his guilt and misery, and his need of such a Savior. He has seen the suitableness of such a Savior to all his spiritual wants and circumstances. He has found and felt the power of the word and doctrine of Christ, humbling, healing, quickening, and comforting his soul. He has a new disposition, and new delights, and is not the man that he formerly was. Yet he finds still a conflict with himself, with sin, with the flesh, the world, and wicked powers. But he finds such strength from faith in Christ, that he can overcome the world, and travel on towards a better. Such assurance has the gospel believer: he has a witness in himself, which puts the matter out of doubt with him, except in hours of darkness or conflict; but he cannot be argued out of his belief in the leading truths of the gospel. Here is what makes the unbeliever's sin so awful; the sin of unbelief. He gives God the lie; because he believes not the record that God gave of his Son. It is in vain for a man to plead that he believes the testimony of God in other things, while he rejects it in this. He that refuses to trust and honor Christ as the Son of God, who disdains to submit to his teaching as Prophet, to rely on his atonement and intercession as High Priest, or to obey him as King, is dead in sin, under condemnation; nor will any outward morality, learning, forms, notions, or confidences avail him.
—Matthew Henry Concise
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A Psalm of David.
1 Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord?Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?2 Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right,speaking the truth from sincere hearts.3 Those who refuse to gossipor harm their neighborsor speak evil of their friends.4 Those who despise flagrant sinners,and honor the faithful followers of the Lord,and keep their promises even when it hurts.5 Those who lend money without charging interest,and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent.Such people will stand firm forever. Psalms 15:1-5 (NLT)
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153 Look upon my suffering and rescue me,for I have not forgotten your instructions.154 Argue my case; take my side!Protect my life as you promised.155 The wicked are far from rescue,for they do not bother with your decrees.156 Lord, how great is your mercy;let me be revived by following your regulations.157 Many persecute and trouble me,yet I have not swerved from your laws.158 Seeing these traitors makes me sick at heart,because they care nothing for your word.159 See how I love your commandments, Lord.Give back my life because of your unfailing love.160 The very essence of your words is truth;all your just regulations will stand forever. Psalms 119:153-160 (NLT)
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14 “For this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: I was determined to punish you when your ancestors angered me, and I did not change my mind, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.15 But now I am determined to bless Jerusalem and the people of Judah. So don’t be afraid.16 But this is what you must do: Tell the truth to each other. Render verdicts in your courts that are just and that lead to peace.17 Don’t scheme against each other. Stop your love of telling lies that you swear are the truth. I hate all these things, says the Lord.”18 Here is another message that came to me from the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.19 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: The traditional fasts and times of mourning you have kept in early summer, midsummer, autumn, and winter are now ended. They will become festivals of joy and celebration for the people of Judah. So love truth and peace. Zech 8:14-19 (NLT)
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People have made some big blunders through the years. No matter how right they thought they were, they were still wrong.
Human reasoning is limited. Often we don't know all the facts or had never considered something that was important. We should examine what we hear and be careful what we believe. Have you ever had a dawning moment. If we continue in deception we are headed the wrong way through this life. The truth of God's Word is a plumbline that God has been given us as a guide. God will honor us for continuing to scrutinize our beliefs and actions and admitting when we are wrong. Coming to a full knowledge of the truth is the goal. We are responsible for our own growth. We cannot be fed when our spouse reads the Word of God; we must partake of it our self. As we learn more about Jesus, the Truth will set us free.
Being set free from guilt, sin, and death. We will be free to worship God and connect with Him in spirit and in truth.
Jesus said in John 14:12-17a NLT " I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done and even greater works because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes ask anything in my name and I will do it! If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth."
Ask for the Holy Spirit to guide you into the truth, and you will know the truth.
Christian books can be informative, encouraging, inspiring, and interesting. They should also be uncompromising. There is a demand for entertainment, and sometimes it comes in deceitful ways. Please align everything up with God's Word. Man's interpretation is not always accurate. A story with a Christian perspective might bring home a good moral story or point, but the Christian life is not so cut and dried. The Bible offers many stories for different settings. We need to study each one in the context in which it was given. Then we can begin to understand what was being taught, but it is still only in part. Scripture should be viewed in light of other references given in the Word of God. There is a danger in making it say what it was never meant to say. We can't chose a nice verse and apply it to our situation, that is improper use of God's Word. God has a rich meaning in the Holy Scriptures. It is meant to be dug into and plowed through. It is meant to take root in the deepest recesses of our heart, mind, and soul. It brings words of life to the parched soul.
I pour my heart out on this web site. I pray my heart reflects God's own heart. I want to know His precepts, His Word. God's Word is a deep mine and we have much yet to learn. We are all in the learning process, and as we discover the Word, we grow in maturity. We have not reached perfection and never will , and we are all at different levels of faith, and continue to work it out as we grow. God is still shaping, molding, and creating to display more of His glory. Each of us are God's special, unique, and precious creation. We can learn and grow, It is a lifelong process, but don't ever give it up. We must remember to renew our mind daily, to meditate on God's Word. He is faithful to teach us more. Our faith will develop and grow stronger as we do. We want to stand strong as the world becomes a difficult place to live out our faith. The world wants to suck us into its mold.
The enemy wants to destroy our faith.
We are in an era of preparation for the Lord's second coming. We are so blessed to have the complete Word of God in one book. Take the time to read and study, ponder and meditate, pray and discuss it with others, and ask God to lead you through it with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Handle the Word of God correctly.
Don't stop learning.
Seek truth while it may be found.
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An excellent resource for a small group study in your congregation or other gathering is:
The Truth Project by Del Tackett.
http://www.thetruthproject.org/about/faqs/A000000015.cfmww.
The Truth Project by Del Tackett.
http://www.thetruthproject.org/about/faqs/A000000015.cfmww.