I want to begin by saying that the main goal of knowledge is understanding. The goal of understanding is application. In application there is great wisdom and reward.
In this lesson we are going to focus on the “truth” of God. Let’s look at John 17:17 which says “Sanctify them by the truth; Thy Word is truth”. Let’s look at that for just a moment. What does the word “sanctify” mean? It simply means to be set apart for God’s purpose. For example, in a church there can be many rooms, but the place where we worship God is called the “Sanctuary”. As God’s people, as Christians, we are called to be “set apart”. However, the previous verse tells us that it does not mean that we are to be “taken out of the world” or that we should have nothing to do with the world. What it does say is that we can be “protected from the evil one” Satan, the devil, and all his schemes, temptations, and attempts to get our eyes off of God. And, how does it say we are to be protected, set apart, or “sanctified”? By the truth, “Thy Word is truth”.
Now, we actually have - literally - God’s words within His Word. So, we can hold up the Bible, God’s Word, and say that this is truth. In its entirety, and in each and every part of it, it is truth.
Within God’s Word, we have God’s words that are given to us in various forms or applications. For instance, in the first chapter of Genesis we have the story of creation. Where did this story come from? I believe that while Moses was on the mountain with God for forty days, God shared with him the story that became the first nine chapters of Genesis. This is categorized as “God’s creative word”. God said, “Let there be” and it came into being!
Next, the story goes on to a further stage where God speaks to the man and the woman whom He has made, and the fellowship or relationship between them is begun. God’s first word to them is a “word of command” telling them to “Be fruitful, and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:28)
Then comes God’s “word of testimony” in which God explains certain things to Adam and Eve like, how He has made all the plants and fruits for them and the animals to eat. (Man was at first a vegetarian.)
Next, comes God’s “word of prohibition”. God tells them not to eat from the tree of know-ledge of good and evil, “for when you eat of it, you shall surely die”.
Then, after the fall, comes God’s “word of promise” both favorable and unfavorable. Now, the rest of the Bible of course, is filled with many words from God, but, they all fall into one of these five categories of; creative words; words of command; words of testimony; words of prohibition; and words of promise. We are called to believe and obey God’s Word, not just because He tells us to; but, because it is truth! No matter which category it falls in to.
Truth is God’s nature and he doesn’t have anything in him to be anything else. His truth shows us the way things really are, and how things will be in the future, whether or not we choose to believe or heed His words.
The Book of Titus begins with the words; “Paul, a servant of God and an Apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of truth that leads to godliness”. (Titus 1:1) Whether physical, emotional, spiritual, or any other aspect of life, His word is always true, and if heeded, leads to godliness.
We are all familiar with the thought that our bodies need the right routine of food, rest, and exercise to run properly and efficiently. If filled up with the wrong fuel of alcohol, drugs, or an excess of the wrong foods, we lose our power, we begin to function improperly; and ultimately to “seize up” physically. What we are slower to grasp, is that the same is true spiritually. We were also made to run spiritually on the practice of worship; law-keeping; truthfulness; honesty; self-control; discipline; and service to God. If we abandon these things or substitute other things in their place, we progressively “die” spiritually. The conscience dries up; our capacity for truth dwindles; loyalty and honesty are eaten away; and our character begins to disintegrate.
Let’s go back to where we began; Is the truth of God’s creative word for our benefit? Are God’s words of testimony for our benefit? How about His words of command? What about His words of prohibition? Yes, yes, and yes!
If we truly desire to “know” God, then our faith, trust and obedience must be firmly placed in the truth of His Word and His words! Listen to what God says in His Word about truth:
“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisi-ble qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, and ruthless. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.” (Romans 1:18-32)
I don't know about you, but this sounds a lot like today to me.
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