It's About the Truth
In these postmodern days truth is not taken very seriously. My truth is taken seriously, but your truth might be different than my truth and that's no big deal. Truth is that truth is whatever I want it to be. Nobody can be absolutely certain about anything and about that we are absolutely certain.
Unfortunately, this kind of thinking is infecting the church which is supposed to be the pillar and support of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15). God has given us the Word of Truth (2 Timothy 2:15) and we are to handle it accurately, proclaim it publically, and guard it tenaciously. Sadly, we don't do that very well. We compromise. We waffle. We rationalize.
The Apostle Paul stood for the truth and he calls for you and me to do the same. When some false teachers came to Galatia teaching the churches another gospel what did Paul do? Did he reason that even though the false teachers add things like circumcision and observing the Law to faith alone as necessary for salvation that's no big deal because, after all, they still speak about Jesus, and the cross, and the resurrection, and grace, and faith? Not at all and not for a minute. He called the false teaching for what it is. It is not another gospel. It is no gospel at all. There is only one gospel. Look at the strong words that Paul uses in Galatians 1:6-9. Pauls says that to depart from the one gospel is to desert God. The reason is that if you add works as necessary for salvation you put man in the place of God. It is to say that man saves himself rather than God saving man. This is a serious error but it is overlooked all the time.
Today evangelical churches have a hard time defining the truth. Are the Catholics our brothers? Are the Mormons really talking about a different Jesus? They both claim to preaching the gospel. They both talk about Jesus, the cross, the resurrection, and faith. Should we make a big deal out of the differences? Paul did. He pronounced an apostolic curse on those who preached a different gospel. Why is this so important? Because only the true gospel of God has the power of salvation (Romans 1:16).
Today we need to seriously return to the Bible. Perhaps nothing could be more timely right now than a careful study of Romans or Galatians. Let me encourage you to do this. Get the truth fixed in your mind and then be ready to stand for it. It's all about the truth.
posted by Pastor Bruce @ 3:23 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Dad-
This is such a great entry! I was profoundly struck by your line, "Today we need to seriously return to the Bible." Amen to that. I see very often how people easily put Scripture aside, substituting in their own opinions and experience. In your previous entry you say that we need to be diligently practicing biblical thinking "which is the only way to hope." I really appreciate how clearly you spell this out. When we look to things other than the Word we will lose hope because hope is only found in Him. Very inspiring reading today, thanks for cutting it straight!
-Christa
Bruce, you stated only the true gospel has the power of God unto salvation. I agree with you and my brother Paul on the matter. The word gospel is flung around far and wide and has become an umbrella for all manner of false doctrines. By the grace of God I declare the true gospel: "Christ Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures, He was buried and He was raised the third day according to the scriptures" Paul's gospel was Jesus' gospel (Luke 24). Knowing the scriptures (Old Testament) alone apart from grace make a man a Pharisee (according to the purpose of God.) The letter killeth but the spirit giveth life. Jesus said "(you) search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." Peter declared his message was "the word preached by the gospel." The scriptures are about Christ Jesus. When we begin to know Christ, then Christ Jesus is seen as our "wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: that according as it is written (and fulfilled in Christ Jesus' death for our sins,His burial and His resurrection the third day), "He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." In the perfect gospel message we only glorify Christ. As the prophecy in the law declares, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with the whole heart, soul and mind", we only understand its meaning as the Spirit testifies of Christ Jesus. Jesus loves the Lord His God with His whole heart, soul and spirit in His death, burial and resurrection. Now I know what love is! Christ becomes my love.
Daniel (Lang) from Detroit
onegospelnotmany.blogspot.com
dlang4@hotmail.com
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