Why does God allow evil in the world?

I do not know the answer to this question, but it is certain that evil exists. I also know that God often shows His goodness in comparison to this evil. God always gives us a choice to follow Him or not. He claims to be all good and promises many good things to those who follow Him. As I was reading in Deuteronomy 29-30 this morning, I realized that God gave us a real example of how this good/evil comparison and the choice to follow Him is used to draw us to Him so that we may live in the presence of good and not evil forever. Let me explain.

In Deuteronomy 29, Moses tells the Israelites on the brink of the Jordan river, after their 40 years of wandering and before they enter the promised land, that they had seen the great things that the Lord had done for them. Moses recounted that the LORD (the self-existing One) showed the people the miracles performed in Egypt, and yet, the people had not understood (vs. 2-4). Then in the next verse, Moses explains the goodness of God towards the Israelites over the next forty years. Their clothes had not worn out; they had been sustained with nutrition even though there was no bread or strong drink in the wilderness. When they came to a land where kings wanted to fight them, God gave the Israelites the victory, even though these Israelites had never been to war or fought battles before. Then in verse 9, Moses tells the Israelites to KEEP the words of the covenant that God had provided to them (v. 9) so that they would prosper in all they did. Think about this… these people saw the miracles (or their direct relatives did in their lifetime… their parents who witnessed the miracles and spoke of them), then they were cared for in a way that seems supernatural (showing God’s grace and mercy) and THEN they were asked to follow God’s ways (keep the words of the covenant). Why? According to verses 12-13, so that they would enter the covenant and He would establish them for a people unto Himself. He had already shown them the evil of the world as they passed through nations in their wanderings. They had been enslaved to the Egyptians and then saw the abominations (evils) of the people and their idols of wood and stone and silver and gold (vs. 16-17). They knew that God spoke to them and that these idols could not speak. These nations of which they passed through were known for sacrificing their children to their gods. The abominations of these people are enumerated in other parts of Scripture… but these Israelites saw them first hand.

Why did God walk the people through the slavery in Egypt and then allow them to see these abominations, all while taking care of them in things like their clothes and their sustenance? In Deuteronomy 29:18 it states, “Lest there be among you any whose heart would turn away from the LORD our God.” God was showing the people His goodness in contrast to the evil of the world. God ALWAYS gives us a choice. He does not FORCE us to follow Him. He shows His goodness against the backdrop of the evil around us. In Deuteronomy 29:20, He gives a warning… if one turns from the LORD to these evil ways, He will blot out his name from under heaven. The Bible tells us of this blotting out a couple of times in Scripture. The one blotted out will not be able to live eternally in the presence of God (that is another whole study which is worth doing). The Israelites are warned that if they turn away from God, others will see the terrible things that will happen to them (because God’s mercy is not present to protect them… since they reject it) and they will wonder why these terrible things happened. The answer is that the people forsook the covenant of the LORD God (verse 25). In other words, they SAW the evil of the world (being slaves) and they SAW the goodness of God (letting them leave the slavery through miraculous means and being cared for in the wilderness for 40 years, even being able to defeat those that would come against them), and they SAW the evils of other nations, and they CHOSE to turn AWAY from the God who treated them well. This is an example of God showing us the evil that the world has to offer and His goodness… so that we might CHOOSE to follow Him. It is a choice. He does not hide these things from us (see Deuteronomy 29:29).

All of Deuteronomy 30 shows exactly how God gives us a choice. His mercy and love are revealed through this chapter. We are told in verse 1 that WHEN the Israelites walk through times of blessing and times of cursing… good things and bad things… if they RETURN to the LORD their God (vs. 2) and obey His voice with all their heart and soul (this cannot be lip service), then the LORD God will turn them from the evil (their captivity) and have compassion on them (vs. 3). This seems to be God’s way. He has MERCY on us. When we turn from Him, He simply removes His mercy and the evil of the world comes upon us. But, if we turn to Him, He showers us with His mercy. In much of the rest of chapter 30, the word “IF” is used. No matter how far we fall away from God, when we decide that the evil is too much and we turn back to Him, He says in verse 4 that He will fetch us from the outmost parts of heaven. In verse 5 it says He will bring us back (okay, He is speaking about the Israelites and bringing them back into their promised land… but this equally applies to us when we investigate Jesus’ words in the New Testament). In Deuteronomy 30:6, the LORD their God will circumcise their hearts… it is a work done by the Lord. In the New Testament, we are told that we are a new creation when we accept Jesus as the Lord and Savior (2 Corinthians 5:17). Why would we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior… why would we choose to follow God? Because we have seen our own depravity and what the evil of the world has to offer and what God has to offer in His goodness… we allow God to circumcise our hearts… tear away that which kept us from Him… and we choose to follow Him because of His goodness.

IF we accept Him (turn back to Him with all our heart and with all our soul (vs. 6)), then He protects us from our enemies (Deuteronomy 30:7), and He prospers us (vs. 8-9) in that we will produce fruit (abide in Jesus and He abides in us and we will produce much fruit (John 15)). Again, in Deuteronomy 30:10, we see the word “IF” … If you listen to the LORD your God; IF you turn to the LORD your God with ALL your heart and with ALL your soul. It is a choice! God is not hiding anything from us. He shows us the evil and He displays His goodness. Again, He shows His love and states in Deuteronomy 30:15, “See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil.” It is a choice! God wants to shower us with His love (v. 16), BUT (v. 17) it is our choice! This is God’s heart… He wants us to choose Him. He shows what life is like without Him in the fallen world, and He shows His goodness. He will not force us, however. That would not be love and God is love (1 John 4:8).

Here is God’s plea to us… as it was to the Israelites back in the days of Moses: “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.” (Deuteronomy 30:19)

God first showed His miracles. Usually there is something in our lives that happens that makes us realize there is a God… and that He is miraculous. Then He shows His goodness to us. We may see things we had not noticed before which draw us to God… which draw us to desire a relationship with Him. Then we choose to follow Him and, only after that, He shows what He desires of us… to follow His ways and keep his commandments and statutes (to protect our hearts). When we turn from those ways, He reminds us of the evil we turned from and He gives us the opportunity always to return to Him, no matter how far we have fallen (from the outmost parts of heaven… Deuteronomy 30:4). He keeps showing us His goodness compared to the evil and death that comes upon us when we turn from Him. In the end, there will be a perfect world where there is no evil or death. We are given the choice to choose to go there for eternity or not. God, in His infinite wisdom shows us what we will be escaping from… what evil is like as compared to what He has to offer us … and He asks us to choose Him and His ways. It is always a choice. God appears to be a gentleman through and through. He keeps showing His goodness and keeps asking us to accept it. So, what is your choice today? He set before you life and good, or death and evil. How could you ever know joy and goodness without knowing that evil? God is good… He is love… and He has shown His love amid the evil that we might choose His love. It is your choice!

None of the above explains why there is evil in the world. However, God does show that He uses this evil to show His goodness. We are told in Genesis that evil entered the world when Adam sinned, then death came upon us all. According to Genesis, the reason evil and death came into the world is that Adam and Eve failed to see God’s goodness. After the evil entered the world, then they could see. They saw the goodness of God from the very start, but it was not obvious until they turned from that goodness. So, why is there evil in the world? I do not know… but I know that in seeing that evil, it makes me desire the goodness of God even more. Because of God’s goodness, I believe in Him. I have seen the goodness personally. So, because I have seen evil and good, death and life, I choose to follow God! I choose life!

When I Doubt

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Lately, I have had many reasons to be walking on water, so-to-speak, with respect to my faith. I have seen God move in both my life and the lives of those around me. I have been keeping my eyes on God through the highs of life, through the exciting things that are happening around me. In the midst of those highs, struggles have come. I have been drawn to Jesus because of the storms that swirl around me, and yet, I see Jesus right there beside me and I am not afraid.

This weekend, something different hit me, and I found myself doubting and fearing. This morning, as I read in Matthew 14, I realized what happened from a Spiritual perspective. In Matthew 14, Jesus had constrained his disciples to get into a ship after the feeding of the 5000 people. He sent them away while he sent the multitudes away so that He (Jesus) could go into a mountain to pray. There came up a storm in the night and the ship, on which the disciples were, was tossed by the waves. It was literally the fourth watch of the night… the darkest part of the night… meaning it had been a long, strenuous night for the disciples. During this watch, they saw Jesus walking toward the boat on the sea. At first, they were troubled and they cried out for fear. I find it interesting (although this is not the point of this blog) that it wasn’t the storm that troubled the disciples and made them fear, it was the sight of this figure coming towards them that made them fearful! Jesus spoke and told them to “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.” (Matthew 14:27)

Peter then thought he recognized the voice of Jesus and said, “Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.” Jesus told him to come. When Peter came out of the ship, he WALKED ON WATER. This, for me, is like a spiritual high. I believe that I am hearing from the Lord and I want to obey. I am quick to do what I believe he is calling me to do. That happened about a month ago. I believed the Lord called me to something. I prayed for a bit and then felt His confirmation. I moved forward, made plans, and then continued moving forward… walking on water (so-to-speak). But, “when he [Peter] saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid” (v. 30) and he began to sink!

This weekend, something about my plans became difficult. There was a storm thrown into the mix that I did not foresee. In my flesh, I cried out to God. I decided in my fear that I was not going to move forward. I began to sink. I felt fear and anxiety over the situation. I was sinking… because of my doubt. When Peter began to sink, he cried out saying, “Lord, save me.” I was in that place. I knelt at the altar and someone, during our prayer time at church, read 1 Peter 5:6, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.” Humility is simply taking no thought for yourself. That is exactly what I was doing. I was fearful. I was afraid for myself, my emotions, my challenges. I realized then that God had called me to this. He knew waaaayyyy before I did what circumstances were going to surround this calling, even if I didn’t know. He was telling me to do as He calls, not taking any thought for myself. I need to walk in obedience.

Peter cried out while he was sinking. He HAD NOT SANK!! He knew to whom He needed to call out… and he did. Immediately, Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught Peter. His words to Peter spoke so clearly to me this morning, “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” (Matthew 14:31) This all happened WHILE Jesus and Peter were STILL ON THE WATER.

Maybe there are things God calls us to. Maybe He calls us while we are on a spiritual high (again, so-to-speak). We are walking in faith, even in the storms of life, and we are feeling brave because we have our eyes on Jesus. But, then, maybe something gets thrown at us that we didn’t expect. Remember, Jesus constrained the disciples to get on the ship. He sat on a mountain praying. He walked on water to the disciples. He KNEW the storm was there! Peter wasn’t sure that he heard the voice of Jesus, but when he was sure, he walked right out onto that water to meet Jesus. Then, for a moment, he looked away and began to sink. He didn’t completely sink… Jesus caught Him. Jesus’s only words to Peter were, “Why did you doubt?”

Oh God, forgive me for doubting. I am so grateful that You didn’t let me sink. You showed me that you have “constrained me” for this time/event. You knew beforehand what storms would come. You simply want me to walk in humility, taking no thought for myself, and follow you. You want to show Yourself strong. You want to be exalted through my humility. Oh God, teach me to keep my eyes clearly focused on you. And, when I doubt, as we all do, thank you that you stretch forth your hand and catch us. Oh God, thank you for your loving kindnesses. In Jesus’s precious and Holy Name I pray, Amen.

Enemy for the Truth?

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Have you ever met someone that appears profoundly sad much of the time? Maybe it appears that there is an absence of joy… not just happiness, but joy (there is a difference)? It is hard to watch someone be in this state when you know that God wants to give this person His joy, even in very difficult circumstances. Christians understand this joy and often want to share it with others. When I hear a deep sadness in people, I often wonder if the peace of God would bring joy to their Spirit. Jesus says that He came to give us His joy… so I cannot help but believe that the peace of God would definitely bring joy to a joyless countenance. I see a difference between those that truly know Christ, and those that either just know of Christ or have rejected Him altogether. Those who truly know Christ seem to handle difficult circumstances in a much different way. There is a joy that comes through even in the sadness and difficulties. I cannot even explain this except to say that I am not the only Christ follower that I know who sees this difference too. This is the drive for me… the drive to want to hold forth the Word of God to others so that they might know Jesus too… truly know Him. That knowledge brings his peace (He says so…) and a joy (His joy…) and comfort beyond measure in our difficult circumstances.

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
John 14:27

“These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33

“These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”
John 15:11

When I hold forth the Word, I am holding forth the truth of God. This truth comes with evidence. We all know people who tell us that they are “telling us the truth”, and yet, the evidence does not seem to bear witness to that truth. So, yes, there is a truth… and if it is truth, then the evidence will support it (whether or not we choose to believe it). For instance, someone may tell me about an experience that they have been through, and it may be very, very difficult to believe. However, if someone were to show me video coverage of that experience or provide me many witnesses who all say the same thing, I would then have the evidence needed to believe it. So, at first, the truth was presented to me, and I didn’t believe. That did not change the truth of the situation. However, when the evidence became clear, then I could not possibly deny the truth.

The truth of Jesus Christ was presented to me in a similar way. I did not grow up as a Christian. I went to church pretty regularly, but I did not understand what being a Christian meant. I knew of Jesus Christ and I believed there was a God. I began to read the Bible when I was in my late 20s and there was significant evidence being presented to me of God’s true existence. However, when I discovered what the Bible said about Jesus Christ being the Savior and the Son of God, and that He came to set me free from the shame of my sins, I was presented with evidence that I had not heard before. The evidence for this truth built for several years as I read the Bible and found what it said about Jesus and God. The evidence then became enough for me to believe the truth when Jesus Christ personally presented Himself to me as I confessed that I was a sinner and I wanted Him to take this shame from me. He met me there… I physically felt His presence.

Of course, this physical presence of Jesus Christ with me cannot be an experience that I can share with others. I did not have a video camera and no one could see this. So, this experience is hard to use as evidence that the Bible is the Truth of God leading us to Jesus Christ as our savior from our sins. However, I accepted this as truth and then was on a journey to find more evidence. As I did, I began to share what evidence I found with pretty much anyone that would listen. The truth became more and more evident to me. I have been questioned about this truth over and over again. As I go to search for the answers, even through my own skepticism, I find that there are always answers to the questions which support the truth that I have come to accept. Of course, if someone were to show me evidence against the truth, I would have to reconsider. However, that has not happened. In fact, the more I search for evidence against this truth that I have come to accept, the more evidence I find for this truth.

So, what is my point in all of this? If we find something to be true, and it changes our life for the better, we usually want to share that with others. We do this with our health, our finances, where we live, new activities, and so on. We usually cannot wait to share something that we find works well in our lives. We also love to share what we think is true. Isn’t that why Facebook is flooded with fact-checks? Everyone wants to know whether or not they are being lied to. We want the truth. In fact, even habitual liars are angered when someone tells them a lie! Isn’t that interesting? So, why is truth so important to us? That is another whole topic… somehow the desire to want the truth must be hardwired into us… and where does that hardwiring come from? For me, the answer to that question is again further truth of the existence of God.

Anyhow, here is the point. I have shared what I have found to be the truth with many, many people because I believe it is the truth. God’s Word (as I found the Bible to be) tells us about God, about ourselves, about our relationship to God, and about our relationships with each other. God’s Word addresses the big questions we all have about life. When Jesus came to me, and God’s Word confirmed my experiences, my life changed. My life is not always happy. I have faced some really hard circumstances; we all do. However, I have a peace and a joy even in all of that. I have a hope that I see missing in so many others who do not hold to the truth that I have found. Because I have found what I believe to be the truth, I hold it out to others and try to share with them. I so want them to know the freedom that I have found. I want them to experience life, and life abundantly (as Jesus calls it) so that they, too, have a peace and joy even in the difficult circumstances. It is hard to watch people suffer… even harder when you believe you have the answer and they aren’t even open to hearing what you have to share with them… evidence and all.

Today, I feel like Paul must have felt. “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” (Galatians 4:16) It is heart breaking that when we share the truth, people actually begin to hate us. People tell me they don’t want to hear. A distance begins to grow between the ones I love and me. I have been cutoff many different ways… whether just on Facebook, or in person, or through no phone calls. Regardless, my heart breaks… “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?”

Rejecting the Truth?

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John chapters 18 and 19 tell a story of many people today. There is an all important question asked by Pilate that never directly gets answered. However, the very question he wants answered is actually answered… and yet, he still rejects it. What am I talking about? Pilate’s question, “What is truth?” Let me explain.

In John 18, a band of chief priests and Pharisees came at night to take Jesus. Jesus knew this. He even asked them when they came, “Who do you seek?” They answered, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus then said, “I am.” This is the very name that God used of Himself when speaking to Moses out of the burning bush. As soon as Jesus said this, the people who came to take Him fell backward to the ground. Jesus was not stumbled at this. He asked again, “Who do you seek?” Jesus answered the same way, “I am.”

After this, they bound Jesus and led him away first to Annas where they asked Jesus questions. Jesus told them that He had always spoken openly and not in secret. Therefore, they should have known what He taught. Jesus then challenged the priest stating that He had never spoken evil. Next, Jesus was taken to Caiaphas, the high priest, and then to Pilate, the Roman prefect (governor) of Judea.

This is where the event gets very interesting. Pilate asked the Jews what accusation was brought against Jesus. They said that Jesus was a criminal, an evil person. Pilate questioned Jesus again asking Him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus wanted to know if Pilate was saying this of his own belief or if someone else told him this. Pilate stated that he was not a Jew and that the Jews, Jesus’s own nation, delivered Him to Pilate. So Pilate asked, “What did you do?”

Jesus answered the first question Pilate asked by stating, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight for me; but, my kingdom is not from here.” Pilate asked, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am. For this reason, I was born, and for this cause I came into the world, that I should bear witness unto the TRUTH. Everyone that is of the truth hears my voice.”

Pilate seemed confused by the way Jesus answered. Jesus said that he came to BEAR WITNESS to the TRUTH. Pilate then questioned this, “What is truth?” It does not appear that Pilate waited around for the answer. What Pilate did do, however, is go tell the Jews that he found NO FAULT in Jesus.

What was it that Jesus was bearing witness to? The truth… the truth that He told? The truth that God told in the Old Testament? What was this truth that Jesus testified to? The truth that there is a New Covenant? The truth that the prophet to come should be hearkened to (Deuteronomy 18:18-19)? The truth that Jesus is the “way, the truth, and the life and that no man comes to the Father but by Him?” What is this truth? Let’s see what Pilate was coming to know.

Pilate found NO FAULT in Jesus. Jesus confirmed that he was a king and that his kingdom was not of this world and that he came to bear witness to the truth. Pilate found NO FAULT in Jesus. Ponder this for a moment.

Now Pilate tried to release Jesus and the Jews asked for Barabbas instead. So, Pilate had Jesus scourged. Why? To make Jesus confess to a fault? To make Jesus lie to avoid further pain? Wasn’t this the point of scourging… to make people confess? But, when all was said and done, Pilate went to the Jews and said, “I find NO FAULT in him.”

Again, after the chief priests and officers cried out “Crucify him, crucify him,” Pilate stated “I find NO FAULT in Him.” Pilate is then told by the Jews that Jesus deserved to die because He made Himself the Son of God. What was Pilate’s response? He was more afraid! Why? Could it be that Pilate had found NO FAULT in Jesus, thus he found that Jesus had not yet lied up to this point? Could it be true, then, that Jesus was the Son of God? Would this be the kingdom of which Jesus was a king? Pilate found NO FAULT in Him.

Pilate then went back to Jesus and asked Him, “Where are you from?” Jesus did not answer. Why? Maybe because He has already told Pilate that His kingdom was from somewhere else? Pilate then questioned (or was it threatened?) Jesus, “Don’t you know that I have the power to crucify you or release you?” Pilate must have been stunned when he heard Jesus’s response: “You could have no power against me unless it was given to you from above.”

After this, Pilate sought to have Jesus released? Why? Somehow Pilate came to know that Jesus was considered by some to be the King of the Jews. Jesus told Pilate that He came to be a king of a different kingdom. Jesus told Pilate that He came to be a witness to the truth. Pilate found NO FAULT in Him. Pilate had Him scourged and found NO FAULT in Him. Pilate came to hear that Jesus made Himself the Son of God. Pilate became afraid. Pilate heard that he could have no power without someone giving him that power. Pilate sought to have him released… but there was a temptation presented to Pilate.

The Jews cried out that Pilate could not be a friend of Caesar because no one could make himself a king and speak against Caesar. What was Pilate’s dilemma? If he were to admit that Jesus was a king and let Jesus go, Pilate himself would lose his position in the Roman Empire. So, Pilate had to make a decision. He was in a dilemma. He had found NO FAULT in Jesus… the one who claimed to be a witness to the truth, the one who claimed to be King of the Jews, the one who claimed to be the Son of God. What would Pilate do?

Pilate brought Jesus before the people and announced, “Behold your King!” But, the people cried out to crucify Jesus, and Pilate turned Jesus over to be crucified. But that is not the end of the story. What did Pilate do next? He had a title put on the cross which stated, “JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.” He didn’t write what the Jews wanted written, “He SAID, I am King of the Jews.” Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” Why is this? What made Pilate do this? Did he believe that Jesus was the King of the Jews? Did Pilate believe that Jesus was the Son of God? He found NO FAULT in Him.

I believe that Pilate knew the truth. He asked about it and Jesus didn’t lie. Pilate had to know about what Jesus taught. He had to seek the facts out. He knew what happened after Jesus died and was raised from the dead. Remember that the two disciples on the road to Emmaus asked Jesus (not knowing it was him), “Are you the only one in the region who doesn’t know what has happened these days?” Everyone knew the commotion… people were stating that Jesus was risen from the dead. Pilate came face-to-face with the truth. However, he seemed to reject what it meant, what the implications were for knowing that truth. Pilate didn’t want to lose his position in the Roman Empire. There was something that kept him from acting on what he was finding to be the truth.

We see many people today who are given substantial evidence, even facts, that support the claims of Christ. However, some of these people will outright tell you that even if they saw Jesus raised from the dead, they would not believe. Why? Might I suggest that they have something to lose… money, relationships, power, position… something! Yet, each of us has that shame within us that we need to do something with. What did Pilate do? In Matthew 27, Pilate simply washed his hands in the eyes of all who looked on him. Was this sufficient? He stated that he was innocent of the blood of this just person, but was he? We are not told. I hope that Pilate came to know the truth… AND to accept what it meant.

Romans 10:9-11 states, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.”

What about you? Are you willing to look at the truth and accept it… or will you reject it despite the evidence for it? Think about it!

The Truth (Part 3) (or rather, The Rejection of the Truth)

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From Part 2 of “The Truth”, we were left with the question that Pilate had of Jesus, “What is truth?” As the disciples learned of Jesus while they walked with him on the earth, and after He was resurrected, they wrote of what they learned of truth. They wrote these things for our learning as well. Let’s see what they teach us about truth.

In Ephesians, we are told that the word of truth is the gospel of our salvation which seals us with the Holy Spirit of promise. (Ephesians 1:13) The word gospel means good news. Thus, the Word of Truth, from God our Father is the good news of our salvation. Of a truth, we are saved by God’s grace, and not by what we think is to be true (Ephesians 2:8-9). He alone made the way for our salvation and then tells us (through words) of how that salvation occurs. It was only by the death of Jesus Christ.

Also, we are told in Ephesians 6:14 to “gird our loins with truth.” Why should we “gird our loins with truth” when we are in a spiritual battle? Because when we know the truth, the truth helps us to fight the lies of the enemy. Sometimes we hear voices that tell us that we are worth nothing, that we are on earth for the purposes of pleasing others, or that we don’t measure up. However, the word of the truth tells us differently. God created us in His image and He loves us very much, and He has a purpose for our lives.

Wow! Ponder what we have learned so far. We have seen in Parts 1 and 2 of The Truth that: God tells us the truth. God gives us the truth. God is the truth. Jesus is God. Thus, Jesus is the truth! We are also told that this truth is our salvation and that we are protected by this truth. If this is all true, why would anyone want to reject this truth?

In Romans, we are told that there are people who hold the truth in unrighteousness and change the truth of God into a lie. We are also told that that which may be known of God is made clear because God showed it to us (Romans 1:19). Everything in creation testifies to the fact that there is a God (Romans 1:20) and therefore, we are all without excuse when we reject the truth. There are those who do not want to follow God “do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath.” (Romans 2:8) Why?

In 1 Thessalonians 2:13, Paul states that the Thessalonians received the “word of God” which they heard Paul teach, and they “received it not as the word of men, but as it is in TRUTH, the word of God.” Others, however, (2 Thessalonians 2:10) would not receive the love of the truth. It isn’t that they could not receive it, but they WOULD not receive it. This truth is that truth which brings salvation. Paul even goes on to say that those who believe not the truth take pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:12) Therein is the answer to the question: Why would anyone reject the truth of the gospel, the good news, of our salvation? It is because some people do NOT want to be accountable for their actions.

If we know there is a God, and that He saves us, then we also understand that there may be some requirements placed on our lives. There are commands given to us, for our protection of course, that we will need to follow. Some people do not like to obey or submit to anyone. Thus, they cast off all restraint. So, if they make the conscious choice not to believe the truth, and call it anything but the truth, they can justify in their minds living their lives in any way they please. According to Paul this is their way of having pleasure in unrighteousness. There is pleasure in not living our lives with rules. However, we are also in danger of hurting ourselves or others when we don’t live by rules.

The result of some people rejecting truth because they want to throw off all constraints is that they attempt to make others doubt the truth. Romans 1:18 tells us that there are those that hold the truth in unrighteousness. In other words, they know the truth, but they act against it. Think about it. If I want to justify my actions and make them seem good to you, wouldn’t I have to convince you that they are good? So, if I am acting against the truth and I want to continue to do so without you judging me or trying to tell me what to do, I would need to make you think like me. Isn’t this what Tom Sawyer did when he didn’t want to do the whitewashing of the fence? He made everyone else believe that it was a great thing to do so that he could get out of doing it himself. We see this same thing happening today where evil is called good and good is called evil. Some of these evil things do not even make sense. However, we have enough voices telling us that these things are good so that some of us are swayed into believing it, even when we know it isn’t true.

Paul states that we are sanctified (made clean before the Lord) of the Spirit AND belief of the TRUTH. It is the Spirit that sanctifies us, but we have to believe the truth… that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that He died and was raised again on the third day. This is the heart of the gospel message. Jesus saves us, but we have to accept that gift of salvation through belief in it, and this is called the TRUTH! God wants us all to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). When we do come to this knowledge, we obtain the abundant life promised to us, and a peace that surpasses all understanding, and the Lord’s joy, and contentment even in difficult circumstances, comfort in our times of need, wisdom when we need it, and blessings beyond measure. No, not always physical blessings, but the important things in life that provide for wonder and awe.

People of corrupt minds, are “destitute of the truth” (1 Timothy 6:5). In 2 Timothy 2:15, we are told to study to show ourselves approved unto God, rightly dividing the word of truth. In other words, God gives us His truth, and we are to come to know it by studying it. We are to avoid being like those led away by a form of godliness, but they deny the power of God… because people who are led away in this way are ever learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. In fact, people actually “resist the truth” (2 Timothy 3:8)

Peter warns us that in the end times, many will follow their “pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.” Don’t we see this today? If we tell the truth about a situation from God’s Word, we are evil spoken of because we believe archaic beliefs.

John stated that “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” Since the Apostle John heard Jesus speak of truth and explain truth, He was excited to tell others about Jesus (that he saw Jesus and heard Him and touched Him as Jesus manifested Himself to him), and he wanted people to “walk” in that “truth”.

There is so much more to the depth of the study of God’s Word and the truth that He proclaims, but that needs to be left to each of you. Pick up God’s Word and discover the truth that God has for each of us. Don’t relish in unrighteous ways and miss the blessings that God has for you when you act in accordance with the truth of His Word. My prayer is that I have at least given you a start and made you think or ponder what truth is. Remember, if it is really true, it is not based on personal opinion. So, find the facts for yourself. Know the truth because it can be known.

The Truth (Part 2)

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In Part 1 of “The Truth”, I shared that Jesus stated in John 14:6 “I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life, and no one comes to the Father but by me.” I also shared that my take away from the story of Abraham’s servant seeking a bride for Isaac was that God told Abraham the “truth” and then God followed through on His promises to Abraham. As I continued studying the Scriptures about truth in the New Testament, I found some other interesting facts.

First, in John 4, Jesus told the woman at the well that the hour was coming when the “true worshippers” of God will worship the Father in “spirit and in truth.” This means that we don’t just have a “feeling” about God, but that we worship knowing the “truth”. We are told in John 4:24 that “God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit AND in TRUTH.” So, again, we would have to know the “truth” to worship correctly. If Jesus is the TRUTH, then we have to know Jesus to worship God correctly. Yes, this seems like a narrow way, but didn’t Jesus tell us that the way was narrow and that He was that way (again, John 14:6)?

Jesus stated some pretty bold things, and some things that may be hard to accept. This leads me to ask a question? Why should we trust what Jesus said? He could have been a madman, in which case we shouldn’t believe him. He also could have been an outright liar. However, when reading Scripture, it does not appear that even his enemies could find fault with him, nor did they believe he was mad; so this conclusion (Jesus being a madman or a liar) does not seem possible. That leaves us with only one conclusion: Jesus was who He said He was… The Son of God. Thus, if Jesus tells us something, we should believe it as if God is saying it.

Jesus’ position was proven through His resurrection, which was not only predicted by himself but also by Old Testament prophecies; and then it came to pass. So, if Jesus states that we need to worship in Spirit and Truth and that He is the Truth, it seems pretty obvious that we are to worship God through Jesus Christ making us “TRUE worshippers.” Ponder this for a moment. I have to ask myself, “Am I a ‘True worshipper’ of God through His Son Jesus Christ?”

Later in John 8, Jesus uses the word ‘truth’ multiple times. He says, “If you continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall KNOW the TRUTH, and the TRUTH shall make you free.” Somehow, just knowing this ‘truth’ will bring us freedom.

Jesus goes on to tell those who are listening to him that he is telling them the ‘truth’ and that those who do not believe in Jesus Christ are not abiding “in the truth”. Later Jesus makes His famous statement, “I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” He also told his disciples that after Jesus died, the Father would give them the “Spirit of truth, which is the Comforter”. So, Jesus is the truth, but the Holy Spirit is also the truth. In believing in a triune God, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, this statement about Jesus being the truth and the Holy Spirit being the truth implies (With all of the other evidence that the Bible supplies) that God is also truth. Doesn’t this just speak to how important truth should be for us as those created in His image?

In John 15, Jesus tells us that this Spirit of truth will testify of Jesus Himself and that when the Spirit of truth comes, He (the Spirit which is a personal being) will guide you into ALL TRUTH.” Jesus finishes speaking to His disciples in John 17 and prays for them and then for those who will later believe on Him. He prays that God will “sanctify them [those believers] through God’s truth” stating that “God’s Word is truth.” Remember in John 1, John stated “We saw that Jesus was the Word made flesh.” Again, we see that Jesus is truth!

When Jesus was taken before Pilate, this notion of truth became a point of confusion for Pilate. Pilate asked Jesus if he were a king. Jesus replied, “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth hears my voice.” At this statement, Pilate asked that question that we all want to know, “What is truth?”

This is a question that we all must answer for ourselves. It is my firm belief, based on the evidence given in the Scriptures, that we can know the answer to this question when asking about the truth of our origin, our purpose for life, our morality, and our destiny. However, we first must ask ourselves, do we believe in the God who gives us the truth. Jesus stated to Pilate, “Everyone that is of the truth hears my voice.” That is a very bold statement and definitely worth pondering; thus, I will leave this thought to be pondered today. Do you hear the voice of Jesus Christ? Do you want to hear the voice of God? Do you want to be “of the truth?”

Look for Part 3 of “The Truth” for more insight from the Scriptures about what God says about “truth”.

The Truth (Part 1)

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I have not written in a while as I organized an event for Teens called a Teen Apologetics Conference. Why would I do this? The message that the Lord gave me to share with these teens is TRUTH. As Christians, we need to know what we believe and why we believe it. However, if what we believe is not the truth, why would we believe it? This quest for truth became my mission for a few years now. We know that Jesus tells us, “I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life, and no one comes to the Father but by me.” (John 14:6) However, how does one define truth?

The answer to this question gets very complicated in our American culture today. Many will say, “Well, your truth is your truth and my truth is my truth.” Others will say, “Truth is relative.” Others will say, “No one can know the truth.” And, yet, others will say, “I have all of the truth.” Some say that we live in a post-truth society now.

When I ask this question, as with any question pertaining to life, I have to ask, “What does God say about truth?” I want to hold forth the Word of Life and let God speak for Himself. I began studying this subject by doing a word search on the word “truth” in the entire Bible. I found that in Matthew 22,the Pharisees were questioning Jesus and they said, “We know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth.” However, from the conversation, it seems apparent that these Pharisees did not truly believe this and were out to tempt Jesus, to entangle Him in His speech. Jesus did not fall into their trap. Later in that same chapter of Matthew, Jesus tells these Pharisees that the greatest commandment in the law is to “…Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” (Matthew 22:37) Isn’t that interesting? Jesus told them to love God with their minds. That means they have to “think” about what Jesus is saying. This love of Jesus is not just heartfelt, but it is an intelligent love. If this love is to be intelligent, it would seem that the truth would be important.

The next major find when studying the word “truth” from Scriptures is in the book of John. The word “truth” is used in 22 verses. The first occurrence is in John 1:14 when John tells us that the Word became flesh and dwelt among the disciples, and that this Word was full of grace and truth. It is interesting that grace and truth are combined in this phrase. A few verses later, in verse 17, John tells us that the “law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” In other words, TRUTH came by Jesus Christ. What does this mean? We are then told by Jesus Himself in John 3:21 that “He that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” So, if we “do” the truth, we will come to some understanding.

I have so much more to share from John, but this thought came to mind in my reading at this point. I wondered what the Old Testament had to say about truth. The first use of the word truth occurs in Genesis 24. Abraham was getting very old. He wanted a wife for his son Isaac, the Son of promise. Since Abraham did not want his son to marry the Canaanite women, he sent his servant, who is unnamed in this chapter, to Abraham’s own family in the land of Ur to take a wife from Abraham’s own kindred for Isaac. When the servant asked if he should take Isaac to this land if he could not find a wife, Abraham told him to promise that he would not do this. The promised land (the Canaanite land) was promised to Abraham, and although he did not yet own the land, Abraham acted on faith that this was his land. Isaac was to stay on this land promised to Abraham’s seed. So, the servant went to look for a wife for Isaac.

Abraham’s servant arrived at the land of Ur and he asked God for kindness for Abraham. He prayed very specifically about how to know which “damsel” would be the wife for Isaac. The servant asked God to show him the woman to be Isaac’s wife by having the damsel let down her pitcher of water to the servant and offering him a drink and then offering drink to the camels as well, if she were the one to be Isaac’s wife. Immediately after his very specific prayer, the servant ran to where he saw a damsel and asked her for a little water. This damsel (whose name was Rebekah) did exactly what the servant prayed, nothing lacking. She offered the servant water AND offered to give the camels drink, and kept drawing water for the camels until they were finished drinking. Then the servant asked this damsel whose daughter she was. She told him that she was from Abraham’s family. The servant was awestruck. Genesis 24:26-27a says, “And the man [this servant] bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD. And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his MERCY and his TRUTH…”

Genesis 24:27 has the first use of the word TRUTH in it in the Old Testament and this word is tied directly to the word MERCY. God provides both mercy and truth. God’s truth that He would give the promised land to Abraham’s and then his son Isaac’s seed. Isaac needed a wife for this to happen. Abraham knew that God had promised the land of Canaan to him, not to the descendants of Canaan. Abraham walked by faith in following God, even if in his lifetime he did not inherit the land from the Canaanites. Still, Abraham walked in faith that what God spoke to him was the truth. God had promised Abraham the land and many seed, in fact, so many that his seed would be like the number of stars in the sky (Genesis 15:5). Since Abraham believed God (and this was counted unto him for righteousness (Romans 4:3)), Abraham sent to find a wife for his son Isaac that would carry on the family line. He also took measures to be sure that the son remained in the land promised to him. So, we see that Abraham’s servant understood all of this and then declared that the LORD God did not let Abraham down, but He provided Abraham both mercy and truth.

This is the takeaway for me: God told Abraham the truth and He brought what He promised to pass. This scene of Abraham sending the servant to get a bride for Isaac the son is exactly a picture of what the Holy Spirit does on God’s behalf for Jesus in the New Testament. God sent Jesus here to show the way, but then Jesus was resurrected to be seated at the right hand of His Father forever. Jesus told us in John 14-17 that when He would return to His Father, God would send the Holy Spirit to lead people to the truth, the truth of Jesus Christ and God’s promises. He also told us that the truth would set us free. (John 8:32) In Ephesians 5 we are told that marriage is a picture of Christ and the church, with Christ being the groom and the church being the bride. So, the Holy Spirit is sent to draw us to Jesus Christ, and ultimately to God the Father. Jesus is not meant to come back here forever. Rather, we are to be taken to live in His kingdom, whatever that may look like.

The truth is, God loves us and He desires that we fellowship with Him forever. He won’t force us, just as Abraham’s servant didn’t force Rebekah (read the rest of the story for yourself and see the beautiful ending to this story). However, the Holy Spirit guides us to the truth of God’s love. The Holy Spirit, called the Spirit of Truth, shows us the truth of Jesus Christ and His purpose on the earth. The truth is Jesus Christ Himself. There is so much more to say about this in the Scriptures, but I will leave it with this for now… seek the Truth, and God will reveal it to you. Jesus said, “I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life, and no one comes to the Father but by me.” (John 14:6) So, when you are trying to find the meaning of truth, be sure to take into account the one who was bold enough to call Himself TRUTH.

In Part 2 “The Truth” more of the New Testament passages on the subject of truth will be explored. Look for it soon.