Truth. We think we want it but when it presents itself we hate it. We think we want to know it but we really don't. We would rather our version of truth. We would rather reality be what we perceive it to be. We would rather twist truth into something that matches the desire of our heart. We would rather it be something that doesn't have a cost attached to it.
We can't handle the truth. There aren't many sources of truth. There aren't many versions. Truth is not abstract. True is absolute. And what the world can't stand is that truth has one name:
"I am the way and the truth and the life". - Jesus the Christ (John 14:6)
Do you have any idea how many times Jesus is quoted as saying, "I tell you the truth ..."? Look it up.
It is Jesus who said, "If you hold to my teachings, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:31-32)
Truth is not found in the limited philosophy and knowledge of man. It is not even in our laws of "do" and "do not". We have a system that tried to make it a level playing field for everyone but there is no truth in it. There is no equality in our system, as hard as we try to believe there is. But there is a level playing field in Jesus. There is equality in Jesus. There is always equality in truth. There is freedom in truth. Freedom in Jesus.
We must hold to the teaching of Jesus Christ. We must do what he did. We must walk in his path. When we walk in the light we become children of the light. When we walk in the truth we become children of truth and no falsehood can be found in us. We cannot be of Jesus and speak lies. We cannot lie.
Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. From the bonds of sin. From the life of lies. There can be no falsehood in a child of God.
"Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbour, for we are all members of one body." (Ephesians 4:25)
What does it matter that we are all members of one body, the Church? The Church must be the safest place in all the world to bring light to the dark; to reveal falsehood and lies by the truth. The Church is a place of repentance and forgiveness. It is not a place where we accept and tolerate sin but it is a place where sinners find freedom in truth and forgiveness in love. What is truth? We were all sinners. We all have fallen short of the glory of God. While we were still sinners Jesus died for us. Jesus set us free from the bondage of the dark, the bondage of sin, the bondage of lies.
Let's not speak about what we have done to the Church, what we have turned her into but instead let us bring healing to her by speaking the truth of what she is in the Spirit. Let us speak truth to the Church so she will be free from the bonds of man's religious thinking, from fear and judgement, from condemnation and death. Let's live this truth:
"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36)
Let us allow the Son to throw off the bonds of the lies that keep us from our destiny. Let us speak the truth to one another in love. Let freedom reign in our hearts, minds and Church. Let truth purify our lips. Let us throw away every word and deed that belongs to the darkness. Let us walk in the light, the truth which is Jesus and let us serve this dying world in love.
Truth: His name is Jesus.
Showing posts with label twisted truth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label twisted truth. Show all posts
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012
Disqualified For The Prize
There are a lot of spiritual people out there but it doesn't make them right. Just because they mention God or say something about Jesus does not make them a follower of Jesus Christ. Consider somebody like Oprah who teaches universalism, believing that all gods are the same God and that there are many paths that lead to him. I have no idea how she started out but she is heading in the wrong direction now. She's not alone.
You are going to come across a lot of people who will tell you that they have studied the original language of the Bible and that we have interpreted it wrong. In the original language there can be several meanings attached to a word so the context is important to understand. Even more importantly is the guidance of the Spirit in these things. It is his purpose to teach us and without him we can make the Bible say whatever we want. So we get a lot of people doing their own thing, teaching what they think is right. Apostle Paul gave us a warning about that:
Do not let anyone who delights in false humilityand the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. (Colossians 2:18)
He warns us not to let these people disqualify us, to throw into confusion what we have already gained by the Spirit, to interrupted our progress and to cause us to choose a wrong path. Good teachers can convince us of anything but we have to remember that there is only one authority we bend our knee to, only one we worship, only one we follow and trust. Anyone who leads us away from Jesus and his instructions has lost connection with the King:
He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow. (v. 19)
So often the enemy is there to plant doubt in our knowledge of God, "Did God really say ... ?" Did God really say to love those who hurt you? Did God really say that homosexuality is an offence to him? Did God really say there is only one path to come to him? Did God really say we have to die to self? Did God really say that the only acceptable place for the gift of sex is inside of marriage? So many things are being questioned and reworked just so we can try to have both Jesus and the world, but it doesn't work that way. Those who are possessed by the Spirit of God know the truth and there is no wiggle room.
If the authority who you are listening too is consistently teaching contrary to the Word of God, the conviction of the Spirit, and the authority of Jesus, you need to run away. Occasionally all us teachers make mistakes. We too get tired or distracted and speak from our flesh. It shouldn't happen but it does. However, when it does the Spirit is quick to correct and we are quick to apologize. We know that we do not own this truth and the revelation of it is not from us but from the Spirit so we must always be attuned to the Spirit. Without the Spirit we are nothing.
So, take caution, not everyone who claims to be a follower of Jesus is a follower; not everyone who claims to be a teacher is a teacher; not everyone who claims to know the Word knows by the Spirit. You have been given discernment through the Spirit of God in you to know the difference. Know the Word, stay sensitive to the Spirit, keep Jesus as the only authority you bend your knee to and you will be well protected from the lies of the enemy. Do not let anyone disqualify you for the prize.
You are going to come across a lot of people who will tell you that they have studied the original language of the Bible and that we have interpreted it wrong. In the original language there can be several meanings attached to a word so the context is important to understand. Even more importantly is the guidance of the Spirit in these things. It is his purpose to teach us and without him we can make the Bible say whatever we want. So we get a lot of people doing their own thing, teaching what they think is right. Apostle Paul gave us a warning about that:
Do not let anyone who delights in false humilityand the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. (Colossians 2:18)
He warns us not to let these people disqualify us, to throw into confusion what we have already gained by the Spirit, to interrupted our progress and to cause us to choose a wrong path. Good teachers can convince us of anything but we have to remember that there is only one authority we bend our knee to, only one we worship, only one we follow and trust. Anyone who leads us away from Jesus and his instructions has lost connection with the King:
He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow. (v. 19)
So often the enemy is there to plant doubt in our knowledge of God, "Did God really say ... ?" Did God really say to love those who hurt you? Did God really say that homosexuality is an offence to him? Did God really say there is only one path to come to him? Did God really say we have to die to self? Did God really say that the only acceptable place for the gift of sex is inside of marriage? So many things are being questioned and reworked just so we can try to have both Jesus and the world, but it doesn't work that way. Those who are possessed by the Spirit of God know the truth and there is no wiggle room.
If the authority who you are listening too is consistently teaching contrary to the Word of God, the conviction of the Spirit, and the authority of Jesus, you need to run away. Occasionally all us teachers make mistakes. We too get tired or distracted and speak from our flesh. It shouldn't happen but it does. However, when it does the Spirit is quick to correct and we are quick to apologize. We know that we do not own this truth and the revelation of it is not from us but from the Spirit so we must always be attuned to the Spirit. Without the Spirit we are nothing.
So, take caution, not everyone who claims to be a follower of Jesus is a follower; not everyone who claims to be a teacher is a teacher; not everyone who claims to know the Word knows by the Spirit. You have been given discernment through the Spirit of God in you to know the difference. Know the Word, stay sensitive to the Spirit, keep Jesus as the only authority you bend your knee to and you will be well protected from the lies of the enemy. Do not let anyone disqualify you for the prize.
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