What is the truth? How can we know what the truth is? How can we ensure we have the truth and ensure we don’t become deceived and lose the truth? Christ stated (Mt 24:5) For many will come in my name, saying ‘I am the Christ’, and will deceive many. Christ’s very words indicate that many would be deceived. Christ stated that He would build His church…not churches. (Mt 16:18) Is there more than one church that Christ is the head of? Well that is a topic for another day.
In the world today there are virtually a million and one variations to the truth of Christ. We live in a society that does not respect authority, does not truly fear God, and everyone believes their own ideas. Today we are a society of individuals seeking what is right in one’s own eyes. Do we seek to know the truth, or do we just listen to what others espouse. Some would have us believe that the truth changes, through what has been termed progressive revelation. Has the truth changed over time as some would have us believe? Does latter scripture change what Christ taught by His very words? Christ inspired the apostles through the Holy Spirit. Did Christ change the Truth over time? Christ is the same today as He was yesterday and as He will be in the future. (Heb 13:8) Since Christ is the same yesterday today and tomorrow, how can we TRULY know the truth?
Here are three steps as you ask yourself the question “Do I really have the truth?”
Step one: The Truth can’t be known in a passive fashion. The world is deceived, a fact that now exists and Christ described would be a state of society at the time of the end. Many would come, and many will be deceived. (Mat 24:5) One can’t sit back and just expect to know the truth, the truth must be actively sought by reading the very words of truth as found in the Bible. Do we really want to know the truth? Do we really read the Bible seeking to know the truth? Do we really read the Bible with the intention to know for ourselves if what we hear is really what Christ taught, is the Truth?
The first step in knowing the truth is to actively read the Bible and not just take for granted what people espouse is the truth.
Regularly prove the truth. Make a list of topics, and study them. See what the Bible has to say! 1 Thes 5:21 “Prove All Things” (KJV) we are admonished by the Apostle Paul to Test or Prove (as the KJ translates it) ALL THINGS. So step one is to crack open our bible and study by topic to know the truth. Don’t just read one verse and come up with one’s own ideas. This is what occurs all too often. People create their own ideas rather than seeking to know what the Bible really says, creating their belief’s from a single scripture.
Put all the scriptures on a topic together and read with an open mind. Isa 28:10. Precept upon precept and line upon line. We have to put all the scriptures together to come to an understanding of the truth. Find out what the real Truth is by allowing scripture to interpret scripture. 2 Pet 1:20.
Second we need to Love the Truth. Instead of getting board with your list of topics, remember they show us the way to eternal life and salvation, we need to truly Love the Truth. 2 Thes 2:9-12 Paul warns that because of a lack of love for THE TRUTH, Satan will be able to foster a huge deception on the world, through signs, wonders, and emotional appeals. For a lack of a love of the truth, God allows the lie to be believed. Open your Bible read this passage in 2 Thes 2. We should be inspired by the truth, rather than false miracles, or emotional displays. We can show how much we love the truth, by implementing the truth in our lives. Hold on to the truth tenaciously. We need to hate lies. God will send strong delusion if we do not love the truth. Remember our conversion is a miracle. God gets the credit, nothing we do or have done or will do can result in conversion, God alone gets the credit. God is the one who provides the calling, He opens our mind to be able to understand. We then have to cling to the truth, and Love it with our whole being, 1 Thes 2:12. Let’s look forward to when Christ returns and the truth will spread unhindered from Satan the deceiver.
We can show that we Love the Truth by implementing it in our lives and living by every word of God. Ps 119:160 The entirety of your word is Truth, And every one of your judgments endures forever. David was a man after God’s own heart, David loved the truth! We should love the truth with our whole heart. Do we understand that through the Truth and living the truth, true happiness as God designed from the beginning is possible? That truly is the truth, and we should study and read for ourselves the way of life God wants us to live.
And finally we must Pray that God gives us Discernment to know the truth.
David prayed and set us the example to ask God to show us the truth. Ps 119:41-43 41 Let your mercies come also to me, O Lord — Your salvation according to Your word. 42 So shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me. For I trust in Your word. 43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mount, For I have hoped in your ordinances.
So let’s pray that God grants that we can discern the truth. It must be actively sought, it’s not going to just appear in our minds. Second, we must Love the Truth. God said He would send strong delusion and allow those that do not love the truth to be deceived. Do we want eternal life? Love the Truth. Do we want to live in peace and happiness? Love the Truth. So let’s Pray to God to give us discernment to Know What is Truth.
Jesus our savior’s very own words stated, (Luke 4:4) we are to live by every word of God. Christ was quoting from the Holy Scriptures from Deut 8:3 “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God”. How often do you find man’s ideas coming forth from one scripture? Let’s not be deceived, but rather Study to show yourself approved, and pray we are counted worthy to escape what lies ahead in the very near future (Luke 21:34-36).