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The Truth Will Set You Free
Hosea 14:9 -- Who is wise? Let him understand
these things. Who is prudent? Let him know them. For
the ways of the LORD are right; The righteous walk in them, But transgressors
stumble in them.
Proverbs 10:23 -- To do evil is like sport to a fool,
But a man of understanding has wisdom.
Proverbs 15:33 -- The fear of the LORD is the instruction
of wisdom, And before honor is humility.
Proverbs 9:10 -- "The fear of the LORD is the beginning
of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."
Herein lies true wisdom, not as the world
teaches wisdom, but the wisdom of God: The
fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.
Contrary to what is being taught in many professing Christian circles today,
the function of the Christian assembly is not to ease the conscience of
the guilty, but rather bring the sinner to God in repentance and faith.
The Apostle Paul wrote in his second epistle to the church in Corinth that
he did not regret his causing them sorrow, as Godly
sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted;
but the sorrow of the world produces death.
(II Corinthians 7:10) Such practice would hardly be acceptable
today, where many seem to be under the impression the role of the church
is to make us "feel good about ourselves". Blanketing congregations
with guilt is antiquated and frowned upon in this enlightened and tolerant
age in which we live. Apparently many so-called Christians today
have never read Ephesians five or the numerous, similar passages throughout
Scripture.
Ephesians 5:1-12 -- Therefore
be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ
also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice
to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. But fornication and all uncleanness
or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for
saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting,
which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you
know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater,
has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one
deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of
God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers
with them. For you were once darkness, but now you
are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the
Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what
is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful
works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even
to speak those things which are done by them in secret.
Do not be partners with them...Have
no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose
them. It's hardly the "don't
rock the boat, each to his own, everyone feel good" attitude prevalent
in much of Christendom today. It
is shameful even to speak those things which are done by them in secret.
Not any more. Today one fights for a place in line to parade as such.
Wake up! This is the age of the Church of Convenience and Toleration.
I Corinthians 5:11 -- But now I have written to you not to
keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous,
or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner -- not even
to eat with such a person.
I Corinthians 15:33 -- Do not
be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits."
Whoever wrote those certainly wouldn't have
made it in today's progressive society.
I Corinthians 5:13 -- Therefore "put away from yourselves
the evil person."
"What an incredibly intolerant thing to
say! Whoever wrote that couldn't have been a 'real' Christian.
Where was his compassion, his concern? These are certainly the writings
of an insensitive, judgmental oaf. How dare he criticize anyone like
that? Surely, Christ would never have spoken in such a manner."
Let's look at some passages where the Lord
confronts sinners. What language does He employ?
John 8:44 -- (Jesus speaking) "You are
of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do."
Well, that was to the lost. How did
Jesus speak to one of His own when they faltered? Surely, He expressed
sensitivity to their sin?
Matthew 16:23 -- But He
[Jesus] turned and said to Peter, "Get
behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful
of things of God, but of the things of men."
Okay, so the Lord Jesus did not mince words
with the body of believers either. Further examples of the Lord's
less than accommodating verbiage toward sin and disobedience can be found
in Matthew 17:17 and 22:18; the entire twenty-third chapter of Matthew
is an excellent example of the Lord's scathing denunciations of open and
rebellious sin. But what of His reaction to the woman caught in adultery
as recorded in John eight? On the outset this doesn't appear to be
the same Jesus, nor does the Lord Jesus found in Luke, chapter seven, verses
thirty-six through fifty. What could mark the stark contrast between
the seemingly harsh censures of the former passages with the seemingly
compassionate leniency of the latter? Perhaps the answer can be found
in the Lord's reaction to an altogether unrelated incident as recorded
in Matthew nine (as well as in the parallel versions of Mark two and Luke
five).
Matthew 9:2 -- Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic
lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son,
be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you."
When Jesus saw their faith....
Therein lies the difference. And, in case there are still any cynics
out there, let's also note the account as recorded in the two parallel
passages from Mark and Luke.
Mark 2:5 -- When Jesus
saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
Luke 5:20 -- When He [Jesus] saw
their faith, He said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you."
There can be no mistaking it. All
three of the gospels which relate the account all make it perfectly clear:
The Lord saw their faith;
thus the seeming contradictory responses between one classification of
sinner with the other. One word makes the difference: faith.
Luke seventeen, verses three and four confirm this.
Luke 17:3-4 -- (Jesus speaking) "If your brother sins against you, rebuke
him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against
you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you saying,
'I repent,' you shall forgive him."
"If your brother sins against you,
rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him." Therein
lies yet another distinction between the response of rebuke and one of
forgiveness: repentance.
Luke 13:3 underscores this where the Lord instructs those who had come
to hear Him, "But unless you repent,
you too will all perish." (Luke 13:3)
And in case anyone missed it the first time, He repeated it in verse five: "But
unless you repent you will all likewise perish."
(Luke 13:5) The psalmist reiterates a similar purport in Psalm sixty-six,
verses eighteen and nineteen:
If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened;
but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer. (Psalm
66:18-19)(NIV) If I had
cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
But what is true repentance?
Will a simple "I'm sorry, I won't do it again" suffice, or is there more
to it than that? Again, let us see what the Bible says about true
repentance. One of the finest examples of unfeigned, genuine repentance
can be found in Psalm fifty-one. Here, a contrite David anguishes
over the sin of his adultery with Bathsheeba. It is the prayer of
a truly penitent and broken heart. Few like it can match the sincerity
of regret here expressed by David as he languishes before his God and Redeemer.
Psalm 51:1-19 -- (of David) Have mercy
on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to Your
great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my
sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned and
done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are proved right when You
speak and justified when You judge. Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Surely You desire truth
in the inner parts; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be
clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear
joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice. Hide Your
face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and
renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from Your presence
or take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors Your
ways, and sinners will turn back to You. Save me from bloodguilt,
O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of Your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise. You
do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You do not take pleasure
in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. In Your good pleasure make Zion prosper;
build up the walls of Jerusalem. Then there will be righteous sacrifices,
whole burnt offerings to delight You; then bulls will be offered
on Your altar. (NIV)
In Luke 24:47 the Lord declares that "repentance
and remission of sins should be preached in His name..."
The message is a clear one, and one which permeates the whole of Scripture:
Repent and be saved; resist and perish.
Acts 20:21 -- (Paul speaking) "...testifying
to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our
Lord Jesus Christ."
Jeremiah 15:19 -- Therefore thus says the LORD:
"If you return, Then I will bring you
back..."
Job 36:10 -- (Elihu speaking) "He [God] also
opens their ear to instruction, And commands that they turn from iniquity."
I John 1:9 -- If we confess
our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness.
Ezekiel 18:30 -- (the LORD speaking)
"Repent, and turn from all your transgressions,
so that iniquity will not be your ruin."
Matthew 3:1-2 -- In those
days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying,
"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"
Mark 6:12 -- So they
[the twelve] went out and preached that
people should repent.
Isaiah 30:15 -- For thus
says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel: "In returning and rest you shall be
saved..."
II Peter 3:9 -- The Lord
is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering
toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come
to repentance.
To those who persist in their sin, the
message is also very clear.
Luke 13:22-28 -- And He went through the cities and villages,
teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. Then one said to Him,
"Lord, are there few who are saved?" And He said to them, "Strive to enter
through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and
will not be able. When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut
the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying,
'Lord, Lord, open for us,' and He will answer and say to you, 'I do not
know you, where you are from,' then you will begin to say, 'We ate and
drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.' But He will
say, 'I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from
Me, all you workers of iniquity.' There will be weeping and gnashing
of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets
in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out." Matthew 7:21-23 -- (Jesus speaking)
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord,
Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My
Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have
we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done
many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never
knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'"
As we've already seen in the Apostle Paul's
second letter to the Corinthians, Godly
sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation. (II
Corinthians 7:10)(NIV) The Lord Himself declared in Luke, chapter
twelve, verse fifty-one, that He had not come to bring peace on earth,
but division, a division between those who hear
and repent,
with those who hear but persist in their rebellion and sin toward God.
The dividing line is one's reaction to the gospel, the truth of God.
For those who deny and reject its message there will be no compassion.
The God of the Bible is not the god of liberal relativism. Those
who reject Him will themselves be rejected for all eternity.
The Lord delivered a solemn warning against
those who reject His plan of salvation. In Luke, chapter ten, He
leaves no doubt as to their final expectation.
Luke 10:10-16 -- (Jesus speaking) "But whatever city you enter, and they
do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 'The very dust of
your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless
know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.' But I say
to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that
city." "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been
done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth
and ashes. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the
judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven,
will be brought down to Hades. He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects
you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me."
Herein lies the clear dividing line:
the Church of Convenience teaches tolerance and denegation of guilt;
the Church of the one, true and only God, the LORD God of the Bible, teaches
repentance and cleansing of sin by grace, through faith in the atoning
work of the Messiah, the passover Lamb of God, our Savior and King of all
creation, Jesus Christ.
I Peter 4:3-5 -- For we
have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles
-- when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking
parties, and abominable idolatries. In regard to these, they
think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation,
speaking evil of you. They will give account to Him who is ready
to judge the living and the dead.
They think it strange that you do
not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.
It's the age old conflict between believers and the world, a division most
notably emphasized in the persecution of the Church.
Psalm 37:12-13 -- (of David) The wicked
plots against the just, And gnashes at him with his teeth. The Lord
laughs at him, For He sees that his day is coming.
The word of God clearly illustrates that
all who belong to God will be hated by the world. The same old story,
it's the obedient and favored son despised by the disobedient and rebellious
son. It's the Cain and Abel syndrome, only on a immeasurably grander
scale.
John 15:18-20 -- (Jesus speaking) "If the
world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If
you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because
you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his
master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.
If they kept My word, they will keep yours also."
II Timothy 3:12-13 -- Yes, and all who desire to live godly
in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and imposters
will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
Matthew 5:10-12 -- (Jesus speaking)
(paralleled in Luke 6:22-23)
"Blessed are those who are persecuted
for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven." "Blessed are you when they revile and
persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.
Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for
so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
Mark 13:13 -- (Jesus speaking) (paralleled in Matthew 10:22 and Luke 21:16-19)
"And you will be hated by all for My
name's sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved."
Everyone who wants to live a godly
life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. If
you belong to Christ the world will
(not may) hate you; of this there is no doubt.
The passages above, and others like them, mark it as a certainty.
"But he who stands firm to the end will be saved."
The call to perseverance is echoed throughout the word of God. As
sure as there will be persecution, for he who endures there will also be
reward. A crown of life is promised to those who hold fast
and remain in their faith.
I Corinthians 15:2 -- By this gospel you are saved, if you
hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed
in vain. (NIV)
I Peter 4:12-19 -- Beloved,
do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you,
as though some strange thing has happened to you; but rejoice to
the extent that you partake of Christ's
sufferings, that when His glory is revealed,
you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for
the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God
rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part
He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief,
an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters. Yet if anyone
suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God
in this matter.
For the time has come for judgment to
begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will
be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now "If the
righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner
appear?" Therefore let those who suffer according
to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful
Creator.
Hebrews 12:2-3 -- Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author
and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the
cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne
of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men,
so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (NIV)
Galatians 6:9 -- And let us not lose heart in doing good,
for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. (NASB) Hebrews 3:6 --
...But Christ as a Son over His own
house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing
of the hope firm to the end.
Hebrews 3:14 -- For we have become partakers of Christ
if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end...
Hebrews 10:23 -- Let us hold fast the confession of our
hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
II Corinthians 4:16-18 -- Therefore we do not lose heart.
Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed
day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working
for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not
look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.
For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not
seen are eternal.
Romans 8:35-36 -- Who shall
separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress,
or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it
is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are
accounted as sheep for the slaughter."
James 5:10-11 -- My brethren, take the prophets, who
spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience.
Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance
of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord -- that the Lord is very compassionate
and merciful.
I Corinthians 15:58 -- Therefore,
my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work
of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
James 1:12 -- Blessed
is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved,
he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those
who love Him.
John 8:31-32 -- Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed
Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you
shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
Revelation 2:7 -- (Jesus speaking)
"'He who
has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To
him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in
the midst of the Paradise of God.'"
The second and third chapters of the book
of Revelation contain seven promises from the Lord for those who overcome
(chiefly Revelation 2:7, 2:11, 2:17, 2:26-28, 3:5, 3:12, 3:21), and culminate
with chapter twenty-one's climactic, crowning, supreme promise of sonship
with God.
Revelation 21:5-7 -- Then He
who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And
He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful."
And He said to me, "It is done!
I am the Alpha and the Omega the Beginning and the End. I will give
of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He
who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall
be My son."
The parable of the weeds, as recorded
in the thirteenth chapter of Matthew, tells of an enemy sowing weeds among
the good seed at night while everyone was asleep. The word of God
is clear: The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy is
the devil. As in this parable, weeds have been sown into our society
while most of us (and those of previous generations) were sleeping -- weeds,
so few at a time, that we hardly noticed them until they'd overgrown the
field and choked off most of that which was good.
Godless liberalism and moral relativism,
sown like weeds which overtook us while we slept, have become the accepted
way and lifestyle that now defines our culture -- a culture that, like
a body that rejects the cure, but embraces the disease, is doomed to rapid
deterioration. With laws which are written on the wind and changed
with every passing whim, we wander aimlessly, devoid of purpose, with blind
guides leading blind people, both destined for destruction.
It is a society which, as it couldn't accept
the truth, chose rather to ignore it -- its revisionist history and relabeling
of conduct the core staples of its doctrine of damnation. So socially
cognizant of their deviant, aberrant behavior, they change what they are
called, as if changing something's title in any way modifies its characteristics
or public acceptability. They rewrite history to suit their agenda.
No longer do antiquated concepts like facts or the truth
matter.
It's a progressive, people-helping-people society, which, in actuality,
is only helping the people who follow it into hell.
The word of God is the one standard we dare
not ignore. We deny it only to our own hastened damnation.
All who reject it are destined for an eternity of regret, those who subvert
it, as objects of wrath. With God there is no court of appeals, no
insanity plea, no extenuating circumstances, leniency or parole -- no rehabilitation,
no dismissal on technicalities, no reduced or suspended sentencing -- no
devious attorneys to garner sympathy, or liberal press to mold opinion
-- no radical judiciary to redefine the law, or ultraistic, libertarian
organizations to reapportion blame. All sentences are life, and all
life is eternal. If we claim to
be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our
sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
God's way is the only way, and the time is now. Tomorrow may be forever.
III John 11 -- Beloved,
do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is
of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.
I John 1:5-2:6 -- This is
the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is
light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship
with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But
if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with
one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all
sin.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He
is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a
liar, and His word is not in us. My little children, these things
I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have
an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself
is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the
whole world. Now by this we know that we know Him,
if we keep His commandments. He who says, "I know Him," and does
not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
But whoever keeps His word, truly the love
of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who
says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
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