Truth

What is truth? The popular belief today is that what may be true for you isn’t necessarily true for me. It’s called relative truth, and people love it. It relieves them of responsibility for their bad behavior.  They don’t have the need to learn right from wrong because it’s not their “truth”.

What they don’t realize is that this way of thinking is placing them in bondage; literally making them slaves. Of course, they don’t realize this any more than the Jews that Jesus was speaking to realized it. When He told them that the truth would set them free they got all indignant and huffy saying, “We are the descendants of Abraham,” they answered, “and we have never been anybody’s slaves. What do you mean, then, by saying, ‘You will be free’?” (John 8:33 GNB)

People today can’t accept that they are slaves, or in bondage, to sin. They refuse to believe that continually living in sin shows that they are children of Satan. Yes, this is a strong statement, but Jesus made it, not me. He told them, “You are the children of your father, the Devil, and you want to follow your father’s desires. From the very beginning he was a murderer and has never been on the side of truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he is only doing what is natural to him, because he is a liar and the father of all lies.” (John 8:44 GNB) Yes, it is a strong statement, but it is a true statement. It is a statement that the world will not, and is unable to, accept because the truth is not in them.

So, what is the truth? Or, more specifically, what is the Truth? The Truth is: Jesus was born of a virgin and the Holy Spirit. The Truth is: He lived a sinless life. The Truth is: He died for OUR sins, never having committing sin Himself. The Truth is: He rose from the dead and ascended to Heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father.

The TRUTH is: Jesus is the ONLY way to salvation. This is not relative. This is not flexible. While you may not accept this as your truth, it is, in fact, the Truth. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one goes to the Father except by me.” (John 14:6 GNB) I didn’t make this up because I want more people to go to church. Jesus said this because He wants more people to go to Heaven!

If you can accept this message then you are blessed. Repent, proclaim Jesus as Lord and be baptized. Follow His teaching and commandments. As He said, His yoke (burden or harness) is easy and His load is light because He helps us carry it.  

© 2021 Tim Lehmann. All rights reserved.

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Works

For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. (Ephesians 5:5 ESV)

So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (James 2:17 ESV)

If someone were to take these two verses, by two separate writers, apart from their context, they could make a great basis for a works based religion. And that has been done many times over the centuries. It seems, at first glance, that both Paul and James are teaching that we must have a certain kind of works in order to get into the Kingdom. But, as a friend of mine likes to say, “what does the rest of the Bible say?”

There are many places where Paul expounds on salvation by grace alone. He is very persistent in letting his readers know that it is not what we can do but what Jesus already did.

Throughout the Old Testament the prophets proclaimed God’s demand for perfect sacrifices. The lambs, bulls and doves had to be spotless. The Israelites were to give their best to the Master. So, with this in mind, how could any flawed human be a fitting sacrifice? We can’t. Romans 3:23 tells us, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We cannot do enough good deeds, or works, to attain salvation. Ever.

So what’s up with the devotion verses for today? It’s not a matter of attaining salvation. It is a matter of living out your salvation. If you are saved, that is “born again,” (John 3:3) then you will have the Holy Spirit living in you. Before you were saved you lived for yourself. Your mind was not set on the things above. Then Jesus cleansed you. He made you a new person. This new person is now filled with the Holy Spirit and longs to please his new Master. (If this is not the case with you then I strongly advise you to get with a Bible believing preacher and get yourself right with God.)

This does not mean that we are perfect. We are still human and still stumble, slip and even fall from time to time. The difference is that when we do sin the Holy Spirit prompts us into repentance. We know that we have done wrong. Not that we have done something that will hurt us, but we have done something that Jesus does not approve of. So the verses for today are not a works salvation. But if you are saved, than you will have the works. Your behavior will reflect the Holy Spirit inside you.

© 2019 Tim Lehmann. All rights reserved.

Thank you for your support of this ministry.

 

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