TRUTH

As I prepared to teach the book of Romans at Church, I thought it critical for those attending my Bible study, to better understand some of the Doctrinal concepts mentioned by the apostle Paul throughout this letter. So I've written a few brief descriptions and explanations of these Biblical words and phrases to help us to grasp more fully the content of Paul's message. I also thought that maybe others might benefit from them, so as I put them to paper I have included them in my blog, next is this important doctrine:   TRUTH

What Is Truth?  How can I recognize it?  From where does it originate, and does it change?  Where can we find and whom can we trust to give us the truth we are seeking?  These are just a few questions I will attempt to answer in this essay on truth.

There are at least two different perspectives of this word truth, first, is man's, or the natural perspective and second is God's, or the spiritual perspective.  These don't necessarily have to oppose each other but in many respects they do.

The New American Encyclopedia tell us that a philosophical concept of truth is understood by philosophers according to three main theories:

1. Correspondence: This theory holds that a statement is true if it corresponds to the 'facts' of experience.

2. Coherence: This theory says that 'facts' are themselves statements of a kind, whose truth cannot be tested by looking for further correspondence, but by considering there logical coherence with other statement about supposed reality.

3. Pragmatic: This theory of truth stresses that the only usefully testable truths are those that enable us to anticipate or control the course of events.

How arrogant is man, to think that he, in himself, can declare what is truth and what is not, that he can establish it based on his own experiences.  The finite mind of man is truly unable, by himself, even to begin to understand what is truth no matter what kind of testable 'facts' he has before him, unless God reveals it to him.

The question, "what is truth?" then, can be best answered by first answering the question, "what is God?" 

The Westminster Shorter Catechism says:

"God is spirit, finite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, He is wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth."

God Is Truth;  The Psalmist says:

 "Into thy hand I commit my spirit, Thou has ransomed me, O Lord, God is truth."  Psalm 31:5
 Truth is God's essence; it is an integral element of His character.

"Because he who is blessed in the earth shall be blessed by the God of truth."  Isaiah 65:16a

Truth is inseparably connected with God and God's truth does not change.  Men at times say things and call them truth, only to later change their minds because their views  have changed.  They find themselves unable to stand on what they had previously spoken as truth.  The words of men are unstable.  But not so with God, God's words are truth, they stand forever as unchangeable expressions of His mind, thought, and will.

 "Forever, O Lord, Thy word is settles in heaven."  Psalm 119:89

 Jesus Is Truth; He has the attributes and character of the Father, we see real truth in Him.

"I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me."  John 14:6

"And the Word became flesh, and dwells among us, and we beheld His glory, as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth."  John 1:4

 "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth are realized through Jesus Christ."  John 1:17

The Holy Spirit Is Truth; 

"And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth,"  John 14:16,17a

 "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth;"  John 16:13a

 "And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is the truth."  1 John 5:7

 The Word of God Is Truth; Paul connects the Gospels and the truth, which must be understood in relation to God.  The truth is seen in a special way in the Gospel.

 "Because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel, which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth."  Colossians 1:5,6

 We are sanctified by the truth.  Jesus recognized the cleansing power of the word when He said:

 "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you."  John 15:3

 And He prayed that His own would be sanctified in the truth.

 "Sanctify them in the truth, Thy word is truth."  John 17:17

 This word translated truth here gives us the idea of stability, so when we read our Bibles we must remember that God still holds to all His promises, demands, statements of purpose, and words of warnings that He has addressed to New Testament believers.  They are eternally valid revelations of the mind of God; nothing can erase God's eternal truth.

 "Thou art near, O Lord, and all Thy commandments are truth."  Psalm 119:151


 Conclusion;
 Truth in the Bible is a quality of people first and foremost, and a proposition only after that; it means stability, reliability, and firmness, trustworthiness, the quality of a person who is sincere, realistic and undeceived.  God is such a person.  Truth in this sense is His nature, He can be nothing else.  That is why His words to us are true, and cannot be other than true.  They are the standard of reality, the standard of truth.


God Bless and Press On
Larry

Justification

As I studied and prepared to teach the book of Romans at Church on Thursday nights, I thought it critical for those attending my Bible study, to better understand some of the Doctrinal concepts mentioned by the apostle Paul throughout this letter. So I've written a few brief descriptions and explanations of these Biblical words and phrases to help us to grasp more fully the content of Paul's message. I also thought that maybe others out there might benefit from them, so as I put them to paper I have included them in my blog, next is this important doctrine:  Justification

What Does Justification Mean? 
The word is a legal term with the meaning "to acquit".  It is the normal word to use when the accused is declared "not guilty".

The word does not mean to make righteous as some may think.  This word and its meaning stand in opposition to condemnation.  To "condemn" does not mean to "make guilty", but to "declare guilty", similarly then, to justify means to "declare just".

1. To be justified according to the Bible means to be declared righteous in    God's sight.  Romans 8:33; "Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies:"

2. Man is justified when God imputes to him righteousness.  Romans 4:2,3; 
"For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about: but not before God.  For what does the scripture say?  And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteous."

3. The Hebrew word is naqah; to be guiltless, declared innocent or acquitted.  The Greek word is dikaioo; to deem to be right, to declare to be righteous.

How Are We Justified?
Paul is quite definite that:

"no one will be justified in God's sight by works of the Law"   Romans 3:20a

Justification through observing laws and codes is impossible.

"For we maintain that a man is justified by faith, apart from works of the law."  Roman 3:28

"Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."  Romans 5:1

Paul links justification with faith, making it quite clear that it is only by believing that anyone can appropriate this gift of God.

"But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness."  Romans 4:5

"even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe."  Romans 3:22

Justification is God's good gift: we are "Justified freely by His grace."

"being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus."  Romans 3:24

The cross of Christ plays a necessary part in justification for:

"Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him."  Romans 5:9

Justification by way of the cross means that God saves us in a way that accords with righteousness.  Sin does not go unpunished; it's just that Jesus bore our punishment.  When we speak of justification by way of the cross, we are saying that it has been dealt with.

"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."  2 Corinthians 5:21

By Whom Are We Justified?
Justification has been brought about from God by grace through faith.

"because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."  Romans 3:25b-26

Christ's resurrection brings to us our justification.

"He who was delivered up because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification."  Romans 4:25

Adams sin resulted in condemnation and death, whereas Christ's deed of grace brought justification and life.

"But the free gift is not like the transgressions.  For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound to many.  And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification."  Romans 5:15,16

In Adam by birth we are condemned and die, but because of Christ's redemptive work on the cross we can be justified and live if we are in Him by faith.

Conclusion:
Justification makes no actual change in us; it is a declaration by God concerning us.  What characterizes Christianity is that its answer centers on the cross.  Justification does not take place because people in some way work out a means with dealing with sin.  They can neither overcome it so that for the future they will live without it, nor blot it out from their past.  But God can and does.

"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ.  So we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law no flesh will be justified."  Galatians 2:16

God Bless and Press On
Larry

The Righteousness of God

As I studied and prepared to teach the book of Romans at Church on Thursday nights, I thought it critical for those attending my Bible study, to better understand some of the Doctrinal concepts mentioned by the apostle Paul throughout this letter.  So I've written a few brief descriptions and explanations of these Biblical words and phrases to help us to grasp more fully the content of Paul's message.  I also thought that maybe others out there might benefit from them, so as I put them to paper I will include them in my blog starting with This important doctrine:

The Righteousness of God is that righteousness of which He is the source and owner.  It is a quality or attribute of God, or that of a right standing, which only God can give.  In the gospel it is revealed that God is a righteous God (John 17:25) and that man gets a right standing or a status of being right from Him and Him alone.

We should also notice that the righteousness of God,is said to be "revealed" in the gospel (Romans 1:17).  It is not something that people know about naturally or can find for themselves.  Unless God makes it known to them they will never understand it.

The righteousness of God is in a real sense divine in quality and character.  It is also towards men, from God, it is reckoned unto man on the grounds of Christ's finished work (Romans 4:5).  Further, the righteousness of God is not to be confused with legal righteousness by the perfect law-keeping or even obedience to Christ, for if by vicarious obedience of Christ to the law we are declared righteous, then clearly His death was in vain (Galatians 2:21).

God's righteousness is shown in the gospel, that same gospel which tells us that people must come to God by faith, this righteousness or right standing before God, is ours by faith (Romans 3:26).  Righteousness is the necessary basis of God's dealing with saint and sinner.

There are a number of ways we could look at this important phrase.  I would like to emphasis two aspects of it here, first, as it relates to God Himself and then as it relates to man.

The Righteousness of God as a Quality or Attribute of God:

In the gospel it is revealed that God is a righteous God.  God is righteous, and as such demands righteousness, for without it there can be no fellowship between the creator and His creatures (Hebrews 12:14).  Righteousness can not have fellowship with unrighteousness (2 Corinthians 6:14), God always acts rightly in perfect harmony with His nature in all His actions.  He is consistent with His own nature and character in freely and perfectly judging a sinner who rejects Jesus as well as justifying a sinner who has believed in Jesus.

This divine action of imparting righteousness is not the placing of a quality of righteousness in man, it is simply holding, or regarding as righteous or just, one who is not so, either in nature or in practice.  This brings me to the second aspect.

The Righteousness of God as a Quality of a Right Standing Which God Gives:

In the gospel it is revealed that people get a right standing or the status of being right, from God.  Man has no righteousness of his own with which he may meet the righteous demands of God.  God rejects all that we pride ourselves in.  All our righteousness is but filthy rags in God's sight (Isaiah 64:6).  It is futile to try to work out, even under the law, a character in which God can or will approve.  The human heart is corrupt, deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked and cannot produce righteousness out of rottenness (Jeremiah 17:9).

The sinner, through believing, is given the righteousness of God in Christ, the sinless righteous one.  Christ on the cross was made sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21).  Now on the throne He is the righteousness of God, that is, the perfect expression of it.  He is the "Lord of Righteousness" (Jeremiah 23:6), in Him we have a marvelous exhibition of the righteousness of God, and in Him we have become the righteousness of God.

Righteousness is imputed to us when we believe.  To impute means to reckon or account to a person, something that he does not have on his own.  "Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness" (James 2:23).  With God, imputation is His gracious act by which He accounts righteousness to the believer in Christ.  Imputation however, does not change a man's character.

Our righteousness then, is not something, but someone, even Him who possessed Lordship.  Righteousness is put to the account of a guilty sinner accepting God's terms for salvation, namely Jesus Christ (Romans 3:21-23).


God Bless and Press On
Larry

GREATER LOVE!

In essentials, unity
In non-essentials, liberty
In all things, charity (love)

As believers and followers of Jesus Christ, love should be the over-riding character trait evident in our lives.

Many things have happened in recent years politically and otherwise, that can be perceived as a direct affront to our Christian faith.  Things that could cause us to become angry at, and/or distrustful of our own government.  We are gradually watching every vestige of our Judeo Christian belief system being challenged and removed from American society, the most recent being the striking down of Proposition 8 in California , determined, by a single judge, to be unconstitutional. 

My initial reaction was one of anger and frustration.  However, upon further thought I came to realize that it's just part of the overall battle being waged against the things of God.  Without a doubt, there's a spiritual battle going on in our country and around the world.  It's a battle for the souls of the lost, It's a battle for the hearts and minds of the youth of this generation.  

There is a not-so gradual moral slide taking place right before our very eyes, and it saddens me that even many within the church don't recognize it for it's deceptive danger.  They want to overlook it in the name of tolerance and they choose to be silent for fear of being perceived as unaccepting or hateful.

WHAT ARE WE TO DO?
Herein is a simple plan I choose to follow, maybe it will assist you in these troubled times:

RECOGNIZE
DO WHAT YOU CAN DO
PRAY
TRUST GOD
LOVE ALL!

Recognize: "As Christians, we need to have our spiritual eyes open."
Understand the times that we live in.  Know that the fight is not in the natural, so we should have no conflict with another person because of what they believe or the lifestyle they choose to live.  Our battle is spiritual, and the fight must be in that realm, if we lose sight of that fact we become angry at our fellow man and we lose the ability to love them.  How can we win the lost if we have no love for them?  Love the sinner, hate the sin.  Sin is a spiritual concept that the natural or worldly man does not understand.

Do What You Can Do: So the question is asked, "do we just do nothing in the natural as we watch the decline?"  Absolutely not!  We are required, no, commanded to occupy.  The scripture compels us to stand up for what is righteous.  Starting with our own self, and how we live our life, don't be a contradiction.  At home, teach your children and family members what is God's truth and what he requires of us.  Educate yourself on the issues of the day and know where they are contrary to God's word.  Try to see the far reaching effects of such moral laxity's, even though they may not be evident on the surface today.  And speak up, educate others also.  Speak the truth in love.

We have an obligation to select and elect leaders that share our beliefs if possible, or as close to them as we can.  To vote according to the leading of the Holy Spirit on all issues that will effect our society, not merely along party lines.  Do not abdicate your responsibility to have your voice heard, simply because you don't totally, 100%, agree with any candidate of proposition.  However, we should do this without becoming so emotionally invested that the other side becomes our enemies, remember, it's a spiritual battle and ultimately our God wins.  Love is the attitude of greatest power and influence.

Pray: "Pray without ceasing!"
There are so many issues  today that we should be praying about, and so many people we should be praying for, people in positions of leadership and influence.  Pray and ask the Lord exactly what you should be doing.  Pray for our Pastors, pray for our churches, pray for fellow believers that they would have a love for the lost and an opportunity to minister to them in truth and with compassion.  Pray that your own attitude will reflect that of Jesus.

Trust God: "The end has already been written, Amen."
God has a definite plan and ultimately it will be fulfilled.  So we do our best and trust God for the rest.  He is by no means being caught unaware, he is not in the dark as to where man is headed - He saw our history while it was yet our future, so he knows.

So we trust Him, trust Him with your life and family, trust Him with your future and your dreams, in all things trust Him.  Our God has it all planned out for those who belong to Him.  We can only see the here and now, but our Father sees from everlasting to everlasting.

Love: "but the greatest of these is love."
Regardless of how you feel in the flesh about the things that are going on around you in this world we live in today, we cannot lose sight of the mandate we have received to love others, just as we have been loved and just as we love ourselves.  Let your love for people be without hypocrisy, understanding fully the nature of the battle.  It is not against flesh and blood as the enemy would like for us to believe.  Satan wants to steal your love and thus still the authority of your witness.  By causing you to be caught up in anger and fall into sin, he will accomplish just that. 

God calls us to pursue love, in other words to go after it.  His word also tells us to put on love, which means to choose to adorn ourselves with it.  It's by this powerful fruit of the Spirit that we will be recognized as one of His. And when recognized as such we can't help but change the world around us.

Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
Love Divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heaven, to earth come down,
Fix in us Thy humble dwelling,
All Thy faithful mercies crown!
Jesus, Thou art all compassion,
Pure unbounded Love Thou art;
Visit us with Thy salvation
Enter every trembling heart...

         by Henry Wotton


Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.  1 John 4:7

May God fill you to overflowing with His supernatural agape love!


God Bless and Press On
Larry