View Full Version : Is TRUTH a problem to you?
Many people have difficulty with the idea of “Truth”
According to a survey done by Barna Research back in 1995
About 3/4 ’s of all adults in America rejected the notion that there are absolute moral truths. Most Americans believe that all truth is relative to the situation and the individuals involved. Similarly, at least 3/4’s of our teens embrace the same position regarding moral truths. Not only did more than 3 out of 4 teenagers say there is no absolute moral truth, 4 out of 5 also claim that nobody can know for certain whether or not they actually know what truth is.
I once read about a man who heard his friend say: “There are 2 sides to every question”
And the man replied “Yes, there are two sides to every question… just like there are two sides to a sheet of flypaper, but it makes a difference to the fly which side he chooses.”
In other words, the world thinks truth is flexible… but something inside tells us that IF we ignore “TRUTH” we do so at our own peril. There are consequences to setting truth aside. There are consequences to having a “flexible” morality
Why should people have difficulty with morality?
Why would they reject a standard of what is “right and wrong?”
Why would they prefer shades of gray to black and white?
The problem is not with the TRUTH. The problem is that everybody has their own standard of truth. Everyone has a standard by which they decide what is right and wrong.
They want to be the authority. They want to be the ones who decide what is moral & what isn’t.
AND SO IT IS WITH TRUTH. People will accept only what they WANT to hear. They will agree only with the authority they wish to obey. BUT in reality… the real authority they want in their lives is - THEY themselves. They are the MASTERS of their lives
And many times people will agree with “truth” ONLY when “truth” agrees with them.
However to be saved one must reconize the Absolute Authority--Jesus Christ, Who is the Way, the Truth and the Life! When it is all said and done HIS WORD IS FOREVER SETTLED IN HEAVEN!
All those that gainsay it now--WILL bow!
What do you think?
nytxn1971
03-31-2003, 11:07 AM
Um... am I seeing double, or is this a duplicate thread?
Been at the communion wine again eh?
:)
(I reported the other post for removal)
nytxn1971
03-31-2003, 11:16 AM
*hiccup*
*rolling back and forth*
No, not me. :)
straitway
03-31-2003, 12:02 PM
The Bible says that the reason why many will perish is because "they recieved not the love of the truth."
Many talk about the "love of God" but when confronted with the truth of salvation (Acts 2:38) they fail to "love the truth!"
pastorb
03-31-2003, 01:04 PM
Well the sad thing is that we have saints of God questioning this issue with questions like: When is it ok to tell a fib?
Is it ok to lie under any circumstances?
What if someones life is in danger?
Did anyone in the bible lie for God?
What about Rahab and the spies of Joshua?
tufluv
03-31-2003, 01:27 PM
XERF: I like this thread, very thought-provoking!
Your and Nytxn1971's exchange is so cute and funny!!
I especially agree with : "BUT in reality… the real authority they want in their lives is - THEY themselves. They are the MASTERS of their lives".
This is the way of the world, that same world of darkness I left behind. That is The MAIN stumblingblock and reason why about 97% of this world will remain unsaved. This society promotes that way of thinking., to reverse it takes a lot of good old-fashioned TOUGH LOVE, fasting and prayer!! Not enough saints are as dedicated in that venture to make a big a dent as could be.
I won't compromise with anyone who won't listen, or love the truth, and I won't waste a lot of the LORD'S time gifted to me.
Plain and simple. I do wish though, that when I was young, and less opinionated, the LORD had put someone in my path to speak to me of these truths, I think I would have listenend, but being raised in a catholic family, being very abused physically and emotionally, it was a survival instinct that preceded everything.
I am heavy burdened to present the youth some TRUTH, to provide them knowledge in their tender years to overcome what trials they endure, now and future-wise, and they do have lots in this present society/world. Many have the added stumblingblock of their parents religions as well. Yes, I've veered off topic a bit again., sorry, and Bye! :)
Thelordisone
03-31-2003, 05:47 PM
Xerf,
What did Israel do to the prophets who spoke the truth of God? Stoned & Killed them. What does the Church today do to men of God who preach Holiness & not loving this world? Dont get invited to preach for starters!
Judgement shall start in the house of God.
Tufluv,
Amen to your prayer & fasting. These are the old paths of which the prophets spoke. But there are many that want to bring "NEW" fire...LOOKOUT!!
IN His Name!!
dllong
03-31-2003, 05:49 PM
All religions "say" they have the "truth". We are no different when claiming to hold the truth (to the worldly listener). I avoid using the word "Truth" when I witness. The world has heard it many times before. I simply let them read it for themselves in the good old KJV.
Dave
'TRUTH' is a very Biblical term--it is a Title claimed by nonetheless than Jesus Christ! "I Am the Way, the Truth---" Preaching Jesus Christ demands the use of TRUTH!
Legacy
03-31-2003, 06:04 PM
Jesus says in John 4:24, "God is a spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." We must worship God in truth. Since His word is truth, we must worship Him according to His word. Here the Lord is telling us that everything we do in worship, we must have God's divine approval. Truth is not arbitrary. Truth for one person is the same as truth for the next. God has not spoken in unclear ways.
God has specified in the Bible the acceptable way He is to be worshipped. He is not to be worshipped according to the evil and vain imaginations and devices of men. Whatever that is not commanded in scripture in our worship to God is forbidden if we are to worship God in truth. We dare not substitute what we want for what God has commanded if we want to please Him and go to Heaven.
There are many who think it really doesn’t matter what we believe or do in religion, just as long as we are sincere and follow our conscience. But if it doesn’t really matter what you believe, then it doesn’t matter if you even believe at all. This is absurd. This philosophy exalts our conscience above the word of God. This makes our conscience our only guide and ignores what God says in the Bible. This philosophy originated with man and not with God. This is telling God we are going to worship Him the way we choose and we don’t really care what He has to say. Every man then becomes his own authority thereby eliminating the authority of God, the Bible. This attitude must greatly hurt the one who gave His life for us.
Many people want to do what they think best and what seems right to them. We are warned not to do this in Proverbs 14:12, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." According to what God says we can loose our soul by doing what seems right in our own eyes. God’s word is no longer our guide, but it has been replaced with creed books, disciplines, manuals, confessions, etc. Men want to do things their way and as it seems right in their own eyes. Please consider the consequences of being deceived by error. What a pity it will be to stand before the Lord on Judgment Day having been fooled into accepting the unlawful religions of the denominational world. What a terrible fate to believe error to be truth only to be lost for all of eternity.
The philosophy of doing what seems right in our eyes has vastly altered the way people attempt to worship God. They rationalize that God will accept it. People can rationalize away just about anything they want if they work at it hard and long enough, and because of this people worship God in ignorance. Just as the apostle Paul told the Athenians in Acts 17:23 (KJV), "Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship."
The average person in religious matters takes many things for granted. He finds religious groups practicing something and he decides what the majority does must be right and acceptable to God. The Bible says the majority of people are going to be eternally lost. Jesus says in Matthew 7:l3-14, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." So we don’t want to depend on the majority to determine what is right for us and follow them. If we do we will also end up being lost in the eternal fires of Hell.
Many people never stop to ask, is it scriptural and is this what God wants? They believe that just any kind of worship they give will be acceptable to God. There are a lot of false teachings today that are being passed off as the truth. The main reason for all the religious division that we see in the world today is man will not accept God’s word as final authority. Man is going to do it his own way. The Bible contains our only instructions on how to please God so we can go to heaven.
God has always told man how He is to be worshipped. God is the only one who has the right to determine how He is to be worshipped. He will only accept that which is in harmony with His prescribed will. God instructs us how to worship Him acceptably through His word in the Bible. In Ephesians 5:17 we read, "Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is." It is wise to know what the will of the Lord is so we can do it and be pleasing to Him, if we are the least bit concerned about where we will spend eternity. We are accountable for what we believe and practice. Our eternal destiny hangs in the balance of how we treat His truth.
Obey Acts 2:38--God's Truth!
Amen to that!
COMPROMISE: It prompts us to be silent when we ought to speak for fear of offending. It prompts us to praise when it is not deserved, to keep people our friends. It prompts us to tolerate sin and not speak out because to do so might give us enemies.
Sermonettes for Christianettes seems to be the order of the day. It's a kind of a "fast-food" mentality: A convenient place, a quick service, a nice meal that does not take too long to inhale, a happy clappy atmosphere where everyone can enjoy themselves, no time restrictions, get up and go when you are finished never mind the rest, I've had enough I'm off.
My great fear folks is, this "McFaith" is producing "McChristians".
TRUTH is the vechicle of freedom, "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free!"
John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Instead of doing as Prov 23:23 states, "Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding." It seems we are selling it cheap.
Let’s cut to the heart of the matter Many Pastors and teachers are NOT proclaiming TRUTH as absolute-that is why people are drifting! The prophets said it well:
Hos 4:6-9 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
7 As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.
8 They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.
9 And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.
We need messengers appointed of God to preach and teach. The Father’s in homes need again to take up the spiritual, priestly role and return to the old fashioned principles found in the Word of God Teach it to their children diligently. Is this not a day when we should take hold of God’s covenant and teach it to our family in accordance with Deuteronomy 6!
pastorb
04-01-2003, 12:33 PM
Empowered by the Gospel
Ye shall know the TRUTH and the TRUTH shall make you free. John 8:32
Definitions:
§ Know: to have a thorough understanding, revelation or perception of something through experience or study.
§ Truth: something that corresponds to, or is found to be factual or real.
o In Christian Science, the word used to refer to God
§ Make: free, exempt, unrestrained, not bound by, to emancipate or release from obligation
What comes with having truth?
__________________________________________________ ______________________
Rev 1:3 Blessed [is] he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time [is] at hand.
__________________________________________________ ______________________
Understanding: Luke 24:45,46
__________________________________________________ ______________________
Ø The ability to reason and explain the meaning or the nature of somebody or something.
1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and [be] ready always to [give] an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For [it is] better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
Pain: Matt 16:24
__________________________________________________ ______________________
Ø Unpleasant physical sensation: the acutely unpleasant physical discomfort experienced by somebody who is violently struck, injured, or ill in certain ways
Romans 5:3,5 And not only [so], but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Empowerment: Romans 8:14
__________________________________________________ ______________________
Ø To give authority or power to.
Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:
2 Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that [pertain] unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
Accountability: Luke 24:47
__________________________________________________ ______________________
Ø Responsible to somebody else or to others, or responsible for something
Act 1:8 …and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
John 17:18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
This is a small piece of what God allowed us to teach on last week.
Thanks Pastorb, very informative and useful!
pastorb
04-01-2003, 01:08 PM
Shout it from the roof tops!!!!!!!
More Truth and more Accountability.
Remember Everything comes with a price, are we willing to pay it?
2 Peter 1:12 "Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know [them], and be established in the present truth."
I. Regarding the Truth. {not be negligent}
II. Retention of the Truth. {remembrance}
III. Recognizing the Truth {though you know them}
IV. Rooted in the Truth. {be established in the present truth}
Ephesians 6:14 "Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness."
Having your loins girt about with truth. This speaks of the importance of fastening our hearts with truth. Ours hearts need to be girded about with truth.
The Apostle John also wrote concerning the importance of truth.
(1). 3 John 1:4 "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."
(2). 1 John 2:21 "I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth".
The Apostle Peter had a pastor's heart. He wanted to make sure those under him would be established in truth.
a. Peter wasn't interested in statistics.
b. Peter wasn't interested in numbers.
c. Peter wasn't interested in a mega church.
d. Peter wasn't interested in pragmatism, i.e., getting them saved and in the church regardless of the methods.
e. Peter wasn't interested in recognition or making a name for himself.
f. Peter wasn't interested in what the major population had to say about him.
g. PETER WAS INTERESTED CONCERNING THOSE UNDER HIM TO BE ESTABLISHED IN TRUTH!
Legacy
04-01-2003, 02:14 PM
We live in a day when truth is under attack. Our society has become pluralistic in that truth is now seen to be relative. In other words, people say things like, "You have your truth and I have mine." What our society has come to believe is that what is true for you might not be true for me. Is that the way things really are, or is that just wishful thinking on the part of a people who do not want to admit that God and the Bible are the truth? This attitude toward the truth in nothing new. When Jesus stood before Pontius Pilate, Pilate demonstrated his lack of knowledge concerning the truth, John 18:37. While the attack on truth has been afoot for many centuries, the trend seems to be worsening in our day. In fact, many in our society hold to the opinion that there is no such thing as "absolute truth". I don't know how you feel about it personally, but I believe that there is such a thing as "absolute truth", and I believe that this "absolute truth" can be found in the Bible, John 17:17; Psa. 119:160. Therefore, if the Bible is true, then it must be the standard by which all opinions either stand or fall. In other words, I say as Paul said, "Let God be true and every man a liar.", Rom. 3:4.
straitway
04-01-2003, 03:35 PM
:tup: Great stuff here! :tup:
Moral Relativism is the belief that truth is changeable… that it is “relative.” In other words, “What is true depends on your point of view. It is “relative” to your circumstances or your point of view.
A high school textbook “Inquiries in Sociology” declares "There are exceptions to almost all moral laws, depending on the situation. What is wrong in one instance may be right in another."
Moral Relativism rejects the idea that there is “absolute truth”
In fact, those who reject absolute truth are ABSOLUTELY SURE there is no absolute truth. Some of the principles of “relativism” are:
“There are two sides to every question”
“There are exceptions to almost all moral laws,”
AND “No one has the right to say someone else’s activities are morally wrong”
It is this type of demented thinking that introduces "cultral holiness" and a bag full of other erronous doctrines.
Without truth, that is unchangeable, there is no hope!
pastorb
04-01-2003, 07:58 PM
Xerf, I want you to know I am using some of your stuff and if you like I'll email you a copy
"WHY TRUTH IS SO IMPORTANT"
What I gave you earlier was my bible study from last week.
Teaching these young people to love truth.
Man, God has blessed my wife and I with some awesome young people and they aren't playing church, no body has to twist their arm to come they call us for rides if their parents can't brign them or don't come.
God is so Good,
ddc101
04-03-2003, 02:49 PM
One really good book that will have you at the altar is Bro.Echols
book The Sin of Lying.Read this and then answer the question,
"Is truth a problem for you?" sis.c
pastorb
04-03-2003, 03:42 PM
As we understand the worlds view of truth and The bibles, it is clear that Absolute truth can only rest with God. Joh 14:26
Scripture Shows us a lying Prophet.
Scripture Shows us Rahab on the Jericho wall lying to save Joshua's spies.
Scripture shows Abraham lying twicw and calling Sarah His wife, his sister when he was in fear of his life.
Daivd Conspired to lie when he called Uriah back from the front to sleep with his wife to cover her pregnancy.
Samson lyed to Delilah over and over before telling her the secret of his strength.
Does anyone have any to add?
straitway
04-04-2003, 12:15 PM
How about the chief liar of all - Satan!
He was a liar from the beginning and is the father of all lies!
Sandy
04-04-2003, 02:40 PM
Yes Straightway. But I think Pastor B's point is evidently God is behind some lies too.
Truth is what is written in the scriptures of course. But not all truth is always as apparent as we would like it to be, which Pastor B has just proven by pointing out that sometimes lies are ok.
The scripture that comes to mind regarding truth is for all to remember not only to study, but also in studying to rightly divide as well regarding all things in order to know Gods Truths anyway. Because if you do not, you will find yourself eventually bringing forth doctrines that are not entirely true at all. Which is where every erroneous doctrine begins to begin with that comes our of christianity.
Take for example baptism itself. One scripture says it is to be done a certain way while many others says another. So what to do? Well IMHO you then need to seek the Lord as to what He is really saying in all of these scriptures in prayer, and wait for Him to reveal it to you. Then you will have the truth. The problem is most do not, but run off with one or the other, refusing to look at the whole matter.
You give me one erroneous Christian doctrine, and I bet you it comes from the scripture somewhere to begin with, because of someone that began it not rightly dividing concerning the whole matter. And that is the truth. :D
Heb 6:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
Col 3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Sorry but I can't applaud the statement that God is the cause of any lie. Lies told that seem to be ok were not God's doing.
Sandy
04-04-2003, 03:05 PM
Xerf,
Hebr. 6:18 does not say it is impossible for God to lie regarding all things, but rather says "THAT BY TWO IMMUTABLE THINGS, in which it ws impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have feld for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:" which are the things impossible for God to lie about.
You just proved my point about taking things to far Bro. IMHO.
If you also check Col. 3:9, considering the context in which it is written it is speaking of our lieing to one another most likely regarding the Word itself, in an attempt to bring about our own self gratifications in the end as some believe what we say that would bring about unrighteousness in the life of others as a result somehow.
And yes, the devil is a liar, certaily. His lies are told though for each mans destruction. Which takes me back to the reason for what Paul wrote in Colossians you quoted.
And that is the problem with our often taking only one scripture here and there and making some kind of doctrine out of it that is not entirely true exerf.
By the way, that Word was not my own either, regarding where erroneous doctrines come from, but what the Lord told me. I am not smart enough to see that on my own, to be perfectly honest. Which is why I have to depend on hearing from Him so much I guess. wish I was really smart sometimes, but alas I am not.
So as I said, you just proved the point I made originally.
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