Love Of The Truth

At Open Arms Community Church we’ve been going through a series called “Growing Closer To God”. Last weekend we discussed the topic of how studying God’s Word (the Bible) grows us closer to God.

We saw many warnings in the scripture about deceiving spirits at work in our world and deceptive teachings that will come. We also saw the antidote for the rampant deception in our world, a love of/for the truth.

When we use that phrase “love of/for the truth” we are to understand first that this has always been God’s expectation, that what we do in pursuing Him and obeying Him would be motivated by a loving relationship not religious duty. That’s the first and greatest command, to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength”.

We are also to understand that true love compels us to pursue. If we really “love” then we feel compelled. Whether you say, “I love my wife” or “I love ice cream”. Either way you feel compelled by that affection/affinity to pursue them.

You have to wonder what many Christians have in this Christian Faith, relationship or religion, because so many seem so unmotivated in pursuing God (reading His Word, obeying His Word, spending time with Him in prayer, and spending time with fellow saints).

So many seem to “Believe” in God/Jesus and do the obligatory “church attendance” (sometimes), but seem to resent the imposition that Jesus and His commands make on their lifestyle. They seem to have thought that following Jesus would simply be adding a little bit of religious duty to their pre-existing lifestyle, but Jesus tells us He came to give a whole new way of life (not just a few religious habits), so we should understand that there will not just be a few changes to our way of life, but a completely different way of life.

In following Jesus we may stay at the same place of work, but we may not. We may stay in the same geography, but we may not. God has a way of taking those who follow Him and changing their life drastically.

Why do some seem to have these powerful life changing experiences for life long and others not? Why do some seem so easily moved off coarse, but others are more stable and stay on track? The answer is simpler than we think.

In 2Thessalonians 2:1-10 we find God warning us that as the clock of earths existence winds down there will be an increase of deception. Spirits and spiritual teachers will come try to teach things that sound, feel, smell, and seem good, right, and true, but in fact are wrong, dangerous, and destructive.

God tells us in these verses that the people being deceived and ruined by the deception will go from bad to worse simply because of one thing… they did not love the truth. As we reject or just take lightly the truth, the easier we swallow satan’s lies and the harder it can be come to swallow God’s word.

That is the second thing we need to learn from this phrase “love of/for the truth”.

Jesus tells us His “word is truth”, that His word is “flawless and eternal”, and that those who “hear it and do what it says” are blessed, but those who “hear it and do not do what it says” fall under a lack of blessing, a curse, even destruction”. (Matthew 7)

The availability of God’s Word, especially to us in America and those with regular internet access, makes this truth all the more convicting and us all the more accountable/responsible to God for how seriously and diligently we pursue God and His truth.

God is at work in our world. He is moving and doing awesome things, but so is the devil, and unfortunately to many Christians are buying satan’s lies and living a less than Christian life; A life of which I do not know for sure the final outcome.


So, what do we do?

First, 2Timothy 2:15 tells us to “do your best to show yourself approved” or “diligently study to show yourself approved” by God in “rightly handling the word of truth”. Do we “rightly handle” the word? Not only are we to handle it “rightly” by understanding it accurately, but we’re also to handle it “rightly” by actually handling it, using it, not letting it sit on our shelf or the back of our toilet collecting dust.

Second, as we feed on this Word of Truth we will fulfill God’s command to “grow in the grace and KNOWLEDGE of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.” 2Peter 3:18

Thirdly, we must understand that there will be things in the Bible we don’t understand at first, but the more we read it and the more we live it, the more we will understand, but even after decades of following Jesus and studying the word of God, there is much we still don’t fully understand, so what do we do.

Deuteronomy 29:29 tells us the knowledge that is hidden belongs to God (that is His business), but the knowledge that is revealed (understood by men) is given to us so that we may do what it says, in other words OBEY IT.

If we do these things we will be blessed and are true disciples/followers of Jesus. If we do not do these things we are easy prey for satan and his minions, we are going to experience less than God’s best in life, and we may not be authentic disciples/followers of Jesus (we may fall into the category of simply believing in God, but still on our way to hell with satan who also believes in God. James 2).

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/967870/love_of_the_truth.html?cat=34

Religion or Relationship?

Roughly 98% of the people in the world believe in God. While most people believe in God many struggle with the question: Which religion is right? The answer is none of them. In order to accurately understand this statement we must define religion.

Religion is simply manmade rules, standards, traditions, and rituals.

What bearing do any of these have on our relationship with God (Yes, Relationship)?

No matter what “religion” you subscribe to they all have a few common beliefs. God is real, he created the universe and everything in it, there is a right and wrong, and there are blessings and curses to be experienced, and there is an eternity in the balance for each person.

While some religions have described God as being somewhat disconnected from humanity and it’s plight, Jesus taught a very different view.

Jesus taught that God cares for people and that He created people for a purpose, that purpose was not servitude out of religious duty, it was not to make church goers, it was not to make slaves, it was to make children. Jesus taught that God made people to be his children, His objects of deep love and affection, and that He (God) desires a relationship with His creation.

Jesus taught that the greatest commandment of all was to “love God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength” (Mark 12:30 NIV). The point of this is two fold… 1) Love is the issue! We’re to have a loving relationship with God and this relationship isn’t just a religious hobby, it’s our life. We live for it with our entire being. 2) This relationship is then the motivating factor in all our life decisions. This gives us guidance in how to live.

Like any relationship, because we love and care about the person and what they think it alters our behavior and way of life so we can live in harmony with them and experience the relationship at it’s best. This is how it works with God.

Does this mean all religion is bad? Not at all!

It is written, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” (James 1:27 NIV)

So, religion, as previously defined, that encourages addressing causes of social justice and personal purity/morality is seen as good and acceptable. Religion then is nothing more than a tool to help people in their relationship with God and their pursuit of being the person God made them to be.

So, which religion is “right”? The answer is none of them. If you follow the teachings of Jesus He taught relationship with God through His (Jesus’) sacrificial work and this relationships was the motivating factor for spirituality and morality. Everything else is just tools.

What do you do with tools? Use them when they work. Put them in the box when they don’t. If they’re broke throw them away. Common sense!

Religion isn't especially bad or wrong or right, it's just a tool. Devotion to religion isn't bad, or wrong, or right it just can't supercede or take the place of your relationship/commitment to God.

When Religion helps you live out the truths of God's word, grow in your relationship with God, and become the person God made you to be then use it, but when it becomes God in your life, or becomes dead lifeless rituals, or becomes as authoritative as the Bible in your life then it's time to reevaluate and perhaps move on to a different tool.