Standing For Truth

When we examine the letters Paul writes we find  he places a very strong emphasis upon the need for always standing for the whole truth of God’s Word. This is consistent with all his writings. In every place he strongly condemns false teachers and false teaching and sincerely commends the proclamation of truth. He often speaks of the singularity of real truth. He tells the church at Galatia that there is just one true gospel and all others are patently false. He informs the church at Ephesus that he has given them the word of truth in love. He summarizes that truth by saying there is just one faith, one Lord and one baptism. He makes it clear to young Timothy that the Lord’s churches are to the pillar and ground of this one truth. He emphasized to the church at Corinth that he could do nothing against the truth.

Christ set this standard for truth when He said, “I am the truth..”. He also said that those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth. He correctly claims that only this truth can set man truly free. He promised his followers in every age that the Spirit of truth would walk with them and He prayed to the Father that they would be sanctified in the truth of His Word.

It is little wonder then that when the Holy Spirit gave us the Word He had Paul and other writers to urge us to always stand for the truth. Jude tells us that we should always contend for this truth (faith) as it was once delivered unto the saints. James cautions against lying against this truth. Peter tells us that we should be firmly established in the truth. John tells the little children of God that they should walk in the truth.

This truth has served God’s people and the cultures and nations in which they have lived well in centuries past. We who live in nations blessed by a Christian history and heritage have much for which we should thank God. We have a faith that is powerful and unique to the Judeo-Christian culture. The truth of that faith is the foundation upon which our free and democratic institutions are based. It is vital that we keep standing for that truth.  It is even more important that we who are blessed to be personally and spiritually resting upon the real Foundation Stone, Jesus Christ, fully understand and deeply treasure our faith and be always ready to not only contend for it, but share it with others also. This is especially true of those of us who have all the blessings related to being His peculiar people, purchased by his precious blood and placed into one of His churches as a place of rendering acceptable service and giving glory unto God. (Eph. 3:21) Our motto spiritual motto should be, “Always ready.” We should always be ready not only to stand for the truth but to share it with those who are shackled by sin. The Truth can make them free indeed!

Remove Not The Landmarks

Man is obsessed with spiritual innovation. Doing things God's way seems to be one of his greatest problems.  He constantly seems to be trying to re-invent the spiritual wheel.  Any way, but God's way, seems to be the best way, as far as man is concerned.  He seems to want to row his own canoe upstream against the will of God.  He doesn't hesitate to seize the initiative at every opportunity and try to become the master of his own fate and captain of his own soul.

The scriptures are replete with examples of those who have gone down this  road of rebellion to their own sorrow and destruction.  Nadab and Abihu, two priests of the Mosaic order,  offered strange fire before the altar of the Lord and were consumed by it.  As far as we can ascertain, their innovative attempt at fire making was not based upon any lack of the proper combustibles, but upon their insistence upon doing things their  own way. Uzzah, a servant anxious to please King David,  was the sort of fellow most would admire.  He saw a potentially great disaster developing right before his eyes and heroically leapt into the breach. He  reached up to steady the God's Ark of the Covenant as it tottered on the jolting ox cart, risking being crushed or run over,  but the culmination of his noble effort came when he fell  dead upon the ground.  Simply because he didn't do it God's way.  No man was permitted to touch the Ark of God no matter what the provocation.

I read of a demolition firm doing  a grand job demolishing a building worth tens of thousands of dollars.  There was just one problem.  In spite of their sincerity and dedication to the task, they had the wrong address. I read of home owner who in a moment of panic grabbed a can he assumed was filled with water and dashed it upon a small fire that was threatening to destroy his home.  Undoubtedly he was very sincere in his effort and had nothing but the best of intent.  But there was just one problem.  Someone had filled the can with petrol.

Man is much like that.  He is often sincere and dedicated in his attempts to please God.  But he does not feel it important to do it God's way.   God has said, "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof is the ways of death."   Jesus spoke of man's broad way versus God's narrow way and the tendency of the masses to go down the broad way to destruction.  Paul emphasised the necessity of God's people doing everything strictly according to the pattern given by God.  Moses and then Solomon cautioned against moving the landmarks of faith that God has set in the land. 

Many times it would be  better to do nothing at all than to fail to do things God's way. But neither error is necessary.  God has settled His Word in the heavens forever and Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.  It is a lamp to the path of a Christian to show him the right way in the world today.  "Remove not the old landmarks..your fathers have set."  Proverbs 23:10

Why Worry?

Our modern day English word worry comes from an Old English word wyrgan, that means "to choke," or "strangle." How clearly descriptive of the essence of worry! Worry not only chokes people up at times and even leads some to a panic attack, but it can also strangle our thoughts and our actions. It can choke out the positive beauty of our surroundings. We can become so absorbed in futile worry that we never seem to take the time to stop and smell the roses along life's way.

It would seem people today share some of the same attitudes of those whom Jesus addressed in His sermon on the mountain. After all, is it not important to be concerned about essentials such as food and clothing? Can we not clothe our worry in acceptability by saying, "After all, I'm not worrying about or coveting luxurious and extravagant things. I'm just concerned about my basic needs and the daily welfare of my family."

But this is exactly what Jesus says we cannot do. Such worry reflects a daily distrust of God. Such illogical rationalisation is reflected in the story about two men who were discussing their relationship with their wives. One asserted loudly that he was the head of his house, carried all the important concerns upon his own shoulders and made all the major decisions. When asked to explain he said, "I am the one who is concerned about world and national affairs. I am the one who worries about inflation and recession and other major economic matters. My wife takes care of the relatively unimportant concerns and decisions such as buying a house or car. She decides about the school our children attend and small things like that.

Remember the history of Israel wandering in the wilderness? How He fed them with the miracles of the manna and then the quail? God would only give them a limited supplies of food and water. The reason is obvious He wanted them to glorify Him by trusting Him implicitly and absolutely for their daily provisions. They were not to worry. When they did so, the result was ungrateful murmuring and complaining that ultimately led to the loving, but severe, chastening hand of God falling upon them.

I heard once of a rich man who was known to be a chronic worrier. He finally came to recognise just how futile and destructive his worry habit could be. He advertised in the local paper for someone to do his worrying for him. He told the man his major concerns and worries. He then assigned him the task of worrying about these things each night. He rationalised that he then could get a good sound night's sleep. The man went to his assigned place and, sitting at his desk, began to worry. Just after midnight he heard his employer creep into the room. He asked him, "What are you doing here?" The chronic worrier replied, "I couldn't sleep. I was worried that you were not really worrying about my worries!"