Truth is a Holy Thing
Genesis 32:10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant:
“Truth” is defined as the opposite of iniquity or a lie
This year is 2021. In our world today it seems hard to find any influential people in the world who can speak any truth. The news media lies about events and does not report the truth. Political leaders and elected officials lie about most things. Everyone has an agenda to promote and protect by means of lies and deception. How many religions are based on lies and deceit? How many secret and hidden things are going on right now of which we are ignorant. There have been and will be false prophets and false christs.
Consider all the iniquity that goes on every minute of every day. Every sinful act that we can imagine is all around us in our daily lives. We battle in our own spirit daily against those temptations.
Ps 116:11 I said in my haste, All men are liars.
Perhaps you have seen the three monkeys that depict “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil”. The modern version might as well depict “hear no truth, see no truth, speak no truth”.
Jer 9:5 And they will deceive everyone his neighbor, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity
Does that not seem true today?
The topic of this study is not about lies, it is about truth. There is a reason that so many people tell lies and are deceitful and do iniquity.
John 18:37 To this end I was born, and for this cause I came into this world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. (you could replace “truth” with “the Father”)
John 18:38 Pilate saith unto Him (Jesus), What is truth?
(The Jews were lying about Jesus)
Have you ever been in a court trial?
John’s Gospel, which is truth for today, has much to say about “truth”. His gospel is the only one that records this question by Pilate.
Is truth more than just a word?
Is truth defined as whatever one believes?
What I believe has changed so much over the years. I wonder when I will have the truth.
I have recently inherited Peter Redmon’s seat on the Board of Directors for TFT
Our ministry’s name contains the word “Truth”: Truth for Today.
Not long ago while I was cleaning and painting some fence, I was listening to Charles Welch Bible studies and heard him say in passing that “truth is a holy thing”.
I stopped whatever I was doing. What did he just say? “Truth is a holy thing”
This is one of those gems: a 100K diamond!
I never thought of truth in that context. Truth is a holy thing.
How many of us have ever thought of truth in that context?
Truth is much more than just a word, in any language.
“Holy” means “sacred or pure”.
Is Truth pure? Is truth sacred like God Himself?
A sacred place or thing is said to be holy. Is Truth a sacred thing?
When you tell a truth, have you done something holy?
When you believe a truth, is that a holy act?
Is anything done in truth done sacredly?
Perhaps the word “Truth” should be capitalized in the Bible.
Immediately my mind and spirit raced to recall several verses of Scripture.
What is the first bible verse that comes to mind when you think of truth as a holy thing?
John 14:6 I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh to the Father except by me
How can truth be any holier than that?
Ps 31:5 thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth
1 Tim 3:15 …the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth
God is pure truth. How holy is that?
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word (Truth), and the Word (Truth) was with God, and the Word (Truth) was God.
Jesus was God embodied in three words; and one of those words is “the truth”.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth (or true grace).
John 5:33 We sent unto John (the baptizer), and he bare witness unto the truth (the Christ)
John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth (true grace) came by Jesus Christ
1 John 5:6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.
Truth is a holy thing.
John 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth, Whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him for He dwelleth in you, and shall be in you
John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, Whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of me.
John 16:13 Howbeit, when He, the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come.
So we have God the Father, Jesus the son, the Word, and the Holy Spirit are each and together truth.
Truth is the key element of correct worship
John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirt and in truth.
John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (nothing else can make us free)
John 17:17 Sanctify (37 hagiazo: make holy, purify) them through thy truth: thy word is truth
· Truth is a holy thing: the truth is to be obeyed
Gal 3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
Gal 5:7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?
Ro 2:8 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: 11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
· Truth is to be rightly divided.
2 Tim 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
The word of truth consists of:
· past truth,
· present truth,
· future truth, and
· eternal truth
· all which must be rightly divided.
· That is why we emphasize truth for today, which is the present truth.
Each dispensation of God has its own distinct truth: That is dispensational truth
· The truth is to be acknowledged
Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries. (Jesus as the Christ; the only Redeemer and Savior)
Titus 1:1 Paul, A servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which sis after godliness (well worship)
1 Timothy 2:3-4 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. (Christ Jesus as Head of the Body)
2 Tim 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth (Christ as head of the Body)
Holy Truth is purity from iniquity.
Holy Truth has an unholy enemy called “iniquity”: the original want of holiness.
Deut 32:4 a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.
1 Co 13:6 rejoice not in iniquity, but rejoice in the truth
· Holy truth against the unholy lie
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold (down or suppress) the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a (for the) lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Rom 9:1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,
2 Co 13:8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.
Eph 4:25 Therefore putting away lying (the lie), speak every man truth with his neighbor
Synonyms: Logos = Word, sound doctrine, godliness, faithful word, sound in the faith, sound speech
· The Apostasy against Truth
2 Timothy 2:25 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
2 Tim 3:7 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
2 Tim 3:8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. 9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as their's also was.
2 Tim 4:4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine (truth) ; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Titus 1:10 For there are many unruly, and vain talkers a and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake…not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men that turn from the truth.
Amen = Truth
Did you know our English word “Amen” comes from the Hebrew 543 ‘amen (awe mane) = so be it, truth
Also 539 ‘aman and 544 ‘omem
The Lord Christ (the truth) referred to himself as “the Amen”
Rev 3:14
And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
The truth was the beginning of the creation. Truth existed before anything was created.
· The word TRUE can mean “holy”
John 1:9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
John 3:33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.
John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
John 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
Hebrews 8:2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
Revelation 3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true,
Revelation 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God
Revelation 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
· Truth will be cast down
Dan 8:12 And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land. 10 And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them. 11 Yea, he magnified himself even to the Prince of the Host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of the sanctuary was cast down. 12 And an host (army) was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practiced (and did it with effect), and prospered.
Truth will be cast down i.e. the truth of God as revealed in the Law and the prophets.
Truth is something created beings cannot grasp or attain to without regeneration and washing by the word of God.
Only in Christ are we ever in truth.
Speaking the truth can be very costly. For some it may cost their very life. It may cost relationships.
A confession is revealing the truth: changing a lie to truth.
Speaking the truth can be very rewarding. I have avoided many traffic tickets by admitting the truth.
Speaking the truth makes one feel good in their spirit.
· Truth is a holy thing
According to His calling for us
The God of Truth chose us, the Truth redeemed us by His blood, and after we heard the word of truth, the good news of our salvation, the Holy Spirit of truth place His seal upon us.
Genesis 32:10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant: (Jacob)