The Love of Truth

2 Thessalonians 2:11…They received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved! Unbeliever
Revelation 2:4 Never the less I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Fallen & Unbeliever

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Knowing of truth is not difficult, just read the bible. Believing and understanding or “knowing truth” can be difficult if we try by our self, or think that what we see in churches, is acceptable to God. The scale of truth is in the hand of God, not man, though we can “know” it. Because our fore fathers did or didn’t do something, doesn’t mean it was good, righteous and holy in God’s eye, or in God’s will, it’s simply history. God, our merciful Father, is long suffering, giving us plenty of time to repent of wrong doing, His desire is that all would be saved. If we wait for judgment to find out God’s will, most likely we will be on the outside looking in. After all, narrow is the way and few find it. In order to “make our calling and election sure” we must know the “TRUTH”. The truth makes you free. Free to make right choices. Free to worship God in His Spirit, in truth, or rather, reality, who God truly is. Free to judge all things according to truth, the truth revealed by the Holy Spirit.

When you were a child did you ever have a fireman come to your school, or go the fire station? Did you ever hear the explanation of what it takes to make “fire”? It takes three components, oxygen, combustible material/fuel and heat. To be a victorious Christian we must have the three components to burn as a lamp; the way, the truth and the life. First,Jesus is the way, he paid the price for our sin. Accepting Him is not the end, just the beginning. Truly accepting Him causes us to want to know what is true, what are our limits and bounds, the rod and the staff. Second,Truth, that’s a biggy. You cannot get to the, Third, Life in the Holy Spirit, without it. What you believe is truth, to yourself. Real truth, is all truth, what is written in the Bible, what the Holy Spirit leads us into, every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Truth is how things actually are by God’s standards. Without all three componants, way, truth and life, you cannot be found worthy. Either you receive the love of truth and keep it, didn't receive it or you have left your first love. Judge yourself, in truth!

Truth is the measurement that all men are and will be held to. As in this Matthew 13 scripture: “23And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day”. That understanding is enhanced by this Matthew 10 verse: “14And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. 15Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment, than for that city”. That is truth built line upon line in a simple obvious form. Capernaum will have greater damnation than Sodom and Gomorrah because of unbelief in greater works done there and not receiving Jesus/God’s ministers or their words.

In that same vein, people that know of Jesus and refuse to look into or hold onto truth will find themselves judged to this level. Hebrews 2:2 “For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; 3How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; 4God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?” This is enhanced by this verse in James 1:22 "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves”. These verses are the essence of the base line for truth in the “Body of Christ”. It is how God measures truth, it’s what we as believers must accept to be in Spirit and in truth, also to love truth. If line will not go upon line it was stacked by a man, not God, the house/church is built in vain and will not stand.

The question arises who will be counted a Pharisees. If they deny that sons and daughters will prophecy today will they be called stiff necked by God? Acts 7:51”Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. 52Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:”. Because in fact, in truth it is written; Isaiah 28:11 “For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. 12To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear”. Do some Christians resist the Holy Spirit? Do some Christians refuse to hear? Would that make this true? Matthew 10:36 “And a man's foes shall be they of his own household”. Further, could they be the very ones written of here in Revelation 17:6”And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus:”? Ultimately this is true, Matthew 15:13 “But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. 14Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch”. And again in Matthew 23:14 “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore you shall receive the greater damnation”. This is summed up again in Luke 12:46 “The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. 47And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more”.

A simple word search of the word “Truth” reveals many aspects and understandings of the importance that God places on “Truth”. It reveals why judgment must come. Truth is basic building block of the "Church". Our goal is not to snuff out a smoldering wick or break a bruised reed, but to set captives free. Free to know God in truth. Free to worship in Spirit and in TRUTH.

Isaiah 59:13 In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. 14And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. 15Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.

Psalm 96:13 Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.

Jeremiah 9:3 And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD.

Daniel 8:11Yea, 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. 12And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.

2 Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

John 17:17 (Jesus speaking) Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Malachi 2:5 My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name. 6The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity. 7For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

John 4: 23But 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. 24God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

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 shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

Isaiah 42:2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. 3A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. 4He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

Isaiah 61:8 For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. 9And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed.

Ephesians 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

1 Peter 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

Psalm 145:18 The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.

1 John 3:17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 18My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 19And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

Psalm 15:1 Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? 2He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.

Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

Psalm 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 3Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 4He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 5Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 6Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. 7A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. 8Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. 9Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; 10There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. 11For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 12They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. 13Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. 14Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. 15He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him. 16With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation. (Side Note: The Lord gave Austin this Psalm the same day He had me start this. It is a description of how God will save and deliver His people that are found worthy to escape, in TRUTH!)

L,J,P&HG
Dave