Our Obligation to the Truth
“. . . truth came by Jesus Christ . . . when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth . . . thy word is truth (Jn. 1:17, 16:13, 17:17). Since there is such a thing as truth, and since spiritual truth has been revealed to us in the word of God, what is our obligation to it?
Love it. Paul speaks of some who “received not the love of the truth, and, as a consequence, believed a lie and will be damned. (2 Thess. 2:10-12)
Seek it. “Buy the truth and sell it nor” says Prov. 23:23. We are to “desire the sincere milk of the word” (1 Pet. 2:1`)
Distinguish it from error. Not all things put forth as truth are truth. We must “prove all things” (1 Thess. 5:21). John urges, “Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God, for many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 Jn. 4:!).
Know it. Jesus said, “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (Jn. 8:32).
Believe it. Truth is believable. “He that believeth not shall be damned” (Mk. 16:16). We believe it because it has been proven reliable and because it is from God.
Obey it. Truth includes commands to be obeyed. “Ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth” (1 Pet. 1:22_. Vengeance awaits those who “obey not the gospel” (2 Thess. 1:8)
Teach it. Truth spreads through being taught. Paul told Timothy, “And the things that thou has heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2)
Defend it. The apostle Paul was “set for the defense of the gospel” (Phil. 1:17). Jude admonished his readers to “earnestly contend for the faith” (Jude. 3).
Let us be fulfilling our obligation to the truth.