A View Of Truth. What is truth? Many of us follow the notion that the truth can be different things for different people. Even Christians follow this notion and have many, different versions of the one truth. Is it any wonder that the world is in such a mess? Often in the Church our perception of truth can lead us into trouble. Our vivid imaginings of what we perceive to be the truth can often lead us into trouble. Such can cause us to make judgements on people on other people around us. We listen to what they say and see the things that they do then we make judgement as to what type of person they are. While it can be a benefit with friends and family and others we have and intimate relationship with, with the stranger and those we hold at ‘arms – length’ it is not a good thing. All too often the object person of our imaginings becomes upset with what they see as lies! The sad thing is that usually the latter person is correct, for none truly knows them – save themselves and God! Once there was a man who said, ‘I am the Truth, the life and the way…! His name was Jesus and He was, and is, the Son of the most high, living God. He was the Word of God made flesh. And the Word of God is the Truth! But man is a vein, little creature and can’t accept what he is told by someone else without adding in his own ten – cents worth, or even changing its’ context totally. It doesn’t bother him if it came from his God! He will leave bits out, add bits in and beat the rest of it into the shape and form he thinks it should be. He is not backward in putting himself on the same level as his Creator – or indeed, even above Him! As Christians many of us believe that each piece of Biblical scripture has many, different view – points, all of which are right. If this is so, then the truth is divided in itself! Then what of Jesus and His view – point? What of His truth? In all of His teachings He gave us one view of the Father, one view of the Kingdom of God and one view of Himself! He taught one way to worship God, one way to serve God and one way to salvation. And He built one Church – all akin to one, complete body – undivided! Though in themselves our many different views may not be ‘wrong’ as such, they don’t give a complete picture, thereby rendering them useless – like a body with all its’ parts separate one from another – of little worth! Even I was guilty of this short – coming until God opened my eyes and I could see that what I thought was wrong! Let me reiterate a story of when I was in Bible College. A passage in the Bible was chosen and each student was asked to give a fifteen - minute sermon on it, at the end of which the rest of us were asked to make comment. I never did make comment. I was too busy planning my own, little sermon. Then it was my turn. I had been placed at the end of the queue and so I’d had plenty of time to plan what I was going to say. I stood up and walked to the pulpit. “Good morning”, said I. “The sermon today comes from the Gospel of Luke, chapter thirteen, verse 6 – 10.” I began to read. “The reading; Jesus told this parable; ‘A man had a fig – tree planted in his vineyard and he went to look for fruit on it, but didn’t find any. So he said to the man who looked after the vineyard, ‘For three years now I have been coming to look for fruit on this tree but haven’t found any. Cut it down. Why should it use up the soil?’ ‘Sir’, replied the gardener. ‘Leave it alone for one more year and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year – fine. If not, then cut it down!’ I won’t go into detail of what I had to say, but the basics were, ‘Don’t throw someone out as a lost cause, try something new. They may just need a ‘kick – start’ to become of value!’ After I had finished the priest – teacher showed us how he would do it. He told the parable in his own words then summed up by saying, ‘What this means is, start producing fruits of the Spirit, or you will get cut off!’ While all of this in itself is correct, none of it tells us what Jesus was really saying to His disciples (us). So what was He really saying? A month later I had finished my training in the college and was settling back into my old life pre – college days. One night I went to bed and I dreamed. Usually I don’t recall my dreams, but this one I recall in every, vivid detail. I was standing in a Church built after the Gothic – style. The place was huge! There was gold and silver everywhere. Even the pews were embossed with silver and gold. There was a priest at the pulpit preaching. He told the parable of the fig – tree! When he had finish reciting the parable he turned and looked directly at me and said, this is the meaning of the parable; God in His anger was going to cut you off. But I am that gardener and I have pleaded your case before the Father. He has agreed to withhold His anger and give you another chance, so start producing fruits of the spirit or you will be cut off!’ That’s when I woke up! Immediately I knew what I was being told. Not only this parable, but many of the teachings of the Bible we have been teaching only part truths, or we’re not giving them the value that they were intended to have! We tell the parable in our own words and give it values that we want to be there. Oft times we change its’ context completely, or we leave our congregations confused as to the relevance of the piece in question to their lives and serving God! We are leading people to believe that to be a good Christian then we need to fit scripture to our life. This leads them to twisting the truth making it variable. Truth is not variable. It is constant! The same today as yesterday and will be tomorrow – for everyone! When we teach what we perceive to be the truth from our view – point, we teach a lie! Our view is our own way and our own way is the way of the world and has no part with the truth! When we preach in our meeting places we often dodge pieces that deal only with the truth and opt for parables where we can add in our own ten – cents worth and can teach what we think it is saying, or what we want it to be! What worth are all our different views when they don’t give us the truth of His word? They are like the fallen leaves of a tree, soon scattered in the wind! By these things that we teach we tell people that they must listen to us and believe all that we tell them, if they want eternal life. This makes eternal life an earnable commodity. It is not! It is a free gift for those who have remained faithful and kept His Word. It is not something we can earn. Jesus told us this. But we sure can lose it! It doesn’t matter what we do, it will not gain us eternal life, but the truth will! And the truth is that God sees what is in our hearts and by that He will reward us. So let us seek the truth and when it is revealed to us, let us grab hold with both hands and never let it go. And it will save our very life!
Posted on: Wed, 18 Sep 2013 20:45:35 +0000
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