In John 8:31-32, Jesus said to those Jews who believed on Him, "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
The definition of truth is to be free from deceit, to be accurate and exact, to be perfectly straight and level, and to be error-free.
Psa. 33:4 tells us, "For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth." Jesus, during His prayer to His Father in John 17:17, said, "Thy word is truth." It is important to establish in our minds and hearts the foundation that God is a God of truth and cannot lie. (Titus 1:2.)
It has always been important to serve God acceptably, in truth. Since we have to deal with unprecedented numbers of religions, theologies, sects, cults and creeds in today’s world, I believe the most important thing in our lives is our understanding of God’s truth.
Only the truth can make us free. Anything less than God’s truth will not bring spiritual deliverance. Anything more than God’s truth brings spiritual bondage. Both step outside the definition of God’s truth and bring with them the curses mentioned in Rev. 22:18-19. God’s Word is eternal, perfect and unchanging and cannot be improved upon. II Pet. 1:3 says that "… his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue."
God did not leave out anything important to our spiritual welfare. If it’s not in there, beware of those who teach it as truth. Jesus said everything He meant to say. He said it just how He wanted to say it, and He made no mistakes in the presentation of the gospel. It is important for us to accept and believe that as the very foundation and cornerstone of our faith.
There are many presentations of truth in the world today, and many define certain teachings as God’s truth. The importance of God’s truth cannot be overstated and is frequently wrongly defined. I am persuaded that if we are truly seeking for God’s truth, we’re going to have to get it directly from God’s Word. God’s truth does not adjust itself for anyone. If we hope to make heaven our home, we must adjust ourselves, by God’s grace, to measure to the standard of truth as presented in the Bible. The Scripture says we can "know the truth." In John 14:6, Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." The thing for me to do, then, in my earnest study of knowing God’s truth, is to apply myself to the study of the teachings of Christ and His presentation of the gospel.
These scriptures teach us several divine principles. First of all, truth is not defined by man or a counsel of men. Christ is the truth. That definition is eternal and carries with it the unchanging power of God. Men cannot redefine Him and expect to keep the power of God in their midst. For someone to define something other than Christ or His Word as truth, is to step outside the Biblical definition. Remember, anything presented as truth that is not contained within Biblical boundaries, brings spiritual bondage in one form or another.
The only way to the Father is through Christ. Any "way" other than Christ Himself will not lead to the Father, regardless of who teaches it or what they call themselves. The true people of God, including His ministers, always point to Christ. Beware of anyone who will point to any foundation other than that already laid in the Bible with chapter and verse. Beware of those who will add to the truth, or take away from it. Their words carry with them deception and spiritual bondage that may not be apparent at first, but will surely lead to destruction in the end.
I appreciate very much the teachings of those who have gone before us and regard highly their contribution to the knowledge we have of Biblical truth. I appreciate Bro. D. S. Warner and esteem what he meant to the history of the Church of God. However, in my pursuit of God’s truth, it is important for me to realize that neither he nor any other person should be elevated as a substitute for Christ, the only Lawgiver of the Church (James 4:12). We are to build only upon His Word.
Remember, only the truth can set men free. Anything outside of God’s truth, then, will bind and bring into captivity in a way that God never intended. God’s approval is not earned by the teachings and doctrines of men, nor do such things set men free.
The Church of God, by Biblical definition, is founded on God’s truth. Her walls are truth. She is the pillar and ground of the truth. To step outside the safety that lies within the teaching of truth, is to step outside the Biblical definition and to cease being the Church.
If a man or a body of people, who once abode by the truth of God’s Word, and who once measured to the Biblical definition of the purity of the name Church of God, steps outside that definition and begins to teach as truth the doctrines and traditions of men not solidly founded on the Bible, that movement also steps outside the protection and power found within these Biblical parameters. It becomes a sect, regardless of the name by which it is called, regardless, even, of the appearance of godliness. I learn from this the importance of teaching only God’s truth.
The heart of man is not a safe guide. It will not lead you into all truth. Jer. 10:23, tells us that "… the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." Prov. 21:2 teaches an eternal truth with these words: "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts."
To trust to our hearts, or to our own wisdom, or to our perception of anything other than the foundational Word of God, is a risk that may lead us into error. My way and my opinion will always be right in my own eyes, but even my conscience cannot be an absolute guide, for it has been formed by so many things: upbringing, life experiences, etc. However, God’s truth is absolutely unchanging. It wasn’t formed by anything other than God. If I say, "The Lord is leading me in this way," even with all sincerity and spiritual desire, if there is no scripture, the risk is there that I am deceiving myself. The root of man’s wisdom will always be carnal and fleshly, even with the appearance of deep spirituality and godliness.
The Scripture teaches us that the Holy Spirit is sent to guide and lead us into all truth, and it is also true that He reserves to Himself the right to point out anything in our individual lives and to require of us things that He may not require of others. However, if well-meaning people attempt to place those individual leadings on an entire congregation or group of people, and begin to define and label those individual leadings as truth without scriptural reference, those people, however well-meaning and sincere, step outside the Biblical definition of truth.
Jesus defined the truth as Himself. The Holy Spirit works within the parameters of the truth as defined by Jesus. Christ said the only way to the Father was through Him. These statements are eternal. To change them in any way is to damage the free course of truth and bring about a spiritual slavery to the doctrines of men. The truth sets men free; it does not enslave them to anything not required by God’s Word.
Where there is no Word of God to back up a teaching, regardless of name, or past glory, or present reputation, the risk is too great of stepping outside the truth of God’s Word. Any time a man or a group of people do such a thing, they make of themselves a sect. The Word of God can be used without the aid of the Holy Spirit and it becomes then "the dead letter, which killeth." The Spirit of God cannot and does not work outside the parameters of the Word of God. To say that the Holy Spirit is leading a man or a group into something that cannot be proven by chapter and verse is to fall into great danger of sectarianism. The beauty of the Biblically defined Church of God is that she stands free from the creeds and doctrines of men, written or unwritten, and finds glorious freedom in the pure, untainted, inspired Word of God, delivered under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. The true people of God will not require as tests of fellowship anything God does not require in His Word.
It is not rebellion for people to insist on the truth of God’s Word, unmixed with human wisdom, to be preached from the pulpits of the Church of God. It is not rebellion to ask questions about truth. The truth needs no defense and graciously undergoes thorough investigation, coming through with flying colors every time. The truth can be known by every man, woman, boy or girl who wishes to measure to the Word of God.
Truth is something we do not always find comfortable. It may be something we do not wish to face. When I study Christ’s words, I find in them eternal, powerful, unchanging truth. Sometimes facing the truth about ourselves is painful. Sometimes it is encouraging. Sometimes it is challenging — but I find comfort in the fact that, never-the-less, it is truth. A heart seeking truth will be satisfied only with truth, regardless of personal consequence.
Proverbs 23:23 instructs us to, "Buy the truth, and sell it not;..." The truth of God’s Word can only be possessed at the cost of everything else. God’s truth does not cohabit with deceit. If we wish to buy the truth, we must purchase it with everything we have, even our own "ways."
Buy the truth. Don’t sell it for any reason. Don’t trade it in for leadership position. Don’t trade it in for the approval of men. Don’t trade it in for unscriptural traditions or opinions or good will. Don’t trade it, even, for the appearance of godliness but denying the power thereof. Don’t trade it in for the fellowship of those who would bring into bondage truth-seeking hearts. Buy the truth. Sell it not.
We can know the truth. There will always be those who say, "I have the leadings of the Holy Spirit and I wish to teach you…." But if those teachings are not solidly founded on the eternal Word of God, it is not rebellion to question that. Human endeavors will never replace the truth. Human understanding cannot plummet its depth. Human wisdom falls short of God’s will every time and will bring into captivity your spiritual well being, regardless of the sacrifice required.
It is truth alone that sets men free, and that truth is defined in the Word of God as Christ Himself. He cannot be redefined. Christ is the foundation of the Church of God. Christ is the only Lawgiver of the Church, and His laws have been complete for hundreds of years now. Only He, by His eternal, unchanging Word, metes out truth.
Coming face to face with the truth as it applies to our lives, freely confessing our need and hunger for it, and adjusting every facet of our spirits to accept it, will set us free spiritually. It will bring us into contact with all the graces and power of Christ and the fruit of His Spirit. This, then, is the only way to achieve that deep spiritual growth for which true children of God hunger and thirst.
"Buy the truth, and sell it not."
