Bible Study Do we love the truth!

[JLB]

In this study, I hope to discuss a vital subject that relates to our spiritual growth and salvation.

Cultivating a love for the truth, in the fear of the Lord.


The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12

• And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

What is the truth?

First and foremost we need to understand that the truth is both something as well as Someone.


Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. John 16:13


Jesus Christ is the truth.

Every word that proceeds out of His mouth is the truth.

The fullness of the truth is expressed in:

His Gospel
His Doctrine
His Commandments


To those who believe in Him, He said -

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31-32


The key to becoming free is knowing the truth.

The key to knowing the truth is abiding (remaining, continuing) in His word; His teaching, His doctrine.


Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 2 John 1:9


In this study, I hope to stimulate a good discussion that will lead us all to have a deeper commitment and love for the truth.



Be blessed!



JLB

 

[JLB]

Continuing on...

Again, what is the truth?

Jesus Christ is the truth.

Therefore, every word that proceeds out of His mouth is the truth.

The (threefold) fullness of the truth is expressed in:

His Gospel
His Doctrine
His Commandments


Each one of these three expressions of the truth are salvation related; Salvific in nature.


His gospel is the truth!

Obeying the Gospel is obeying the truth.

Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides 1 Peter 1:22-23



We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 1:3-8



For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? 1 Peter 4:17



But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “LORD, who has believed our report?” So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:16-17



Obeying the truth whether it’s His gospel, His doctrine, or His commandments is a salvation issue.



Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.” Acts 5:31-32


The Truth is expressed in:

His Gospel
His Doctrine
His Commandments


Next we will look at some scriptures that relate to His doctrine.


Be blessed, JLB

 

[JLB]

Obeying the truth - Obeying His commandments


Keeping his commandments is the biblical definition of love.

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 1 John 5:3

By “biblical”, I am referring to the way God means for us to love; to love him and to love people

If you love Me, keep My commandments. John 14:15

If we steal from our neighbor, are we loving him or hating him?


If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. 1 John 4:20-21


Love does no harm -

Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Romans 13:8-10



He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 1 John 2:4-5


Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 1 John 3:15

Keeping His commandments is not a "suggestion" but they are Commandments that we who have confessed Jesus Christ as LORD are obligated to obey... If He truly is our LORD!


Obeying Him is loving Him - Disobeying Him is hating Him.



Be blessed, JLB

 

[Tenchi]

This is a great topic! And you've pointed out some very important things. Below are some thoughts on what you've written:

Cultivating a love for the truth, in the fear of the Lord.

This is a very simple thing, actually.


John 16:13-15
13 "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth...

Jeremiah 15:16
16 Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.

If a person has been truly indwelt by the Holy Spirit, they will have a corresponding hunger for God's word. It will be quite natural for this to be the case, because the Spirit of Truth loves the Truth and is determined to lead us deeper and deeper into it - if we'll let him (1 Corinthians 2:10-16).

So, then, if a person professing to be a Christian has no interest in, no hunger for, God's word, they are either not really saved, or they've allowed sin to interrupt things between them and God. The remedy for this state-of-affairs isn't, though, to cultivate a love of the truth. This is impossible for those who are not saved, or who are saved but living in sinful rebellion to their heavenly Father. In order for a proper hunger for God's word to return, repentance, confession and submission are necessary (Revelation 2-3; 1 John 1:9; James 4:6-10).

What is the truth?

First and foremost we need to understand that the truth is both something as well as Someone.


Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. John 16:13


Jesus Christ is the truth.

Every word that proceeds out of His mouth is the truth.

Right. Too often, though, folks stop at a knowledge of the truth, rather than discovering and communing with the Author of the Truth, the One who is Truth itself, Jesus Christ. The truth is ultimately supposed to lead us to he who is the The Way, The Truth, and The Life and into daily, joyful fellowship with him.

1 John 1:3
3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 13:14
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.

Revelation 3:20
20 'Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.

The fullness of the truth is expressed in:

His Gospel
His Doctrine
His Commandments

No, the fullness of the truth is located in Jesus, who is the Ultimate Locus of all Truth. All truth, at bottom, simply reveals, and points to, him.

To those who believe in Him, He said -

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31-32


The key to becoming free is knowing the truth.

The key to knowing the truth is abiding (remaining, continuing) in His word; His teaching, His doctrine.

Hmmm...

John 8:31-32
31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."

John 8:36
36 "So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

Jesus is the Word (John 1:1) and he it is who sets us free. When Jesus spoke of the truth setting people free, he meant himself, who is the Ground of All Truth. As he said, I am the Way, THE TRUTH, and the Life." (John 14:6) And so, only a few verses after John 8:32, Jesus makes this crystal clear.

So, the real "key" to knowing the truth is abiding in The Truth who is Jesus Christ.

John 15:4-5
4 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.
5 "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

I'm not denying here that study of God's word, the Bible, is not highly valuable, or can be neglected in favor of subjective "experiences" of God. Not at all. But any pursuit of the doctrines, command and principles of God's word that doesn't lead directly to Christ and to deeper, fuller communion with him is akin to a man who studies a recipe for making bread, and knows intimately the ingredients of the bread, and the correct method by which it is made, who never actually eats the bread. Just as the whole point of making bread is to eat it, so the whole point of study of divine truth is that one may "eat" of the "Bread of Life."

 

[Tenchi]

Each one of these three expressions of the truth are salvation related; Salvific in nature.

Whoa! Hold on, here. There's a BIG difference between the truths of the Gospel and the Savior. The Gospel simply tells us about the Savior who saves; the truths of the Gospel themselves are not salvific, however. If you're dying of a brain tumour and your doctor tells you that you need brain surgery to be saved, does that information save you? Can you go away having heard this information and believing it and think your tumour is therefore gone? No. Likewise, the truths of the Gospel diagnose our sin-sickness and tell us who can save us from it, but this knowledge itself doesn't save us. No, what saves us is a Person, not true information.

Obeying the truth whether it’s His gospel, His doctrine, or His commandments is a salvation issue.

Yes, it can be. But the First and Great Commandment isn't to go to church, or to love others, or give to charity, or to read the Bible. The First and Great Commandment isn't about external obedience, but about the state of our hearts, our inner person. This is the lesson of the story Jesus gave in Matthew 7:21-23 and the point the apostle Paul made in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3.

Obeying Him is loving Him - Disobeying Him is hating Him.

No, obeying God is the result of a love for God - or ought to be. The Pharisees were professionally obedient to God's rules, even making up many of their own, but Jesus said that their hearts were far from God. (Matthew 15:8; Mark 7:6)

Matthew 23:25-28
25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.
27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.
28 So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

As these verses indicate, it is not necessarily the case that one's obedience to God, to His commands, is a sure sign of one's love for Him. Not at all.

 

[WalterandDebbie]

In this study, I hope to discuss a vital subject that relates to our spiritual growth and salvation.

Cultivating a love for the truth, in the fear of the Lord.


The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12

• And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

What is the truth?

First and foremost we need to understand that the truth is both something as well as Someone.


Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. John 16:13


Jesus Christ is the truth.

Every word that proceeds out of His mouth is the truth.

The fullness of the truth is expressed in:

His Gospel
His Doctrine
His Commandments


To those who believe in Him, He said -

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31-32


The key to becoming free is knowing the truth.

The key to knowing the truth is abiding (remaining, continuing) in His word; His teaching, His doctrine.


Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 2 John 1:9


In this study, I hope to stimulate a good discussion that will lead us all to have a deeper commitment and love for the truth.



Be blessed!



JLB

Amen

Love, Walter

 

[for_his_glory]

or who are saved but living in sinful rebellion to their heavenly Father.

One who says they are saved, but continues willfully in sinful rebellion against the truth are none of God's own.


Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
Heb 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
Heb 10:21 And having an high priest over the house of God;
Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Heb 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Heb 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Heb 10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

 

[for_his_glory]

But the First and Great Commandment isn't to go to church, or to love others, or give to charity, or to read the Bible. The First and Great Commandment isn't about external obedience, but about the state of our hearts, our inner person. This is the lesson of the story Jesus gave in Matthew 7:21-23 and the point the apostle Paul made in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3.

Jesus said the first and greatest commandment is love. It is made very clear in Matthew 22:34-40.

Mat 22:34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.
Mat 22:35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
Mat 22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

 

[Tenchi]

One who says they are saved, but continues willfully in sinful rebellion against the truth are none of God's own.

I think there are definitely many who profess to be children of God who aren't and whose lives reflect this fact in their complete ease with, and persistence in, sinful living. Anyone who says to me that they're a Christian but who has never experienced the conviction of the Holy Spirit, or his illumination, or strengthening, or comfort, or transformation gives me, in the total absence of these things in their life, very good grounds for seriously doubting their claim to genuine salvation. The Church is overflowing, I think, with these false converts, hence the widespread impotence and spiritual juvenility that now characterizes it.

There are, though, genuinely saved people who engage in willful sin. In fact, every genuine believer has, at one time or another, been guilty of such sin. And some of these live in this way for prolonged periods. The believers at Corinth are a very good example of this. Paul's first letter to them clearly and repeatedly acknowledged they were fellow children of God, but his letter also roundly criticized them for some very willful, gross and persistent sin. Paul called the Corinthians believers "carnal babes," he said they were contentious, and partisan (chapter 3), he condemned their ease with allowing gross sexual sin to go on in their midst (chapter 5), he called out their selfishness, vanity and litigiousness (chapter 6, 11) BUT he also said they were "God's field and building," too, they were "brethren," and "God's temples," and belonged to Christ. (chapter 3, verses 1, 9, 16, 23). It was, in fact, because they were fellow believers that Paul was writing to them at all.

There isn't a single letter in the NT that Paul wrote where he doesn't offer, at some point, criticism, correction and instruction. But it is always clear as he does that he believes he is writing to fellow children of God. And so, when I'm trying to discern whether or not a person is truly saved, I don't evaluate the depth of their sin or its length, or expect sin to be totally absent in the person's life, but look to see if there has ever been any concrete evidence of the life and work of the Holy Spirit in them. If there has, I understand that they are a wayward sheep, not an entirely unregenerate person.

1 John 1:8-10
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

 

[Tenchi]

Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
Heb 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
Heb 10:21 And having an high priest over the house of God;
Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Heb 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Heb 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Heb 10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

This isn't speaking of losing salvation but of a man (or woman) who, having heard of the "new and living way" revealed in the Gospel, having "received a knowledge of the truth" and refused it, and so continues to live willfully in sin, cuts himself off from the atoning benefit of Christ's sacrifice for his sin. There is no other way to be reconciled to God - certainly not by the system of sacrifice of the Old Covenant where sin could always be temporarily atoned for by an animal - and so, if one refuses the one and only way to be reconciled to God, they cut themselves off from the benefit of Christ's sacrifice for their sin. What it seems to me is in view here is not a saved-and-lost person but a person who hears the Gospel ("receives a knowledge of the truth") and rejects it and is therefore never saved.

 

[Tenchi]

Jesus said the first and greatest commandment is love. It is made very clear in Matthew 22:34-40.

Yes, I said as much in my post. Though, to be precise, the command isn't merely to love, but to love God. Everything in the Christian life starts with my heart, my desire, for Him, not external rule-keeping.

 

[for_his_glory]

Yes, I said as much in my post. Though, to be precise, the command isn't merely to love, but to love God. Everything in the Christian life starts with my heart, my desire, for Him, not external rule-keeping.

Thank you for clearing that up as we are to love God first. We're good.

 

[for_his_glory]

What it seems to me is in view here is not a saved-and-lost person but a person who hears the Gospel ("receives a knowledge of the truth") and rejects it and is therefore never saved.

That's exactly what those scriptures are saying. I will also add more verses to make it even more clearer.

Heb 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Heb 6:5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Heb 6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

 

[JLB]

No, the fullness of the truth is located in Jesus, who is the Ultimate Locus of all Truth. All truth, at bottom, simply reveals, and points to, him.

Jesus Christ is the Truth.


Every word that proceeds out of His mouth is the truth.


Do you agree with these 2 statements?

 

[JLB]

Whoa! Hold on, here. There's a BIG difference between the truths of the Gospel and the Savior.

Jesus Christ is the truth:

His Gospel is the truth.
His Commandments are the truth.
His Doctrine is the truth.


Which one of these do you disagree with?

 

[JLB]

One who says they are saved, but continues willfully in sinful rebellion against the truth are none of God's own.


Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
Heb 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
Heb 10:21 And having an high priest over the house of God;
Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Heb 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Heb 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Heb 10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

Amen.


John says it this way -

He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 1 John 2:4

 

[donadams]

Two good verses

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

1 Corinthians 16:22
If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema.

Thanks

 

[donadams]

JLB Please let me know your opinion of this. Thanks

We must believe and obey both Christ and the church He founded on the apostles (Matt 16:18-19) to teach and sanctify all men unto eternal salvation! (Matt 28:19)

(Not scripture alone)
Sacred Scripture according to the churches cannon and interpretation? Yes!
Scripture alone? No!

Heb 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things by, by whom also he made the worlds;

“Not by scripture alone”!

That’s the nail in the coffin of “Sola scriptura” it is dead and buried, “false doctrine” the doctrine of demons like all the sola’s!


For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Jn 1:17

Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life! Jn 14:6

And this extends to His apostolic church, Christ and His church are one and inseparable! Acts 9:4 Jn 15:5 eph 5:32 acts 2:42

Jesus Christ is the Light of the world! Jn 8:12
Apostolic church the light of the world! Matt 5:14

Must Hear Jesus Christ! Matt 17:5
Acts 3:23
Must Hear the apostolic church! Matt 18:17 1 Jn 4:6

Authority of Jesus Christ! Matt 28:17
Authority of the apostles! Jn 20:21

Jesus Christ has Reconciliation!
2 cor 5:19
Apostles have ministry of Reconciliation! 2 cor 5:18

Jesus Christ have power to forgive mens sins! Lk 5:20 Jn
Apostles have power to forgive mens sins! Jn 20:23

Jesus Christ is the truth! Jn 14:6
The apostolic church is the pillar of truth! 1 Tim 3:16

For the apostolic authority in Holy church decided and decreed (bound on earth / bound in heaven) the New Testament canon of Scripture, and is the only authentic interpreter of scripture!

The Christian faith is revealed by Christ!

Jesus Christ before ascending to heaven gave His apostles the fullness of truth, the apostolic church our mother and teacher is commanded by Him to teach and to sanctify with her sacraments (the promise of the spirit) all men unto eternal salvation! We are commanded to believe and obey! Matt 28:19

How can the Protestant concept: “sacred scripture is the only infallible source of truth” be true? There must be some infallible source that must tell us what is the canon of scripture & has authority to interpret scripture!

 

[Tenchi]

Jesus Christ is the truth:

His Gospel is the truth.
His Commandments are the truth.
His Doctrine is the truth.


Which one of these do you disagree with?

You aren't considering what I wrote. The Gospel is true, yes, but Jesus, the Savior, is the Truth; God's commands are true, but God is the Truth; the doctrines of the faith are true, but their Author is the Truth.

If Bob says, "I am a man, six feet tall, I have brown hair and eyes, and weigh two hundred pounds, and I love peanut butter," he has given to us what some of the facts are, what is true, about himself. But do these true statements, these facts about Bob equal Bob himself? I'm sure you'd say not.

Well, what is true in the case of Bob is true also of God. True propositions, the actual facts of the matter concerning God, Christ and you and I, aren't identical with God Himself. Before there was all that we know of the Gospel, and God's commandments and the doctrines of the Christian faith, there was God. He existed entirely independently of these things and so they cannot be made essentially identical to Him. What is true is not the exactly the same as the Truth. The former is merely propositional and factual, the latter, a personal, conscious Being.

 

[NewLifeInChrist]

Obeying Him is loving Him - Disobeying Him is hating Him.

This is a pretty cut and dry statement, but it is hard to follow to its logical conclusion. We give evidence that we hate God every time we sin?