Bible Study Do we love the truth?

[JLB]

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

 

[for_his_glory]

I didn't get a chance to watch the video with my husband being in the same room, but yet it is a sad state of affairs that so many that started in truth have allowed themselves to be deceived in believing the lies of the devil. If people would just get back in the word and study it for what has already been written instead of believing everything that comes from a Jezebel pulpit and pray and ask the Holy Spirit to open their Spiritual eyes and ears then they would do well to listen to what the Spirit of God wants to teach them in all truths.

1Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
1Timothy 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron

 

[Dorothy Mae]

A love for the truth has to be sought, given and fed. It is quite expensive to the pride as when one is confronted by someone else telling us a truth we don’t like, God is watching our response very carefully.

Do we swallow our pride and admit our error or do we stubbornly stick to our opinion?

It’s easy to get correction from the Bible. Costs the pride nothing. But when a person points out an error in your thinking….ohhh… that affronts our pride in our own correctness. God watches our response then. Refuse the input and the love of truth is diminished. Choose truth over your own pride in your opinion, and the love of truth increases.

 

[miamited]

HI JLB

Well, I believe the Scriptures tell us that we won't be lovers of truth, as a whole society, as the last days draw nigh. However, I've always separated the 'world' from the 'born again believers' whenever discussions of personal actions and motives are concerned.

Yes! Absolutely!! Born again believers, which will be just a few people, will be lovers of the truth.

No! Absolutely!! Those of the world, which is going to be millions upon millions upon millions of people, will not be lovers of the truth.

As I see it, and read it, that's what the Scriptures are pretty clear to tell us.

God bless,
Ted

 

[JLB]

Yes! Absolutely!! Born again believers, which will be just a few people, will be lovers of the truth.

Just because you get born again, and are a new Christian, a new believer, doesn’t automatically mean you love the truth.

There are many Christians that have been born again for 10,20,30 or more years, that still have pleasure in unrighteousness.

… that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Love = Obedience

Jesus said —

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

again

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


Paul says it this way —


God, who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath,
Romans 2:6-8

• but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath,

Here is who will receive eternal life at the end of the Day:

• eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality;

JLB

 

[Dorothy Mae]

Just because you get born again, and are a new Christian, a new believer, doesn’t automatically mean you love the truth.

There are many Christians that have been born again for 10,20,30 or more years, that still have pleasure in unrighteousness.

… that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Love = Obedience

Jesus said —

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

again

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


Paul says it this way —


God, who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath,
Romans 2:6-8

• but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath,

Here is who will receive eternal life at the end of the Day:

• eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality;

JLB

Excellent post!! You hit the nail on the head in succinct but clear terms!!

Those who claim being “born again” means a host of morally excellent attributes all of a sudden demonstrate by their very words no love of the truth.

 

[miamited]

Hi JLB

Except that you can't know that. Jesus spoke of the Spirit as being something that we can neither see nor know where it is. The only one's who can know if someone is born again is God, Jesus, the Spirit and the person who is so born.

… that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

I guess it's a matter of one's perspective, but when I read all of your Scriptural quotes, they seem to support my position rather than yours.

God, who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath,

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

Sounds to me like those who pursue unrighteousness, according to your quotes, stand condemned under God's wrath. Maybe I'm reading your post wrong.

God bless,
Ted

 

[Dorothy Mae]

Hi JLB

Except that you can't know that. Jesus spoke of the Spirit as being something that we can neither see nor know where it is. The only one's who can know if someone is born again is God, Jesus, the Spirit and the person who is so born.

Do you know if Paul was born again? you What about Peter and John? How do you know? Is there any difference in behavior between atheists and the born again?

The truth is some people are very obviously believers, some very obviously not and others somewhere in the middle.

 

[miamited]

Do you know if Paul was born again? you What about Peter and John? How do you know? Is there any difference in behavior between atheists and the born again?

The truth is some people are very obviously believers, some very obviously not and others somewhere in the middle.

Hi Dorothy Mae

I would certainly expect that the great people who God honored to be a part of His great plan of salvation, who brought that plan forward to us through the written word of Scripture, would be born again. However, beyond anyone so honored, we just don't know. There is no 'middle'. One either is born again and therefore their names are written in the Lamb's book of life, or one isn't. I would contend that all those that you believe are in the middle, well, you can just go ahead and slide them into the 'lost' bunch. And we so easily deceive ourselves.

Consider Jesus' words to his disciples of what will be happening on the day of the Father's judgment.

Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Let's think this through together. Do you personally know of, or have heard of, any atheists who have been prophesying in the name of Jesus? How about driving out demons from among us in the name of Jesus? What about performing miracles in the name of Jesus? Any? Can you give me some sort of link or testimony of some individual atheist or group of atheists that you've seen or heard of doing such?

How about Buddhists? Any evidence that you have of Buddhists going around driving out demons or prophesying or performing miracles in the name of Jesus? Hindus? Even Jews?

So, I think it pretty obvious by these words of the Lord that this 'many' who will be calling out to him, "Lord, Lord!", are people who presented themselves to others while living upon the earth as christian believers. I imagine that many who saw the things that they were doing in the name of Jesus would believe that they were christian believers. However, Jesus then finishes his account saying, he never knew them. Huh??? What would that tell you about men and women that live among us today, and have over the ages, proclaiming to be believers of the one true and living God and His Son, Jesus? What I get from that is that we need to be very, very careful in our understanding of this concept of one's being born again and 'who' exactly is so.

Now, no one is condemned for believing the personal testimony of another, but we really don't know whether or not anyone who tells us that they are...really are. There's only one test that Jesus gave us whereby we can know those who are his. They are obedient to his commands and they love God and others. This can't just be when they are up on some stage or holding some great revival, but must be a hallmark of how they live their lives in the quiet times and the times when they are not center stage.

When Jesus spoke of the day of judgment he told his disciples a parable of wheat and chaff. There was a great harvest and the wheat was gathered and stored in the barn. The chaff was thrown into a great fire and burned up. There wasn't any 'middle' pile that the Lord is going to then wait and see how those turn out.

God bless,
Ted

 

[jasonc]

Hi Dorothy Mae

I would certainly expect that the great people who God honored to be a part of His great plan of salvation, who brought that plan forward to us through the written word of Scripture, would be born again. However, beyond anyone so honored, we just don't know. There is no 'middle'. One either is born again and therefore their names are written in the Lamb's book of life, or one isn't. I would contend that all those that you believe are in the middle, well, you can just go ahead and slide them into the 'lost' bunch. And we so easily deceive ourselves.

Consider Jesus' words to his disciples of what will be happening on the day of the Father's judgment.

Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Let's think this through together. Do you personally know of, or have heard of, any atheists who have been prophesying in the name of Jesus? How about driving out demons from among us in the name of Jesus? What about performing miracles in the name of Jesus? Any? Can you give me some sort of link or testimony of some individual atheist or group of atheists that you've seen or heard of doing such?

How about Buddhists? Any evidence that you have of Buddhists going around driving out demons or prophesying or performing miracles in the name of Jesus? Hindus? Even Jews?

So, I think it pretty obvious by these words of the Lord that this 'many' who will be calling out to him, "Lord, Lord!", are people who presented themselves to others while living upon the earth as christian believers. I imagine that many who saw the things that they were doing in the name of Jesus would believe that they were christian believers. However, Jesus then finishes his account saying, he never knew them. Huh??? What would that tell you about men and women that live among us today, and have over the ages, proclaiming to be believers of the one true and living God and His Son, Jesus? What I get from that is that we need to be very, very careful in our understanding of this concept of one's being born again and 'who' exactly is so.

Now, no one is condemned for believing the personal testimony of another, but we really don't know whether or not anyone who tells us that they are...really are. There's only one test that Jesus gave us whereby we can know those who are his. They are obedient to his commands and they love God and others. This can't just be when they are up on some stage or holding some great revival, but must be a hallmark of how they live their lives in the quiet times and the times when they are not center stage.

When Jesus spoke of the day of judgment he told his disciples a parable of wheat and chaff. There was a great harvest and the wheat was gathered and stored in the barn. The chaff was thrown into a great fire and burned up. There wasn't any 'middle' pile that the Lord is going to then wait and see how those turn out.

God bless,
Ted

Even in pentacostals I have that argument . The only person we can assure that goes to Heaven is ourselves .

 

[WalterandDebbie]

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

Hello JLB, How are you all? good question, Do we love the truth? I can say yes, ever since I knew what is the truth.

I remember when Jesus said to His Father: Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

I believe a person must have a personal relationship with Him to continue in His words.

Love, Walter

 

[JLB]

I believe a person must have a personal relationship with Him to continue in His words.

Amen, sir. Amen!

 

[miamited]

Hi JLB

Personally, I'm often taken aback by christians who claim to be seeking the truth, but then refuse to believe the truthful testimony of our Creator. As Pilate asked, "What is truth??"

God bless,
Ted

 

[miamited]

Do we love the truth? Surely there must be others who have some mind as to whether or not christians love the truth.

God bless,
Ted

 

[JLB]

Hi JLB

Personally, I'm often taken aback by christians who claim to be seeking the truth, but then refuse to believe the truthful testimony of our Creator. As Pilate asked, "What is truth??"

God bless,
Ted

Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
John 18:37

• Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

JLB

 

[for_his_glory]

Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
John 18:37

• Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

JLB

There is the key as we hear His truth, not what man perceives to be truth by allowing others who have no truth teach them.

 

[miamited]

Hi JLB

Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
John 18:37

That is a true statement. Do truth seekers seek the truth contained within those words of the Lord? Who is it that hears the voice of Jesus? Further, do those who seek the truth in this one thing also seek for truth in everything in their life?

God bless,
Ted