Can You Handle the Truth?
TIME in the Word - Daily Devotional
Together for Inspiration, Motivation, and Encouragement
Verse of the Day - Ephesians 4:20-21
But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:
Daily Scripture Reading - John 14
Puritan Catechism
Question #39 - What shall be done to the wicked at the day of judgment?
Answer - At the day of judgment the bodies of the wicked being raised out of their graves, shall be sentenced, together with their souls, to unspeakable torments with the devil and his angels for ever (Dan. 12:2; Jn. 5:28-29; 2 Thess. 1:9; Matt. 25:41).
Devotional Thoughts
We have been told in these verses that we have "not so learned Christ", meaning that we have not learned how to live as sinners and walk like the gentiles if we have heard Him and been taught by Him. As His disciples we are being taught to walk in the truth. And Paul tells us that what we have heard and learned is that the truth is in Jesus!
We know that Jesus tells us that He is the truth (John 14:6). He in His very nature as God is purely true. He is the embodiment of the Word of God and every Word of God is true. But this is an interesting phrase isn't it? The truth is in Jesus.
We learn in Him how to walk, how to live, how to talk, how to think, and how to be holy. We learn in Him to see God rightly and to treasure His Word as sweeter than honey and even the honeycomb. We learn in Him how to be right with God. We learn in Him how our sins are forgiven and how we are co-heirs with Him of all that is His! We learn to walk in truth.
This is important because there are counterfeits and lies and deception all around us. There are those who are deceived and those who are deceiving. There are false doctrines, false Christs, false teachers, false churches, and false gospels. We are surrounded by people who are citizens in the kingdom of Satan - the father of lies. How appropriate then that while Satan is the father of lies we find that our Heavenly Father has sent us His Son, who is the truth!
This also says much about those who are all around us and are seeking for the truth. How many people have you heard say, "I'm just looking for the truth."?
Are they really looking for the truth? Really?? For to seek truth is not to seek self fulfillment. It is not to seek the answers for every problem, trial, or mystery. It is not to seek to solve those things that puzzle us. It is not to find some secret to happiness. To seek the truth, to really seek the truth, is to seek for Jesus!
Many people who claim to be seeking the truth reject Jesus. They hate Him. They want nothing to do with Him. So are they then truly seeking truth? They are seeking for a truth that is truth to them. In other words, their worldview is such that the truth they seek is true to them - but that does not mean that the truth they are pursuing is actually and really true.
How can we say this? Because any search for truth that does not lead us to Christ was never a search for true truth in the first place. It was a search for a substitute truth, which is actually just a lie in disguise. Satan, you see, is the greatest propagandist of all times. Veiling the truth and leading people by deception that the lie is true and that truth is a lie. He after all appears as as angel of light! Yet who is the true light of the world? JESUS.
As people proclaim to us then that they are searching for truth perhaps we should memorize this verse and tell them immediately "the truth is in Jesus!" The next question is of course the question, "Can you handle the truth?"
I know in the movies the line is "You can't handle the truth." But in real life the line is a question - if one is really and truly seeking for truth then they are seeking Christ. And who better to point the way? We know the truth. Or as John wrote, "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ."
Can you handle that truth? Preach it. Live it. Tell it. Seek it. For any genuine search for truth leads one place - to Jesus.
Links for Further Study
(links to study each daily topic in more detail if you have the desire and the time)
The Distinct Personality and Deity of the Son by John Gill
How Are Believer's Guided into All Truth? by John Owen
Bible Reading For Further Study
Recommended Songs for Worship
Together for Inspiration, Motivation, and Encouragement
Verse of the Day - Ephesians 4:20-21
But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:
Daily Scripture Reading - John 14
Puritan Catechism
Question #39 - What shall be done to the wicked at the day of judgment?
Answer - At the day of judgment the bodies of the wicked being raised out of their graves, shall be sentenced, together with their souls, to unspeakable torments with the devil and his angels for ever (Dan. 12:2; Jn. 5:28-29; 2 Thess. 1:9; Matt. 25:41).
Devotional Thoughts
We have been told in these verses that we have "not so learned Christ", meaning that we have not learned how to live as sinners and walk like the gentiles if we have heard Him and been taught by Him. As His disciples we are being taught to walk in the truth. And Paul tells us that what we have heard and learned is that the truth is in Jesus!
We know that Jesus tells us that He is the truth (John 14:6). He in His very nature as God is purely true. He is the embodiment of the Word of God and every Word of God is true. But this is an interesting phrase isn't it? The truth is in Jesus.
We learn in Him how to walk, how to live, how to talk, how to think, and how to be holy. We learn in Him to see God rightly and to treasure His Word as sweeter than honey and even the honeycomb. We learn in Him how to be right with God. We learn in Him how our sins are forgiven and how we are co-heirs with Him of all that is His! We learn to walk in truth.
This is important because there are counterfeits and lies and deception all around us. There are those who are deceived and those who are deceiving. There are false doctrines, false Christs, false teachers, false churches, and false gospels. We are surrounded by people who are citizens in the kingdom of Satan - the father of lies. How appropriate then that while Satan is the father of lies we find that our Heavenly Father has sent us His Son, who is the truth!
This also says much about those who are all around us and are seeking for the truth. How many people have you heard say, "I'm just looking for the truth."?
Are they really looking for the truth? Really?? For to seek truth is not to seek self fulfillment. It is not to seek the answers for every problem, trial, or mystery. It is not to seek to solve those things that puzzle us. It is not to find some secret to happiness. To seek the truth, to really seek the truth, is to seek for Jesus!
Many people who claim to be seeking the truth reject Jesus. They hate Him. They want nothing to do with Him. So are they then truly seeking truth? They are seeking for a truth that is truth to them. In other words, their worldview is such that the truth they seek is true to them - but that does not mean that the truth they are pursuing is actually and really true.
How can we say this? Because any search for truth that does not lead us to Christ was never a search for true truth in the first place. It was a search for a substitute truth, which is actually just a lie in disguise. Satan, you see, is the greatest propagandist of all times. Veiling the truth and leading people by deception that the lie is true and that truth is a lie. He after all appears as as angel of light! Yet who is the true light of the world? JESUS.
As people proclaim to us then that they are searching for truth perhaps we should memorize this verse and tell them immediately "the truth is in Jesus!" The next question is of course the question, "Can you handle the truth?"
I know in the movies the line is "You can't handle the truth." But in real life the line is a question - if one is really and truly seeking for truth then they are seeking Christ. And who better to point the way? We know the truth. Or as John wrote, "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ."
Can you handle that truth? Preach it. Live it. Tell it. Seek it. For any genuine search for truth leads one place - to Jesus.
Links for Further Study
(links to study each daily topic in more detail if you have the desire and the time)
The Distinct Personality and Deity of the Son by John Gill
How Are Believer's Guided into All Truth? by John Owen
Bible Reading For Further Study
Recommended Songs for Worship
posted by Phillip M. Way | 9:00 PM
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