active truth
section 1
setting the foundation
In our world today we are bombarded by so much media and opinion that it is not easy to decipher the truth. For our lives, peace of mind, relationships, etc.; it is necessary to be able to recognize truth when we see it. To do so we must become familiar with the truth - we must come to know Him john 14:6 . As such, we believe that Jesus is the Truth. Jesus lived representing and pointing people to the Father - "the exact imprint of His nature." hebrews 1:1-3 . Jesus’ life and ministry were about setting captives free by testifying to the truth luke 4:18 john 18:37 john 8:32 . Jesus did so at the behest of the Father in full submission and obedience john 5:30 john 3:16 . When Jesus had fulfilled His ministry and His time on Earth was done; He sent the Holy Spirit, Whom He called the Spirit of Truth to guide His people john 16:13 .
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supporting scriptures
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
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Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.
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"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed...
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Then Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice."
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And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
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"I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.
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my notes:
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
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When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
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additional references:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
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And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
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my notes:
section 2
the purpose of truth
Genesis was onced described as the relaying of "A Personal, Purposeful, Creator God putting into action His plan to redeem a fallen world." I believe God to be intensely personal and purposeful yet today. Unlike the world around us, we have the realization that our lives have meaning ecclesiastes 12:13 matthew 28:18-20 . We are also blessed by having the Word that is used within the lives of believers to teach, rebuke, correct and train in righteousness - to sanctify us 2 timothy 3:16-17 john 17:17 . This equipping and sanctification is not without its calling and purpose james 1:22-25 james 2:14-18 . Jesus is the One that enables this purpose. It is through the commissioning of believers to carry forth the Gospel that He has chosen to make Himself known to the world. The key word to remember here is "reconciliation". This is the ministry to which we have be purposed/called–the ministry of bringing people to the King not by condemnation, but by seeing them recognize their need for Him and His love and provision for them 2 corinthians 5:17-20 .
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supporting scriptures
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
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And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
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All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
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Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
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But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
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What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
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Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
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section 3
our responsibility in truth
Being dependent on Him enables us to be dependable to others. In order to be dependent we must first be honest–honest, about our own need for the Lord and honest about Who He is to me and what He has done and is doing in my life. This effectively is the banishment of self-righteousness and the acknowledgement that it is only because of the grace of Christ I stand 1 john 1:8 ephesians 2:8-9 . We must allow this God-inspired honesty to rule our hearts, heads and speech. There have been witnessed many scores of examples to the contrary perpetrated by those that would call themselves "God’s people" - whether from Bible or present times john 8:44 john 14:17 proverbs 16:13 . We must certainly remember this when it comes to what we believe about others. Our hearts can betray us and twist our view of the people that God has strategically placed in our lives jeremiah 17:9 exodus 20:16 proverbs 12:22 . This takes work. It is no small feat and will take much practice to produce these Godly patterns in our lives colossians 2:23 2 timothy 2:15 . We cannot count on the world or any worldly influence to aid us, but rather only depend upon the Truth - the God Himself, His Son, His Spirit, His Word. We claim the mantra of being in the world but not of it as our own, by seeking to love our King unashamedly and walking in truth ephesians 5:16-18 ephesians 6:14 .
my notes:
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supporting scriptures
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
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For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
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Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.
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You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
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Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
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Righteous lips are the delight of a king, and he loves him who speaks what is right.
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The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
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"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
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Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.
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Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men...
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Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
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Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.
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Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
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my notes:
section 4
the freedom in truth
Often we can begin to feel overwhelmed by what it means to truly live for the Lord as it is a monumental change for anyone. We can become snowed under by our expectations of His expectations matthew 22:36-40 . However, we are not alone. We have One that sticks closer than a brother and has promised to never leave us or forsake us matthew 28:20 psalm 145:18 . It is in the participation with the Lord that our knowledge of Him grows, our strength is increased, and our joy realized john 4:24 1 john 3:18 . It is the joy of the relationship that spills over. It is the Lord for the Lord that is seen. It is His love reaching out through us that touches the lives of others 2 corinthians 5:14-15 . It is God alone that makes the difference in our lives. And what He has done in us He is longing to do in others–we were not saved for our own sakes alone 1 Timothy 2:1-6 James 1:18 . His Word is true always and always is a reminder of the love and care that the Lord has for us psalm 25:5 psalm 119:160 psalm 18:19 . It is a constant source of comfort for the believer. As the rod is needed for course corrections - He is there and lovingly equal to the task 1 corinthians 13:4-8 ephesians 4:15 john 1:17 .
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supporting scriptures
"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" 37 And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."
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teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
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The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
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God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
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Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
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For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
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First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.
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Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
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Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.
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The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.
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He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.
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Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never ends...
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Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ...
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For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
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my notes:
section 5
prayer for truth
My prayer is for each of us to grow in our knowledge of Him, to allow His love to penetrate our hearts and compel us more each day. That we may recognize Truth when we see it - when we see Him. That we may not shy away from His teaching but humbly long for it and ask for it psalm 86:11 1 john 5:20 . That we may reflect our Master’s love to the world around us, our family, friends and strangers, and watch Him set them free. That truth may reign to the glory and honor of our God john 8:31-32 !
supporting scriptures
Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.
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And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
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So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2016