“For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth” (2 Corinthians 13:8).
In this verse, Paul was not discussing what is or is not possible. Rather, he was speaking of the determination of faithful disciples of Christ. We must choose one of two sides – we can be for the truth or against the truth. As Christians who have committed to being on the side of truth, let us notice what we can do to benefit and support it.
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Those who defend the practice of homosexuality have used many tactics to try and justify it — it’s just an “alternative lifestyle,” it’s of no concern to anyone else, people are born that way. The biggest obstacle in our country for those who are pushing this homosexual message comes from those who cite the Bible as their reason for opposing it.
As a result, there has been a great effort to either discredit or reinterpret the passages that condemn homosexuality. Earlier this week in an interview, the first openly gay bishop of the Episcopal church, “Reverend” V. Gene Robinson, tried to explain away Paul’s comments about homosexuality in Romans 1:26-27 by claiming that Paul was condemning heterosexuals from engaging in homosexuality, but that he was not condemning homosexual acts by those who were oriented that way from birth.
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Paul gave the young evangelist Timothy this charge: “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction” (2 Timothy 4:2). Why was it so important for Timothy to do this? Paul continued: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths” (2 Timothy 4:3-4).
Apostasy was coming. At some point, those who were once receptive to the pure, unadulterated gospel would want something different. How does such a change happen? It certainly does not happen overnight. There is a progression that takes place that leads Christians away from sound doctrine and into false teaching.
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“What is truth?” This was the question Pilate asked Jesus after hearing the Lord’s claim that He came to testify to the truth (John 18:36-37). When we think about truth, we must understand two things: (1) it is unchanging and (2) it is the same message for all. The word of God is truth (John 17:17). His word does not change (1 Peter 1:25) and is to be preached to all people everywhere (Mark 16:15).
Many have the idea that there can be many truths – you may have your own truth, and I may have mine. This is not what the Bible teaches. The same message of truth is for all. The differences come from our perception of the truth. These perceptions can be very different, despite a common message.
In the minds of man, truth can have various characteristics. Let us consider the conflicting characteristics of truth depending on the perspective of the hearer.
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Last week the Associated Press reported that the Vatican is looking for signs of alien life. They have called in thirty scientists from several countries to study “whether sentient life forms exist on other worlds.” If extraterrestrial life is possible, there is also the question about “its implications for the Catholic Church.”
The subject of aliens is an interesting topic to many people. But what, if any, bearing does it have on our faith or service to God. Regardless of whether extraterrestrial life is possible, or even if intelligent life forms do exist on other planets, there are some truths that we must remember. These will not change, no matter what is discovered by science (or the Catholic Church).
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The title of this article may sound a little odd. But let me begin by stating that this article is not about how organized religion is wrong – it is not. The point of the article is not to say that religious people are not righteous – many of them are, and they should be. So what is the purpose of this article?
The title is based on one of Jesus’ statements from the Sermon on the Mount:
“For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20).
The scribes and Pharisees were regarded as the religious leaders of that day. Jesus’ point was that in order to follow Him, we must live up to a higher standard than what is commonly accepted – even commended to us – among the religious world. Doing just enough to blend in with those who are religious is not enough to be part of His kingdom.
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Writing from prison, Paul told the brethren in Philippi, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). This instruction was so important that Paul repeated it. He also gave a similar command to the church in Thessalonica when he wrote, “Rejoice always” (1 Thessalonians 5:16).
Whenever we see a command like this, we ought to take note of it. We do not have the option to either rejoice or not rejoice depending on our circumstances. We are to “rejoice always.” The reason why this command must be given is because it is sometimes difficult or unnatural to rejoice in certain circumstances. Our lives here are filled with trials. Job lamented, “Man, who is born of woman, is short-lived and full of turmoil” (Job 14:1). The wise man noted the difficult nature of our existence here: “Because all his days his task is painful and grievous; even at night his mind does not rest” (Ecclesiastes 2:23). It is sometimes difficult to rejoice. But as Christians we must do so.
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What does “propitiation” mean? How is “justification” connected to salvation? What does “sanctification” look like in our day-to-day lives? The Bible uses some powerful words to describe God’s plan to save mankind. However, these words are not always easy to understand, especially when they are not part of our everyday vocabulary. This book explores key Bible terms that unlock the message of the gospel.
Big Words in the Bible examines five important words – Propitiation, Reconciliation, Sanctification, Justification, and Resurrection – using plain language to see how the Scriptures describe these concepts and how the apostle Paul employs them in his letter to the Romans. This book also contains an appendix with eleven additional articles to explore these topics further.
Whether you are new to the Bible and want to grow in your understanding or want a simple way to explain these core gospel doctrines to others, this book will be helpful. With a focus on the Scriptures, Big Words in the Bible helps break down these fundamental topics to shed light on the life-changing message of the gospel and the salvation found in it.
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