The Legacy Of Truth

The words rang hollow when Pilate uttered them. Standing before the procurator of Judea was the "Word" (John 1:1). Jesus proclaimed the truth of His kingdom and the purpose of His birth to Pilate ending with, "Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice' (John 18:37). It was then Pilate said, "What is truth" (John 18:38)? That has always been the thorn in the flesh of man to find the answer. Truth was established in the creation of the world but man "exchanged the truth of God for the lie" (Romans 1:25). Truth became relative to the desires of man. No longer would men seek to establish truth by the principles of God's will but a mixture of religion with traditions of men.

The legacy of truth today finds itself mixed with the same elements of religion and the traditions of men. So comprehensive is this mixture that truth is faded into colors derived from the will of man that many see 'truth' as painted by the hand of man. In other words, truth is no longer valid; the teachings of men take precedent. The noble character of truth is that it is older than error. Truth came first and will always remain pure. Truth is not relative but absolute. Truth remains unchanged even though a person believes otherwise. "Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven" (Psalms 119:89).

The basis of truth is the word of God. The Bible alone is the word of the Creator (Genesis 1:1). No other book has that claim nor can prove that claim. Only one book and one book alone can establish truth. Truth must be established upon the pages of the Bible alone. Jesus said to Thomas, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). That is absolute. There is no other man having lived, living or ever will live whereby one can be saved (Acts 4:12). There is no truth written that one can find salvation but the Bible (2 Peter 1:3).

Truth makes opponents. It offends the conscience of those who allow truth to be mixed with the seeds of tradition to see truth as absolute. The test for truth is found by examination and discovery. If through the pursuit of truth a belief is not found, it is discarded as error or embellished to represent truth. So often the attachment to a belief overwhelms the conscience of man to embrace truth rewritten rather than truth that is untainted. The end result is the traditions of men that have been believed so long they become truth and making it almost impossible to distinguish the true character of God's will.

Celebrations of "holy days" replace the truth of God. Religion becomes an organized machine of business plying the wiles of materialism and success to a world given to the pursuit of man. The pattern of the New Testament is out of vogue and out of place for a "modern" world of new thinking and Gnostic pursuits. Church becomes nothing more than "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" in the trappings of a worldly temple. Truth is swept into the corner with the cobwebs of ancient thinking. Satan has perfected his art once again with the words, "Has God indeed SAID" (Genesis 3:1)?

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables" (2 Timothy 4:3-4). We live in a fabled world but we must "preach the word" (2 Timothy 4:2). The word alone will save us - not the traditions of men (Matthew 15:8-9).

By Kent Heaton

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