A Christian and Truth

Truth you can count on

Theme: Absolute truth

Scripture: Psalm 119:89, Psalm 119:142, Psalm 119:160, John 17:17, John 8:31-32

Objectives: (From the D6 Fusion Sunday School Lesson book)

Know: Absolute truth exists because God exists.

Think: I can live confidently, basing my life on the absolute truth of God’s Word.

Do: Read and study Scripture daily to learn what is true.

B1 Truth

C1 Simplistically, there are 4 theories of truth

D1 Correspondence = reality

E1 Facts = a thing that exists or happened

E2 Belief = acceptance of facts

D2 Coherence = agrees with a set of beliefs or concepts

D3 Pragmatic = truth is what works

D4 Narcissistic = what I believe is truth

C2 The correspondence theory in its simple form, that is, reality. Pain is reality. Some cheats us out of money is reality. Someone lies to us; it is reality. Though there are philosophical arguments against it, we live in reality. Words have meaning. Statements are typically taken in their plain, normal sense. Any book on philosophy will have a section on truth and will discuss other theories.

C3 The Bible is meant to be understood in its plain, normal sense in context.

D1 God is omnisapient, that is, perfectly and completely wise.

D2 God is omniscient, that is, perfectly and completely knowing everything.

D3 It can be reasonably believed that God knows how to communicate perfectly.

C4 Some verses on truth

D1 Psalms 119:89 NKJV Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven. In another translation: Psalms 119:89 GNB Your word, O LORD, will last forever; it is eternal in heaven.

E1 Whatever God says, thinks, or has written never changes.

E2 If God says adultery is wrong, it is always wrong.

E3 If God says murder is wrong, it is always wrong.

E4 If God says lying is wrong, it is always wrong.

E5 If God establishes a doctrine, then it does not change.

E6 Why is important to know God never changes?

E7 Why is it important to know God’s word never changes?

E8 How are we to explain the differences between the Old Testament and the New?

F1 God does not change:

G1 Malachi 3:6 WEB “For I, Yahweh, don’t change; therefore you, sons of Jacob, are not consumed.

G2 Isaiah 46:9-10 WEB Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me; declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done; saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.

F2 A change in New Testament compared to Old

G1 Hebrews 7:12-14 NKJV For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. 13 For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.

G2 God explained why.

H1 Foretold. Note this priesthood was before the Law. Psalms 110:4 NKJV The LORD has sworn And will not relent, "You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek."

H2 Explained: Hebrews 7:15-21 GNB92 The matter becomes even plainer; a different priest has appeared, who is like Melchizedek. He was made a priest, not by human rules and regulations, but through the power of a life which has no end. For the scripture says, “You will be a priest forever, in the priestly order of Melchizedek.” The old rule, then, is set aside, because it was weak and useless. For the Law of Moses could not make anything perfect. And now a better hope has been provided through which we come near to God. In addition, there is also God's vow. There was no such vow when the others were made priests. But Jesus became a priest by means of a vow when God said to him, “The Lord has made a solemn promise and will not take it back: ‘You will be a priest forever.

B2 Psalms 119:142 NKJV Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your law is truth.

C1 The law spoken of here in the Laws given at Mt. Sinai.

C2 It is conditional law.

D1 If you, Israel, do this, then I will bless you these ways. See Deuteronomy 28:1-14.

D2 If you, Israel, do not, then I will curse you these ways. See Deuteronomy 28:15-68.

C3 Why is God’s law truth?

D1 God is truth.

E1 God cannot lie. It is impossible for Him to lie. It is not His character. Titus 1:2 WPNT in hope of eternal life —which life God, who cannot lie, promised before the ages of time. See also Hebrews 6:18.

E2 Humans are liars; God does not. Romans 3:4 GW That would be unthinkable! God is honest, and everyone else is a liar, as Scripture says, "So you hand down justice when you speak, and you win your case in court." See Numbers 23:19.

D2 Because God is true, His words are true. John 17:17 WPNT Sanctify them by Your truth; Your word is truth.

D3 Righteousness and truth are related in that any lie or even mistake would indicate unrighteousness. Psalms 145:17 GNB92 The LORD is righteous in all he does, merciful in all his acts.

C4 Truth is very important to God, He demands truth from us.

D1 Zechariah 8:16 GNB92 These are the things you should do: Speak the truth to one another. In the courts give real justice—the kind that brings peace.

D2 Ephesians 4:25 GNB92 No more lying, then! Each of you must tell the truth to the other believer, because we are all members together in the body of Christ.

D3 God hates liars, and remember a person can lie in thoughts, desires, words, and deeds: Proverbs 12:22 GNB92 The LORD hates liars, but is pleased with those who keep their word.

B3 Psalms 119:160 NKJV The entirety of Your word [is] truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments [endures] forever.

C1 Everything God does in thoughts, desires, words, and deeds are true.

C2 They never change. Never changing is part of true.

C3 Remember prophecy is true, promises are true, judgment is true, blessing is true, God’s warning is true, God’s comfort is true, God’s love is true.

C4 How does knowing this verse help us in our Christian walk?

B4 John 17:17 WPNT Sanctify them by Your truth; Your word is truth.

C1 Sanctification is a separation from what is not approved by God to something approved by God. Righteousness is approved by God. Truth is approved by God. Obedience to God’s rules is approved by God. Holiness is sanctification.

D1 God sanctifies.

E1 God the Father: Jude 1:1 NKJV Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ.

E2 God the Son: Hebrews 10:10 WEL By that will we have been sanctified from the guilt of sin through the one time sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ.

E3 God the Holy Spirit: 2 Thessalonians 2:13 NKJV But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.

C2 We cannot do and be sanctified on our own self or actions.

C3 Sanctification has three parts.

D1 Complete and instant sanctification. When we are born again, we are a new creation. This is a result of justification. 1 Corinthians 1:2 NRSV To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours.

D2 A lifelong process for the Christian in this life. This is the subject of Romans 6. For example: Romans 6:19 NRSV I am speaking in human terms because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness for sanctification.

D3 Final, which is glorification. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 NRSV May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

C4 How does truth sanctify?

D1 This is God’s truth, so it is complete in every way.

D2 Truth crowds out the lies and other sins in our life. That is why we must read and study the Bible, the only source of 100% truth. That is why the pastor must preach Bible truth. The more truth we know and practice, the more sanctified we become, thus, we become more and more Christ-like and less like the world. The lifestyle that God wants is more and more consistent, and the lifestyle of the world fades.

B5 John 8:31-32 WPNT So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed Him: “If you abide in my word, you really are my disciples; and you will know the Truth, and the Truth will make you free.”

C1 This is somewhat related to John 17:17.

C2 How to we abide in His word?

D1 We have to know it, believe it, and live it.

D2 We have to be taught it and teach it.

C3 How does truth set us free?

D1 We are set free from lies.

D2 We are set free from heresy.

D3 We are set free from wrong life choices.

D4 We are set free from our sinful self.

D5 We are set free to serve God better.

C4 What is my and your motivation?

B6 Next week:

C1 Truth given by God

C2 Theme: Divine truth

C3 Scriptures: Romans 1:20, Hebrews 1:1-2, Jeremiah 29:12-14, 2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:21, Hebrews 4:12, and John 10:27