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International News Title: God's Gift: Jesus: The Truth The purpose of this lesson is to stress the connection between Jesus and truth in (a) learning God's nature, (b) learning God's purposes, and (c) learning God's priorities. The gospel of John powerfully associates truth with Jesus. In each of today's texts a lesson is clearly evident about the association between Jesus and truth. Consider this lesson from two perspectives. The lesson: there is an inseparable link between Jesus and (a) the truth about God and (b) the truth about self. What truth is considered? Truth from Jesus is truth about God's nature [which involves all spiritual matters]. Truth from Jesus is truth about our human natures. Truth from Jesus is truth about human nature moving toward divine nature in the human's desire to be reconciled to God. The truths under consideration are the truths about God. People throughout the ages have typically accepted as fact the existence of a god. However, they often reach wrong conclusions about the divine nature. As an illustration, refresh your memory by reading again Paul's comments in Acts 17:22-29 made in Athens. One aspect of God's eternal nature is truth. Humans must understand truth is essential to God's character and integrity. Truth is a part of God's nature, God's being. Because truth forms a part of God's divine nature (in the same manner that love forms a part of His divine nature, 1 John 4:8), God cannot lie (see Titus 1:2; 2 Timothy 2:13, Hebrews 6:18). He cannot lie for at least two reasons: (a) truth is a part of His nature, and (b) there is no evil in Him. Because God cannot lie, we place faith in Him--we rely on His word and trust His promises. The understanding that truth must be a part of Jesus' nature must begin with the understanding that truth is a part of God's nature. God's trustworthiness very much depends on truth being a part of God's nature. The point is this: God cannot lie (not merely that God chooses not to lie). If Jesus as son is to be an accurate representor of his Father, Jesus must have truth as a part of his nature. Jesus is presented repeatedly as God's son. The son reflects the glorious nature of his Father. The Father whose nature includes truth cannot be represented by a son who is deceitful. If the son represents the Father, the son must have truth as a part of his nature. There must be an essential link between the son and truth. Jesus (and later Paul) used an understanding that was commonly accepted in that age: a good son reflects the image [character and integrity] of his father. Remember the repeated emphasis in the gospel of John on the fact that everything that occurred in Jesus' teachings and life were under the guidance and direction of the Father: John 4:34; 5:19, 30; 6:38; 8:28; 12:49,50; 14:10. If Jesus was God's son, Jesus had to reflect truth. The special link between Jesus and truth makes our association with Jesus a demanding challenge. Truth is not a natural part of our nature. Humanity was deceived by evil. Satan knows our preferences in thoughts [and deeds] and uses our desires to create deceptions. Whereas God cannot lie, we can [and do!]. Even when we are committed to truthfulness, we find it challenging [even difficult!] to be truthful when truthfulness is personally costly. Fear often motivates us to forsake truth. Therefore, Jesus' link to truth and our proneness to deception often creates a crisis for us. Truth was not a natural, essential part of human natures after humanity succumbed to evil. In fact, Jesus said the deception that is part of human nature is something humans received from the father of evil (John 8:44, 45). Lying is a part of his nature. He is the origin of deception. In fact, the reason those to whom Jesus spoke rejected him was this: his association with God in Whom truth was a part of His nature versus their association with the devil who was the father of lies. Why? Consider Jesus' illustration in his discussion with Nicodemus (John 3:1-21). Jesus used the contrast between light [that which comes from God] and darkness [that which comes from evil]. Those who follow him are to be light in order to reflect the glory of God in the godless world filled with darkness (Matthew 5:14-16). Humanity likes evil and the temporary pleasures that evil's deceptions provide. Humanity does not wish to understand (a) that it has been deceived or (b) that our deception results in consequences. Humanity has learned to cherish darkness. Darkness does not require self-examination. In darkness, we can believe anything we choose to imagine about ourselves. Thus light is not welcome because it forces us to see and acknowledge reality about ourselves. Light sent from God (a) forces us to see ourselves for who and what we really are and (b) forces us to see God for Who and What He really is. Therefore, when Jesus came shining light in our darkness, those who loved evil resented Jesus! Why? They feared exposure! (See John 3:20, 21.) Only the person who wishes to escape the deception of evil welcomes the exposure produced by light. People can choose to take the journey from the darkness created by deception to the light created by God's truth. Jesus is the route for that journey. The journey begins by accepting the truth about our needs and our lifestyles. If a person is unwilling to see himself/herself as God sees him/her, he/she cannot make that journey. Consider the gospel of John's emphasis on the relationship between Jesus and truth. Begin with John 1:14. The preexistent Word assumed human form in the flesh. The preexistent Word lived as a human (also see Philippians 2:5-11). This human had glory, but the objective of his glory was to reveal and stress the glory of the Father. Two things would fill the physical existence of this glorious human who accurately reflected the Father: grace and truth. Through Jesus, humanity could see God's grace. Through Jesus, humanity could see God's truth. Truth was a part of the preexistent Jesus' nature. He functioned as God's Word in God's creative acts. He could function as God's creative force only because he had the Father's nature. Truth always has been essential to him. One of Jesus' conscious objectives was to reveal the truth about God's nature and purposes in a religious society which was confident they knew God's nature and understood His purposes. Read John 8:31-59. Note this was spoken to the Jews who believed on him [not to unbelieving Jews!] Note being disciples necessitated continuing in his word. Note continuing in his word [teachings] would result in knowing truth. Note knowing truth would result in freedom. Note that because one has confidence in Jesus' identity does not automatically mean that person is Jesus' disciple. To be a disciple requires more than mere confidence in Jesus' identity. A person can have confidence in Jesus' identity and still turn against him if "I do not like what I hear from Jesus." These who believed in Jesus were highly insulted by the suggestion that they were not free. They were so offended that these who believed (a) called Jesus a Samaritan and demon (verse 48) and (b) attempted to kill him (verse 59). Jesus challenged them to see the truth about God and about themselves. One of the criteria that separates those who accept Jesus' identity and those who follow Jesus is this: the willingness to allow Jesus to reveal things to them about themselves that are neither pleasant nor desirable. The last night of his life, Jesus stressed that he and truth were synonymous--inseparable (John 14:6). The fact that Jesus cannot be separated from the truth about God's nature, purposes, and priorities has far-reaching spiritual implications for us in our lives. That is one of the foundation stones for his being Lord. In one of his final trials prior to death by crucifixion, Jesus told Pilate that he came into this world to "testify to the truth" and declared, "Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice" (see John 18:37). Pilate did not understand. Pilate had no real insight into who Jesus was or what Jesus meant by "truth." He certainly grasped that Jesus was not guilty of an execution offense. He certainly grasped that Jesus was a victim of the politics of the moment. However, he did not grasp the relationship between ruling, truth, and Jesus. Little has changed through the ages. We allow our marvelous technological development to deceive us into believing that humanity has changed. People who accept God's existence, including us, cling to preconceived convictions about God's nature and God's purposes before they study God's nature. Those people, including us, cling to the conviction that they serve God's priorities and purposes before learning what God's priorities and purposes are. Rarely does anyone say, "Jesus, teach me about God and teach me about myself. You embody truth. You are the way to God. You fully and clearly know what I need to understand. Help me open my heart. Help me open my mind. Give me the strength not to fear your light. Shine your light in my life so I can be your disciple instead of being content to claim to be your disciple. Help me be freed by God's truth instead of thinking I am free when I am not." What is urgently needed in Christian hearts and minds is total dependence on the resurrected Jesus. We need the earnest realization that we cannot understand ourselves unless we allow him to show us the Father. Our behavior, our character, and our integrity will never move toward God unless we depend on Jesus. We cannot allow Jesus to provide us the guidance we need unless we realize that Jesus is critical to understanding truth. It is much too easy to assume we know God, assume we follow Jesus, and assume we know God's purposes in our lives. It is easier to assume than it is to allow Jesus the truth to shine his light in our lives. It is easier to assume than it is to open our eyes to God and self. It is much too easy to assume that truth is all about doctrine. It is much too easy to assume that God's purposes are fully served by advocating "correct" doctrine to the exclusion of godly character and integrity. It is much too easy to assume that we are reflecting God's concerns when we are actually pursuing our interests. Christians refuse to allow assumptions to replace their openness to truth. Thus openness to truth must begin with openness to Jesus. It is hard to allow Jesus the truth to open our eyes to God and to ourselves. It is hard, but it is worth the effort! The reason it is hard is because we approach Jesus (a) carrying assumptions from religious backgrounds or (b) carrying assumptions from an evil past. All of us have so much to be "untaught" if we are to allow Jesus to correctly teach us. For thought: Why is it hard to allow Jesus to be the truth when he tells us things like John 4:23; 5:39,40; or 12:46-50? The core consideration: it is hard to develop the openness that says, "You can show me anything about myself I need to see. You can tell me everything about my misconceptions and ignorance I need to hear. I will not resist. I will try to understand." That is hard to do, but that is blessing filled.
Poster Comment: THE GIFT IS TO SEE THE TRUTH
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