Post by Cindy on May 20, 2020 9:25:05 GMT -5
“In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed . . .” (Eph. 1:13).
✧✧✧
The gospel is true because Jesus is true, not simply because Christians believe in Him.
After stating salvation from God’s perspective in verse 12, Paul here states it from man’s perspective. Faith in Christ is your response to God’s elective purpose in your life. Those two truths—God’s initiative and man’s response—coexist throughout Scripture.
Paul rightly called the gospel “the message of truth” because truth is its predominant characteristic. Salvation was conceived by the God of truth (Ps. 31:5) and purchased by the Son, who is the truth (John 14:6) and is applied by the Spirit of truth (John 16:13). To know it is to know the truth that sets men free (John 8:32). Believers are people of the truth (John 18:37), and they worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:24) and obey the Word of truth (John 17:17).
Yet, as profound and powerful as God’s truth is, people have rejected, neglected, redefined, and opposed it for centuries. Some, like Pilate, cynically deny that truth even exists or that it can be known by men (John 18:38). Others foolishly think that denying truth will somehow make it go away.
Perhaps you’ve heard someone say, “Jesus may be true for you, but that doesn’t mean He has to be true for me.” That view assumes that belief somehow determines truth. But just the opposite is the case. Truth determines the validity of one’s belief. Believing a lie doesn’t make it true. Conversely, failing to believe the truth doesn’t make it a lie.
The gospel is true because Jesus is true, not simply because Christians believe in Him. His resurrection proved the truth of His claims and constitutes the objective basis of our faith (Rom. 1:4; 1 Peter 1:3).
You will face today armed with the message of truth and empowered by the Spirit of truth. Truth is your protection and strength (Eph. 6:14). Lost souls desperately need to hear that truth. Represent it well, and proclaim it with boldness.
✧✧✧
Suggestions for Prayer: Thank the Lord that by His Spirit He has enabled you to understand His truth (1 Cor. 2:14–16). ✧ Ask for wisdom and boldness to speak His truth in love (Eph. 4:15).
For Further Study: Read 1 Corinthians 15:1–11 and Acts 17:30–31. ✧ What key elements of the gospel does Paul list? ✧ What is the relationship between Christ’s resurrection and God’s judgment on sinners?
MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1993). Drawing Near—Daily Readings for a Deeper Faith
“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”” (John 8:31–32)
If you abide in His Word. Abide means to live in, to dwell in something, like you would dwell in your house. It's something you do continually and daily, not occasionally, not once a week on Sunday when you hear a Pastor speak about something in the Bible. but every single day. You do it because you love the Lord, and your Lord IS the Word, therefore you love His Word. Here's something else to consider: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.” (John 15:7) Notice that one of the requirements for answered prayer is that His Words remain in us. How can they if you don't know them? How can they if you don't spend time daily in His Word? In Deut 8:3 and Matthew 4:4 we're told that we don't live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God. Bread was and is a daily staple, especially during the old and new testament times. Without bread many would have starved to death. God is again telling us that we need to be in His Word every single day. That is the only way we can be spiritually healthy. In the prayer Jesus taught, He even includes “Give us each day our daily bread.” (Luke 11:3) Jesus also taught us that we don't live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. God's Word, our Bible, is a very necessary part of our life. Without it, we're nothing more then the walking dead. With it, we are kept alive, and are able to learn the Truth from the Spirit of Truth and grow in our faith and in love for our God. We need to realize that there is no such thing as being too busy to take time to spend with the Lord in His Word. Instead, the busier we are, the more we need that time with the Lord! We should begin every day spending time with the Lord in His Word.
✧✧✧
The gospel is true because Jesus is true, not simply because Christians believe in Him.
After stating salvation from God’s perspective in verse 12, Paul here states it from man’s perspective. Faith in Christ is your response to God’s elective purpose in your life. Those two truths—God’s initiative and man’s response—coexist throughout Scripture.
Paul rightly called the gospel “the message of truth” because truth is its predominant characteristic. Salvation was conceived by the God of truth (Ps. 31:5) and purchased by the Son, who is the truth (John 14:6) and is applied by the Spirit of truth (John 16:13). To know it is to know the truth that sets men free (John 8:32). Believers are people of the truth (John 18:37), and they worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:24) and obey the Word of truth (John 17:17).
Yet, as profound and powerful as God’s truth is, people have rejected, neglected, redefined, and opposed it for centuries. Some, like Pilate, cynically deny that truth even exists or that it can be known by men (John 18:38). Others foolishly think that denying truth will somehow make it go away.
Perhaps you’ve heard someone say, “Jesus may be true for you, but that doesn’t mean He has to be true for me.” That view assumes that belief somehow determines truth. But just the opposite is the case. Truth determines the validity of one’s belief. Believing a lie doesn’t make it true. Conversely, failing to believe the truth doesn’t make it a lie.
The gospel is true because Jesus is true, not simply because Christians believe in Him. His resurrection proved the truth of His claims and constitutes the objective basis of our faith (Rom. 1:4; 1 Peter 1:3).
You will face today armed with the message of truth and empowered by the Spirit of truth. Truth is your protection and strength (Eph. 6:14). Lost souls desperately need to hear that truth. Represent it well, and proclaim it with boldness.
✧✧✧
Suggestions for Prayer: Thank the Lord that by His Spirit He has enabled you to understand His truth (1 Cor. 2:14–16). ✧ Ask for wisdom and boldness to speak His truth in love (Eph. 4:15).
For Further Study: Read 1 Corinthians 15:1–11 and Acts 17:30–31. ✧ What key elements of the gospel does Paul list? ✧ What is the relationship between Christ’s resurrection and God’s judgment on sinners?
MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1993). Drawing Near—Daily Readings for a Deeper Faith
“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”” (John 8:31–32)
If you abide in His Word. Abide means to live in, to dwell in something, like you would dwell in your house. It's something you do continually and daily, not occasionally, not once a week on Sunday when you hear a Pastor speak about something in the Bible. but every single day. You do it because you love the Lord, and your Lord IS the Word, therefore you love His Word. Here's something else to consider: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.” (John 15:7) Notice that one of the requirements for answered prayer is that His Words remain in us. How can they if you don't know them? How can they if you don't spend time daily in His Word? In Deut 8:3 and Matthew 4:4 we're told that we don't live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God. Bread was and is a daily staple, especially during the old and new testament times. Without bread many would have starved to death. God is again telling us that we need to be in His Word every single day. That is the only way we can be spiritually healthy. In the prayer Jesus taught, He even includes “Give us each day our daily bread.” (Luke 11:3) Jesus also taught us that we don't live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. God's Word, our Bible, is a very necessary part of our life. Without it, we're nothing more then the walking dead. With it, we are kept alive, and are able to learn the Truth from the Spirit of Truth and grow in our faith and in love for our God. We need to realize that there is no such thing as being too busy to take time to spend with the Lord in His Word. Instead, the busier we are, the more we need that time with the Lord! We should begin every day spending time with the Lord in His Word.
!!
