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Satan has deceived the whole world (Rev. 12:9; 20:3)! How does one deceive another?
It is done through lies. Satan
lied to Adam and Eve by telling them they would not surely die when they took of
the forbidden tree (Gen 3). This
lied led them away from God.
The Bible contrasts the true God with false gods (Jer. 10:10-11.
Jesus, when on earth, said the Father was the only true God and that
eternal life was to know Him and Jesus Christ
His Son(John 17:3). Truth is
how we come to know God! His Word
is truth (John 17:17).
The pagan world was “held to be sunken in ignorance and error” (Theology
of the New Testament). See
1Thes. 1:9; Gal. 4:8; Eph. 4:18; 1Pet.
1:4. All these show how the Gentile
world had suffered from ignorance of God and His truth.
But even Israel had her struggles. For
though God had revealed Himself to her and had given her truth there were false
prophets spoke lies (Jer. 23:25-28).
Because falsehood, lies and ignorance of truth lead us away from God,
therefore to be converted is to know God or to know the truth.
God does not want any to perish but “will have all men to be saved and
come to a knowledge of the truth”(1Tim 2:4).
Paul said it was the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness.
This truth is the gospel (Col. 1:5).
In the end time, people are deceived again because they have not received
the “love of the truth” that they might be saved (2Thes. 2:10-12). And the we are told that if we “sin willfully after we
receive the knowledge of the truth
there remains no more sacrifice for sins” (Heb. 10:26). However, being deceived is not sinning willfully.
But it does show that we are not following the “Spirit of Truth” to
be led into all truth!
Paul
described his ministry as “a manifestation of the truth” or “setting
forth the truth plainly” (2Cor. 4:2
KJV & NIV). The Corinthians
were confused as to what they wanted in a minister.
What should be the first thing God expects of His people??
It should be the search for the truth!
Their minister should be faithful to the Word of God (the truth –John
17:17). He should stand for the truth of the Gospel (Gal. 2:14).
The Word of truth is the gospel of our salvation (Eph. 1:13).
God has begotten us with the word of truth (James 1:18) so we can be a
kind of first fruits to Him!
In
part 2 we will see more of what God expects of us regarding the truth and what
the truth will do for us!