The significance of “Loving Truth” is closely associated with Salvation. On the contrary, I have discovered that human nature has a habit of avoiding “Loving Truth” in favour for “Convenient Truth”.
When circumstances dictate that people must face up to, they invariably do everything they can to avoid the issue. In this, they often fail to appreciate that their Creator is wanting them to confront whatever “truth” He has placed before them. God does this to determine if He is able to present to them the most important truth in their life, which often involves the Gospel message of Salvation in Jesus Christ.
Therefore, it can be seen that “having a love of the truth” is essential for Salvation to be achieved.
The following passage of scripture forms the basis of this article:
"And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because THEY [many of today's Christians] RECEIVED NOT THE LOVE OF THE TRUTH, that they MIGHT BE SAVED. {11} And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:" (2 Thes 2:10-11)
The above verses clearly state that in the days when The Antichrist and The False Prophet are upon the earth (meaning these days – verse 8) God’s people will eventually perish in Hell unless they acquire “a love of the truth”. This is necessary so as to be able to properly discern between “good” and “evil” (Heb 5:13-14).
Lies vs Truth
Alternatively, if Christians choose to reject the various truths that God presents to them (by preferring to believe a convenient lie instead), the scripture says that “…God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie” (verse 11). This means they have no salvation in Jesus Christ!
“Truth” can be described in either Absolute or in Relative terms. God deals only in Absolute Truth. If a claim that “truth” is being promoted, it should first be analyzed to determine if a lie may be masquerading within it as “truth”.
I discovered a definition of Absolute Truth (below) that similarly reflects my definition of “Truth”. In this, if NO doubt or confusion is able to exist, then Truth is likely to be presented (1 Cor 14:33):
Quote: “In general, absolute truth is whatever is always valid, regardless of parameters or context. The absolute in the term connotes one or more of: a quality of truth that cannot be exceeded; complete truth; unvarying and permanent truth. It can be contrasted to relative truth or truth in a more ordinary sense in which a degree of relativity is implied.”
Robert Sheldon
"They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. {17} Sanctify them through THY TRUTH: THY WORD IS TRUTH" (John 17:16-17) —Jesus praying to GodThe word “sanctify” here means in Greek:
G37. hagiazo, hag-ee-ad’-zo; from G40; to make holy, i.e. (cer.) purify or consecrate; (mentally) to venerate:–hallow, be holy, sanctify.
Christians MUST LOVE ‘The Truth’
This can only mean that Christians who “love truth” become sanctified unto God, which also makes them “holy”.
Jesus said this about Himself and the words He spoke while speaking in relation to Truth:
"Jesus saith unto him, I AM the way, THE TRUTH, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)"It is the spirit [of God] that quickeneth [the spirit of a man]; the flesh [or the worldly Adamic nature] profiteth nothing: the WORDS that I speak unto you, THEY ARE SPIRIT, and THEY ARE [eternal] LIFE. {64} But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him." (John 6:63-64)
What else does the Bible say?
The Bible states that the Holy Spirit is also known as the Spirit of Truth:
"Howbeit when he, THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH, is come, he will GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come." (John 16:13)
"They [meaning “carnal” or "worldly" Christians—Rom 8:6-9] are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. {6} We [the spiritually-minded Christians—Rom 8:6] are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; HE THAT IS NOT OF GOD heareth not us. Hereby know we the SPIRIT OF TRUTH, and the SPIRIT OF ERROR." (1 John 4:5-6)
The above verses indicate that “Christians” who attend church and act no differently to others “in the world” are NOT saved. This is because “…speak they of the world, and the world heareth them”. Such Christians are more concerned with politics, sports, business, the stock market — even family members, etc. rather than attending to Bible studies to learn more about God and Salvation (2 Tim 2:15).
In verse 6 it says, “HE THAT IS NOT OF GOD heareth not us”. This means that the spiritually minded Christian finds it difficult (if not impossible) to communicate with the “carnal” or “worldly” Christian. This is because each is operating on two entirely different spiritual planes (John 3:12). One is “walking in the light” whereas the other is “walking in spiritual darkness” (1 John 1:6-7).
The final statement identifies that “the SPIRIT OF TRUTH [the Holy Spirit], and the SPIRIT OF ERROR” are revealed in Christians. TRUTH determines how they either love or compromise the various truths that God reveals to them.
One of my experiences with “Truth”
Anyone can believe anything they like, whether it is a total lie, a mixture of lies and truth or 100 percent truth. It is my understanding that God requires EVERY PERSON born into this world to seek 100 percent Truth (or Absolute Truth). Once obtained, such people should discuss and share with others the various “truths” they have discovered.
I have spoken with Christians who are skilled at using the Bible to justify their (false) beliefs. These also regard “truth” as being confined to their sect’s particular set of beliefs. In other words, their “truth” is Relative Truth.
Hating truth leads to spiritual blindness and deafness
When I use certain scripture verses from the King James Bible to prove that their beliefs to be false, they encourage me to leave their presence. Some occasionally become quite offensive. Such an attitude indicates that these people do NOT have “…a love of the truth [contained within scripture] that they MIGHT be saved” (2 Thes 2:10), but have a love of Relative Truth that compromises the truths of God.
Such an attitude ultimately causes spiritual sicknesses such as spiritual blindness and spiritual deafness to occur in their spiritual eyes and ears. In this, Jesus spoke the parable of the Sower and the Seed (Luke 8:4-10) where He ended His illustration by saying:
"And he said, Unto you it is given to know THE MYSTERIES of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that SEEING THEY MIGHT NOT SEE, and HEARING THEY MIGHT NOT UNDERSTAND." (Luke 8:10)
In this illustration , Jesus says that all Christians have every opportunity to research and learn about the various truths contained within the parables that those who are truly God’s children will come to understand fully. However, those who dismiss the spiritual truths the Holy Spirit presents to them eventually apply a false understanding to the parables as those who “seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand” because they did NOT have a love of the truth.
Absolute Truth
Absolute Truth is not confined to the Bible. As an example, the police and the courts throughout the world generally operate in “Truth” during investigative and judicial processes associated with crimes. Such truth requires the gathering and sifting of evidence for presentation in the court, for a judge to weigh the evidence before announcing the “truth” of his verdict.
God expects His people to similarly “sift the evidence” in everything they are presented with. This applies whether it is news items on the television; claims from the alternative media, or anything said by the preacher in Sunday’s sermon.
The Bible says that GOD IS TRUTH (Psalm 31:5) and that Jesus is “THE TRUTH” (John 14:6) and that the Holy Spirit is the “SPIRIT OF TRUTH” (John 14:17; John 15:26) and that the Bible (i.e. King James Version) is TRUTH (John 17:17)—which means the only way to God is by approaching Him in TRUTH—the Absolute Truth! In contrast to this is the Devil (or Satan) who deals with LIES! See John 8:44-47.
Dealing with the Devil and his people
The Devil’s people are both inside and outside the churches spreading lies. Those inside aim to ensnare God’s people into believing a false narrative (Prov 6:5). Those outside the church aim to rob Christians and non-Christians of their worldly goods. Regardless where they are located, Satan’s “ministers” aim to rob people of their Salvation.
"And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light [or one of God’s holy angels]. {15} Therefore it is no great thing if HIS MINISTERS [i.e. false preachers in today’s pulpits] also be transformed [to the congregations they minister to] as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works." (2 Cor 11:14-15)In this, the Apostle John warned God’s people about False Christs, False Gospels and False Holy Spirits, as stated in the scripture verses below.
"But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. {4} For if he that cometh preacheth ANOTHER [false] JESUS, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive ANOTHER [false Holy] SPIRIT, which ye have not received, or ANOTHER [false] GOSPEL, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him." (2 Cor 11:3-4)"For MANY DECEIVERS are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist." (2 John 1:7)The Bible indicates that as the serpent (alias Satan) deceived Eve and then Adam (which brought about their eternal removal from God’s presence), From this it is reasonable to assume God is allowing Satan to apply the same deceptions to everyone born on the earth (Rom 2:11).
God’s testing of Christians
Jesus Christ requires every person who accepts Him as his or her Savior to be tested by Satan, in the same way God allowed Adam and Eve to be tested.
God allows this testing to help Him determine whether each Christian remains true to His words in scripture, or whether he or she has been seduced into believing a lie that will eventually rob them of eternal life with Him. An illustration of this is shown in the scripture verse below:
"And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, SATAN HATH DESIRED TO HAVE YOU, THAT HE MAY SIFT YOU AS WHEAT: {32} But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." (Luke 22:31-32)
After Peter told the same lie three times by denying he was Christ’s disciple (Luke 22:34), Jesus later helped Peter undo those lies (John 21:17-19). After learning that denying Christ could have affected his salvation (2 Tim 2:12-13), Peter provided a warning to every Christian as to the deceptions the Devil would use to rob God’s people of their Salvation in Christ, as stated in the verses below:
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world." (1 Peter 5:8-10)
The temptations of Jesus by Satan
Throughout Satan’s temptations for Christ to commit just one act of sin that would have destroyed God’s mission for Him to save people from the penalty of their sins, Jesus used the words “It is written…” and then quoted the appropriate verse of scripture to neutralize Satan’s claims against Him.
Apart from being tempted throughout His entire lifetime on earth by Satan and his people (Heb 4:15), there were at least two sets of significant temptations Christ had to endure:
The first three occurred in Luke 4:1-13, after which Satan left Christ “for a season“;
The last three occurred in Matt 4:1-11, after which Satan was dismissed by Christ, never to present similar temptations again to Him.
Based on my own experiences, it is my belief that God has established a similar pattern of testing for all Christians to experience (Rev 3:21). We either pass or fail the tests. If we fail, then God is merciful and caring enough to arrange additional tests later so that we meet His required standards of entry into Heaven (Heb 12:14-16; Heb 10:26-31).
The benefits of Salvation – NOW
The purposes of Christ’s death was not only to pay the price for the remission of sins by the shedding of His blood for those who believe upon His atonement in faith—but to provide His people with the means (or spiritual ‘tools’) to give God’s people complete mastery over Satan, his evil angels and the evil spirits within his kingdom (Luke 10:19; John 14:12; Mark 16:17-18).
Satan’s rule over the nations; his reign of death and his continued opposition towards the saints—has continued unabated since the days of Adam and Eve, but will be done away with in the Millennium as indicated in Eph. 1:10; 1 Cor. 15:24-28; Rev. 21:1-8; Rev. 22:3).”
Summary
If Christians don’t fear that they can lose their Salvation because of Satan’s lies and deceptions (Matt 10:28), this indicates Satan has them deceived already. This means they will eventually have NO Salvation because they have been “overcome” by his lies and deceptions (Rev 3:21-22) – just as Adam and Eve were deceived.
Therefore, every Christian is responsible for his or her own Salvation —Phil 2:12, just as Adam and Eve were held responsible for their own actions of failing to obey God’s words.
To discover more about the Gospel’s requirements, please read the following articles on this website:
Both of these articles demonstrate the requirement God has for “works” to be produced by His children on the earth.
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