2003-07-29 - Truth

Ephesians 4:25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth, each one of you, with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.

We all make mistakes and I want to admit to a mistake I made in Monday's (7-28-03) devotional. While reading a book on American History, which was published in 1990, I came upon the statement that on 7-28-45 a B-52 bomber flew into the Empire State Building. I used it in the Monday devotional. This is apparently not a true statement as I received the following e-mail from a devotional reader, "A B-52 has never flown into the Empire State Building. They first flew (the B-52) in 1952. I think it was a B-17 or a B-24. A humble B-52 Pilot." I admit to my mistake and apologize for it.

As the verse we started with tells us, it is important for Christians to be truthful with each other. However, either intentionally or by mistake, we all fall short of being completely truthful all the time. There is only One who is always truthful and that is the Lord. In John 17:3 we read of God being "the only true God." There are many people who we can trust, but there is only One who is completely trustworthy. Christ also said in John 14:6 that He was the truth. The Holy Spirit is called "the Spirit of truth," in John 14:17. We can clearly see that Scripture teaches that truth is a triune aspect of God's nature.

There are two etymological thoughts on the development of the word true and the word truth comes from the same source. The first line of thinking says it comes from the prehistoric German word treww, which means faithful. The second thought is that is comes from an Indo-European based word dru. dru meant wood, or tree. It was in reference to the steadfastness of oak trees and trees like them. Therefore, we have as the meaning of the word true, "faithful and steadfast." This is exactly how we are to view God. He is faithful. He is steadfast. He is true. "...He who is holy, who is true..." (Revelation 3:7).

Our response is to walk in the Lord's truth. "For I was very glad when brethren came and bore witness to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth. I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth," (3 John 3, 4). Our response is to establish ourselves in the truth. "Therefore I shall always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you," (2 Peter 1:12). Our response is to speak the truth. "But Paul said, 'I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth," (Acts 26:25). Lastly, our response is to believe and know the truth, 1 Timothy 4:3.

"Such is the immutability of truth, the patrons of it make it not greater, the opposers make it not less; as the splendour of the sun is not enlarged by them that bless it, nor eclipsed by them that hate it." Thomas Adams

Soli Deo Gloria,
T-

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