The prophet Isaiah said in his day that truth had fallen in the street (Isa. 59:14). The situation has intensified in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.That is why John MacArthur’s book, The Truth War, is one of the most important items to have in your possession today.
Every believer should know and have a love for the truth.We are in a generation where for convenience, personal gain, and deception-related issues, it is being ignored by many. I am reminded of the verse, “they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved” (2 Thessalonians 2:10). Thus, Solomon’s wise words, “Buy truth, and do not sell it” (Proverbs 23:23).
As MacArthur states about our climate today, “Contemporary Christians are determined to get the world to like them, and of course in the process they also want to have as much fun as possible. They are so obsessed with making the church seem ‘cool’ to unbelievers that they can’t be bothered with questions about whether another person’s doctrine is sound or not. In a climate like that, the thought of even identifying someone else’s teaching as false, (much less ‘contending earnestly’ for the faith) is a distasteful and a dangerously countercultural suggestion.”
MacArthur concludes, “But Christians ought to be the most willing to live and die for truth. Remember, we know the truth, and the truth has set us free (John 8:32). And if called upon to sacrifice for the truth’s sake, we need to be willing and prepared to give our lives.”
Yet today many so-called evangelicals are openly questioning whether such a thing as truth exists.Others will say that we can’t be sure what it is.Thus some Christian leaders today—many of them highly respected—just refuse to stand for anything because they have decided that even Scripture isn’t clear enough to debate about.And yet absolute truth is what the Word of God is all about!
Since the onset of the “seeker” movement, the EmergentChurch movement, and postmodern thinking of the last 15 years, the sacrificial lamb has been truth.Again quoting MacArthur, “We cannot sit by and do nothing while worldly, revisionist, and skeptical attitudes about truth are infiltrating the church. We must not embrace such confusion in the name of charity, collegiality, or unity. We have to stand and fight for the truth—and be prepared to die for it—as faithful Christians always have.”
He concludes, “Church leaders are obsessed with style and methodology, losing interest in the glory of God, and becoming grossly apathetic about truth and sound doctrine. For the moment, at least, the battle appears to be turning in the enemy’s favor.”
The truth war is, indeed, a war. Warfare is serious. It requires diligence. It requires paying a price. It will cost you. You may not be popular.And many of today’s believers have no taste for conflict and contention. Enemies of the truth are relentless. Casualties abound.
So, will you stand for truth, or go the way of many today--including some evangelical leaders--and opt for compromise?
Since you are called for such a time as this, you are called to stand for truth in today’s deceptive world and church.Please report for duty.
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Truth is important but "the Truth" is much more important. Jesus said that He is the Truth. So maybe we need to read the verses above again substituting Jesus for "the Truth" and also substituting Jesus for "the Word of God". This gives a different meaning to some of these passages.
Just a thought. Click here to reply to this post
Truth is it's own reward
Posted On: 01/24/08 09:04:24 AM
Age 47, MO
Jan:
One thing I've noted is that the revelation I receive is the same other Christians have recently received, my strugles are the same other Christians have recently struggled with. In other words, the true Church moves in unison and we are not standing alone out on a limb. Our church has fallen off the Rock and this weekend I have to be bold and guide our pastor back to the Truth. I don't want to do it, but he has drank the Bill Hybels Kool Aid so long that the church has lost its way. I have comfort in knowing that I am not alone in this task. Bless God, John Click here to reply to this post
There is a War
Posted On: 01/22/08 03:23:40 PM
Age 51, OH
Every family that loves Jesus Christ and the Truth of the Bible needs to have a copy of this book. We have read it twice and as a family. Click here to reply to this post
The Truth War
Posted On: 01/22/08 01:25:09 PM
Age 61, MO
"Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this Book: for the time is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be." (Revelation 22:10-12). In these verses we can see a polarization between the righteous and the unrighteous: a very pressing conflict between those who will stand for God's Will and God's Kingdom, the preeminence of Christ; and those forces at work that would render powerless the Testimony of Jesus by keeping the saints focused on the natural, the flesh-and-blood, the carnal, and the temporal. Many elements and factions within the Church itself do not accurately represent the heart and mind of God, but claim to.
Organized Religion claims to represent Christ in the earth, but if that representation is faulty then it is almost as bad as having no representation at all, and in many respects it is preferable to the enemy, for now he is able to distort God as God and reduce Him down to the level of our own vain imagination. The Testimony of Jesus does not consist of what we think or say about Jesus; it is the revelation of Christ as He in fact is. To manifest HIM as He is, in life as well as words, is to properly bear the Testimony. The problem is that most church houses claim to have the Testimony of Jesus when they are in fact representing something which is NOT Jesus, but is actually far removed from the revelation of Christ. George Cancilla Click here to reply to this post
JESUS SAYS - I AM
Posted On: 01/23/08 12:55:40 PM
Age 64, OH
Praise God that Jesus is what he is and NOT what most churches say he is. Good post George. Lou Click here to reply to this post
I agree
Posted On: 01/22/08 01:19:29 PM
Age 56, AR
Deception, of course, has existed since the Garden of Eden....but never have I seen it on the scale that exists today, both in the church and the secular world. Thank you for being a voice for truth. Click here to reply to this post
heartily agree
Posted On: 01/22/08 08:56:30 AM
Age 50, IL
I am one who was like the frog in the pot being slowly cooked in the waters of the social setting of the church, the lets enjoy ourselves and not get too involved in the things that really matter. Praise God for lighting the fire and making me jump out of the pot. It is dufficult to make others who are comfortable with the 'lifestyle' of the modern Christian to understand and get on the side of the TRUTH of the Word of God and truly live for Him and stand up for His Word. Click here to reply to this post
The War Against Truth
Posted On: 01/22/08 06:32:50 AM
Age 65, CA
Not only do I own a copy of The Truth War, I have read it twice and am in full agreement with you...everyone who calls him(her)self a Christian needs to read this book. You do good to promote it.
My pastor, just this past December, was confronted by the "founding families" of our little Baptist Church for "pushing a creationist agenda, and we don't much like it!" Not only that, he was told that his stand against abortion "goes against what we believe!"
Needless to say this little church has not had a baptism ceremony in over two years.
Neal S Bishop
a Bible Ministry Click here to reply to this post
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