How many times do we see our leaders
try to cover an
error in speech or judgment by saying something untrue?
The expression, “the cover-up is worse than the crime”
fits the description of such actions. There have been
men convicted of the crime of obstruction of justice
because they were trying to cover up some unseemly
or even illegal deed and the punishment was greater
than it would have been if they had confessed and
apologized. All because they chose something other
than the truth to accept and follow.
How often did the Kings of Israel
reject the spoken word
of prophets of God because they chose to pursue selfish
interests in lieu of the truth of God? The Kings of Israel who followed in the ways of
Jeroboam, the son of Nebat,
started their rule in opposition to the truth of God.
They were idolaters as a result of the division of the Kingdom and the golden calves at
Dan and Bethel designed
to prevent them from returning to Jerusalem to
worship.
In the New Testament, the men in
power referred to as
the rulers of the Jews were guilty of the same thing. John tells us in 12:42 of his gospel
account that many of
the rulers of the people believed in Jesus but because
they feared recrimination from the Pharisees they
would not confess Him.
There is a principle we are driving
at in these comments
and it simply is this as spoken by the Lord, and
you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” John 8:32. Now, of course,
Jesus was speaking of
freedom from the burden of sin. The freedom He promised
when He said, “Come to Me, all who are weary
and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My
yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and
humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR
SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
When Jesus promised to relieve the
burden of sin from
all who would come to Him, it is understood by any and all who intend to please Him
that we recognize these
two things about Him. First, that He and He alone is the One we must follow to please
the God of heaven. John
14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth,
and the life; no one comes to the Father but through
Me. Second we must accept His authority and obey
Him. Heb. 5:8-9 – “Although He was a Son, He learned
obedience from the things which He suffered. And
having been made perfect, He became to all those who
obey Him the source of eternal salvation.”
Jesus is the One Who said, “He who has
believed and has been baptized
shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall
be condemned (Mark 16:16). Baptism for the remission
of sins is not something conjured in the mind of
man, it is a command of the Lord, Himself. Jesus
is the One who authorized the message revealed
by the Holy Spirit to the apostles (John 16:13-15;
1 Cor. 2:10-13). In the message of Christ, revealed
by the Holy Spirit is the clear teaching that Jesus
would establish His church (Mat. 16:18). His word
then demands that we strive to find and become a part
of His church.
Choosing a church based on family history
or social relationships is not seeking His church and the message He gave the Holy
Spirit which He identifies
as the truth. We have gone onward and are no
longer abiding in the doctrine of Christ of which the apostle John spoke (2 John 9-11).
The apostle Paul spoke
concerning the one body, one spirit, one Lord, one
faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all specified
in Eph. 4:1-6.
The point is we each have a
responsibility to the salvation
of our own souls to be searching for and insisting
on our obedience to the truth. Jesus said, “You say
correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the
world, to testify to the truth.
Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” (John
18:37).
You see, the truth of the message of
the gospel will set
us free. Free from the burden of sin. Free from the influence of Satan disguising
himself as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14-15).
Have you chosen truth or social
comfort?
via Jim Stauffer
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