In Search of Truth

In Search of Truth

As the great Swami Salami has stated, "Truth is Truth". Believe it or not, he is absolutely correct--if you play by the rules! You see, truth is ONLY the truth when it can fit the following definition: An ideal or fundamental reality APART from a perceived standard or fact. Before we figure out what that really means, let's look at the definition of truth that is found in the Random House Dictionary of the English Language: Conformity with fact or reality--a verified or indisputable fact--agreement with a standard. Now, if this would be our only definition for truth, then I would have a major problem with this. The reason is that there is a GIGANTIC difference between "The Facts" and "The Truth". Here's why. The FACT is, that getting high or having sex with your boyfriend or girlfriend is alot of fun. There's no denying it--it's fun. But, the TRUTH is, that taking drugs can kill you, turn you into a criminal, effect your performance as a student, athlete and all around human being and......it's against God's moral plan for you. The TRUTH is, that having sex before marriage can lead to HIV or AIDS or other diseases, unwanted pregnancy (and to take it even further---abortion), shattering your future plans, guilt and......IT'S SIN! Tonight, the TRUTH is, that you can't live your lives ONLY according to the facts. If we go back to our original definition of truth we'll see that the key point is that truth is a fundamental reality that is often APART, or different from the facts. So, if we're going to live our lives according to the TRUTH, then we have to know what the truth is all about. Guess what? You came to the right show and you have the best seat in the house, because tonight, right here, YOU will hear, learn and experience THE one and ONLY TRUTH--that God is alive-He is awesome and all powerful-He loves you with all His heart-ALL the blessings and promises found in His Word are for YOU......and THAT'S the TRUTH!

1) Now, here's the Rules.....

The bottom line is that the Word of God is the FINAL standard for truth. Without this basic step of faith, everything else is irrelevant. Now, listen up all you skeptics out there. Whether you choose to accept God's Word as final authority or not, YOU are making a decision to choose SOMETHING as your standard of truth. You're either choosing to believe God or you're choosing NOT to believe God. I respectfully submit to the court, your honor, that a further study of the Word of God will, in fact, prove to be conclusive to the issue that the REAL truth is found ONLY in the Word of God...thank you. (A little too much O.J. and Court TV!) In other words, put God to the test by making a step towards Him by reading and believing His Word. If you do this, I GUARANTEE that God will reveal Himself to you in the most incredible ways! You will know love, friendship and trust like you have never known. You'll NEVER be alone again. But...YOU have to choose to accept His Word.

2) Freedom!

A very common saying, both within the church and in the world is, "And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." I think that everyone from militants & liberals with a cause, to politicians & dictators have used this same quote--but always to support their own personal brand of the truth--or what they're selling AS the truth. You see, everybody wants to be FREE--physically, spiritually, mentally, financially, etc. The problem is that they want it all on THEIR terms. Anything done outside of the plan of God.....will fail!

3) And the answer is.....

Let's look at that quote again, which, by the way, is found in John 8:32. Jesus was talking to believers here. They were also people that have been "free" men all their lives. They never experienced the bonds of slavery. So, they said to Jesus, "We've never been slaves to anyone, so how can you say that we will be set free?" The bombshell hits in verse 34 when Jesus says, "Anyone who sins is a slave to sin." Now, we all know that a slave was someone who was bought and sold at will by his owner. The slave had no rights and no say in his future. The slave watched as the sons of the master received all the blessings and benefits of their title as the "sons" of the master. The son had a permanent place in the family, both physically and in the journals of history. NOTHING could change the POSITION of the son in that family. So, Jesus is saying that if you choose to sin, your MASTER is SIN. You are no longer free, you are a slave to your master. The sad part is, that unlike the enslaved people of the past, who had no choice in their enslaving, if you sin, YOU have CHOSEN to be a slave. Now, as with any choice we make in life, there are consequences involved. OK, Johnny Jacobs, tell our lucky winners what they've won today here on Truth or Consequences......Romans 6:23A gives us the answer. It says that the wages (results or reward) of being a slave to sin is....... drum roll.....DEATH! Why would anyone consciously CHOOSE to be a slave to something that is guaranteed to lead to death? Talk about Dumb & Dumber! But let's quickly move on to the GOOD news here. Now, to get the real picture of what Jesus is saying we have to go back to John 8, but to the verse BEFORE the famous quote. In verse 31, Jesus says, "If you obey My teachings and My Word, then you really ARE my disciples". Obedience is THE key to unlocking the answers to EVERYTHING we need to know from God--but so is reading the quote correctly. You see, verse 32 dosen't say, "YOU will know the truth and the truth will set you free", it says "THEN you will know the truth and the truth will set you free." GIGANTIC difference. You CAN NOT read verse 32 without FIRST reading verse 31! The ONLY way to know the truth and be free is by obeying His Word and becoming His disciples. Without following these stipulations, you will NEVER know truth and true freedom. It is impossible! TRUE freedom comes through obedience and submission to God & God alone.

4) Check this out!

As we said earlier, with every choice that we make in life, there is a consequence involved. The same holds true to our GOOD choices! God's not an old meany that spanks us when we are bad and doesn't reward us when we're good! We will reap what we sow--the bad and the good. If we choose to obey Him, we get a special gift from Him. It's found at the end of Romans 6:23. It says that, "...the gift of God to us is eternal life!". Do you know that this one thing, eternal life, is what EVERYONE is searching for? People---THIS IS THE TRUTH! Look no further! BUT.....it's your choice whether to believe it or not. You know how we spoke before about being a slave to a master? Romans 6:22 says something that is really cool. It says, "Now that you have believed and are free from sin and slavery to its master, you have become slaves to God." WHAT!!! Hold on! As you get to know God, you see and experience His love and find that He is not an unjust slave master. In fact, the only way to really become His sons and daughters, with all the benefits that come with those titles, is by first submitting to Him and becoming His obedient servants. This total abandonment to God will unlock and unleash His unbridled love and blessing upon you--in ways you never thought possible. But...where slavery to sin brings death, becoming slaves to God brings eternal life, blessing, freedom, truth, love, etc. (I don't have enough paper or time to list all the benefits) In the Old Testament, when a slave finally had the opportunity to be freed by his master, if the master was evil, the newly freed slave hit the pike like a road runner. BUT....when a master was a godly man, and treated his slave like a true son, with mercy and love, that slave would often CHOOSE to stay with his master instead of leaving. This type of slave was called a bond servant. To prove his eternal loyalty (until his death), the bond servant would take an awl, or a nail and by leaning against a post, pierce his ear, as a sign to the world of his love and loyalty. It is when we experience this level of obedience to God, a total selling out to Him, that we can know and live the truth and be truly free.

BACK TO TEACHING MENU PAGE