Truth. The truth found in God’s holy Word is the forever word. It is the final and only authority for a believer in Christ. God’s Word is a blueprint for every believer. It provides direction, lessons, wisdom, discernment, and exercises our faith and trust. God is Truth, and truth begins and ends with Him. He is the Creator of the universe, the King of Kings. He is worthy of our attention, our praise, and our allegiance.
In light of God’s Word, manmade rules mean nothing. In light of God’s Word, “progressive thought” means nothing. In light of God’s Word, theology foreign to God’s Word means nothing. In light of God’s Word, laws normalizing sin mean nothing. In light of God’s Word, ritualistic pomp and circumstance mean nothing. In light of God’s Word, people in any position, from any walk of life, pontificating their own truths outside of God’s holy Word means nothing.
Let’s. Get. Real.
The only thing which carries weight…the only thing that matters is what God himself has said. His commands, His Word, His ways, His truth…that is what matters. All else is meaningless. All else leads hearts astray. All else is deception. We are burying our heads in the sand if we believe that God has changed His stance on sin. We are willfully blinding ourselves to truth when we bend the rules to fit our own agendas. We are fooling ourselves when we play in the grey areas and dilute, twist, make excuses, take away from or add to God’s Word.
If we love God, we will obey Him. We will strive to place Him first…above all else. Our allegiance will be to Him, not a man, a movement, an experience, or things that “tickle the ears.” Our heart’s focus should be to do His will regardless of the twists and turns society takes. We’re called to follow Him and take the approach of the Bereans… testing everything that comes our way to make sure it lines up with God’s Word. We’re to be set apart. We’re to be instruments God uses to impact and change the culture, not be changed and impacted by the culture.
We are imperfect vessels, but when we hold to truth and cling to God, walking the straight and narrow, we will make impactful strides for the kingdom as we exercise obedience.
God is very clear. His commands have never changed and will never change. He is clear that He himself has not changed and will never change. Malachi 3:6 says, “For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.” Hebrews 13:8 states, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
Let’s dive into some other verses:
“The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations” (Psalm 33:11).
“To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever Amen” (1 Timothy 1:17).
“If we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself” (2 Timothy 2:13).
“God is not a man that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” (Numbers 23:19).
“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever” (Isaiah 40:8).
“Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, but you are the same, and your years have no end” (Psalm 102:25-27).
“Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens” (Psalm 119:89).
Society can change, man’s thinking can change, government’s laws can change, but God never changes. It should humble us as brothers and sisters in Christ to remember that He is the same God who created the universe. He is the same God who created all of mankind. He is the same God who brought salvation. And He clearly says His laws and His Word are as relevant today as when they were written all those years ago.
As believers, we’re called to follow Him wholeheartedly. Jesus said this to his disciples as recorded in Matthew 16:24, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”
Romans 12:2 reminds us of our place in this world, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
James 4:4 goes on to state, “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.”
The Bible clearly states that there will come a day when everyone will give an account for their lives. “For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:11-12).
Will we be ready to face that day? Will you be ready to face that day?
When you stand before Him, will He be able to say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
2 Corinthians 5:10 states, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”
As we take more steps into 2020, let’s look to God and follow the blueprint He’s given us concerning this life. Let’s decide today to fully commit to Him, to His commands, and to His truth.
Let’s pick up our Bibles. Let’s share our hope with others. Let’s take a stand. Let’s dive deeper into the things of God. Let’s allow God to use us. Let’s listen to His voice and obey His commands. Let’s, as Jesus said, “pick up our cross and follow Him.”
Let’s start today.
Let’s. Get. Real.