Love rejoices with the truth

1) Imagine a conversation between two people who believe in God and the Bible.

2) One person believes we cannot know when Jesus will return (Mt. 24:36).

3) The second person believes Jesus will come back on January 1^st of next year.

4) After the discussion ends, each person continues in their belief.

5) In this case someone is definitely wrong about a very important matter.

a) Yet, in cases like this, people have said, “Oh, it really doesn’t matter that we disagree.”

b) “You have your belief and I have mine. We can agree to disagree and everything is fine.”

6) This is the world’s view of love – if we tolerate someone or something, we are showing love.

7) God says this type of toleration and acceptance is not love – look at 1 Cor. 13:6 – READ.

8) Love “rejoices in or “with” the truth.”

9) If we do not agree with people on doctrinal matters, there is no basis for rejoicing.

10) It is a sad time when we do not agree on a Bible subject with others.

11) One of the things our world does not understand too well is that real love is connected to truth.

a) One source that defines Biblical words looked at 1 Cor. 13:6 and made this observation.

b) “Truth is a power to be obeyed.”

c) Consider the first part of this definition: truth is a power.

d) This is right. Truth is powerful. It is so powerful it often offends people.

12) Man lives in a world where he often sees himself as God.

a) We can jet around the earth, fly to the moon, and have instant communication with people anywhere in the world.

b) It looks like humanity is strong and mighty.

c) When we start talking about truth, it sounds like there might be a power above us.

d) Truth makes it sound like there is something that supersedes man.

e) Many men do not want to entertain that possibility.

13) Truth exists, it is a power, and it is a power to be obeyed.

14) Sometimes people obey out of fear. Obedience may be rendered because it is the path of least resistance.

15) In the religious realm, truth is obeyed for a different reason.

16) Paul said we are to “rejoice” in truth.

17) Truth makes people feel good. It may not always be convenient, but it is ultimately good news.

18) If we have the truth, we can know beyond any doubt that our beliefs and understanding are certain.

19) The very best choice in life is to embrace the truth and revel in the power and joy that it brings.

20) Many will not make this choice.

21) As stated in the first part of verse 6, there are those who “rejoice in unrighteousness.”

22) Only two choices are offered to man: rejoice in the truth or rejoice in unrighteousness.

23) If we refuse to seek and follow the truth, we choose a very difficult and unpleasant path.

a) Paul explained the consequence in Rom. 2:8, a passage I want to read.

b) In Rom. 2 Paul presented some information to the Jews.

c) The Hebrew nation was a people who had access to the truth.

d) Paul said they “rested upon the law and gloried in God” (Rom. 2:17).

e) They had an understanding about truth and joy.

f) Jews “knew the will of God” and had been “instructed in the law” (Rom. 2:18).

g) Everything was there for the Jews to appreciate and love the truth.

h) Here was the ultimate choice many of them made – Rom. 2:8 – READ.

24) Only two choices are listed in this text: obey the truth or obey unrighteousness.

25) Refusing to accept and abide by the truth will result in facing the wrath of God.

a) We sometimes meet people who say, “I do not think it matters what someone believes about God.”

b) “As long as we believe that is all that counts.”

c) I have a lot of Bible translations, but I have never been able to find these statements.

d) What I do read is love and obey the truth or obey unrighteousness.

e) Rejoicing in the truth brings the blessings of God; the other choice does not..

f) To a lot of people that will sound harsh and awful.

g) How could God possibly mean there are only two ways?

26) The answer is found in the word truth. Truth and error both exist.

27) There is not much middle ground between these two things.

28) In our world we have many things that are right and wrong (truth and error).

a) 2 + 2 is four. If we said 2 + 2 is 3, we have a wrong conclusion.

b) We are not off by much, but we cannot accept 2 + 2 as being 3.

c) Another person might conclude 2 + 2 is five.

d) Such a conclusion is still close to the right answer, but close is not enough.

e) Some things in life are one way or another. It is right or wrong; it is truth or it is error.

29) Most of us have called the electric company at one time or another.

30) In going through the phone voice prompts we are asked a question: do we have power or do we not have power.

31) There is not “in-between” answer. It is a “yes” or “no” question as to whether our electricity is on.

32) God says to the world, “select and follow truth” or you will be unrighteous.

33) People may not like that message, but it is so clear small children can understand it.

a) A lot of people like to talk about the love of God.

b) We cannot have a God of love without truth.

c) Imagine a God that is a God of error. No one would want that.

d) All recognize on some level the need for God to be a God of truth.

e) Yet, our world often tries to separate God from the quality of truth.

34) At least some of us are old enough to remember some clever slogans.

35) One slogan was, “Doctrine (truth) divides but love unifies.”

36) Another is, “Unity (love) in diversity (error)” (as long as we love each other, doctrine does not matter).

37) A third is “Just love Jesus; what you believe doesn’t matter.”

38) Many people have embraced all these ideas.

a) Based on 1 Cor. 13, all these concepts are in complete conflict with the Scriptures.

b) We cannot have true love without truth.

c) I want to turn our attention to one of the shortest books in the Bible, 3 Jn.

d) Sometimes we look at the opening line or two of a Biblical book and breeze right by it.

e) There are places where the opening information has some very useful information.

39) Such is the case with 3 Jn. 1 – READ.

a) John says he loved someone—then he explained how he loved him—in truth.

b) Truth and love go together.

c) It is possible for someone to join together truth with hate, anger, malice, gossip, or some other sin.

d) True love with truth is one of the most beautiful things we can find on this earth.

e) It is therefore not surprising that John adds to the thought in verse 3 – READ.

40) Loving in truth is in verse 1 and living in truth is in 3 Jn. 3:3.

41) These two passages sound a lot like rejoicing in truth, 1 Cor. 13:6.

42) It is impossible to be a Christian without the truth.

43) John does not stop here – verse 8 – READ.

44) Now we read about “fellow-workers” for the truth.

45) We also “labor” or “work” in truth.

46) When we talk to people about the Bible, we are not just discussing a book.

47) When we describe the Christian life, we are not talking about just a region.

48) We are telling people about the truth (the one and right way).

a) Have we ever worked at a place where someone lied to us?

b) Teresa used to work at the SEARS telecatalog as a supervisor.

c) One week she relayed to me information she had received.

d) The report said business was booming; everything was great.

e) The following Monday I had the radio on and was listening to the news.

f) The announcer said, “SEARS is closing its catalogue center because it is no longer profitable.”

g) Teresa was working for a company that was not honest with its employees.

h) If we are a Christian, we have a chance to work with and in the truth.

i) That is one of the greatest opportunities that will ever be made available to us.

49) We are not involved with something that is fake or will be bettered at some point in the future.

50) We have the greatest story ever told, and the message is for everyone on this earth.

51) It is also a message that is true. It can be proven and the Christian hope is accurate and secure.

52) This is one more reason we can “rejoice in the truth.”

53) John then said (verse 12) that what we say (the message) is true – READ.

54) Truth separates sinners from the saints. It makes the people of God distinctive in every way.

a) In Jn. 1:14 John says Jesus was “full of truth.”

b) When a person has little regard for Jesus, he has no serious commitment to truth.

c) Paying lip service to what is in the Bible also means little commitment to the truth.

55) Anyone with a true commitment to truth will be concerned about their worship.

56) We are not told to simply “worship God” in the New Testament; we are told to worship in truth.

57) Jesus said this “must” be done (Jn. 4:24).

58) We are told in Jn. 17:17 that God’s word is truth.

a) If we “rejoice in truth” the Scriptures be of great interest to us.

b) We will seek to know the Word of God and follow it.

c) We will be a lifelong student of the Holy Bible.

59) God warns us that some will try to “hinder the truth” (Rom. 1:18).

60) Others will “exchange the truth for a lie” (Rom. 1:25).

61) Paul also said truth will cause us to have some enemies (Gal. 4:16).

62) Not all want the truth.

63) In fact, most do not want it.

a) Jesus warned about this in Mt. 7.

b) He said there is a “wide gate” and a “narrow way.”

c) The narrow way is the way of truth and only a few will accept it

d) Sometimes the way of truth is painful way. We must hear things that are not easy to hear.

e) We need to do things that we may not want to do.

f) We may need to change some things that we are not enthusiastic about changing.

64) A second choice is the way that accepts everything but the whole truth.

65) That way is broad enough to accept any belief system.

66) Jesus said that broad way leads to destruction.

67) Truth and our obedience to it will separate the saved people from the unsaved.

68) Saved people know the truth, obey the truth, and rejoice in the truth.

69) Do we know the truth? Have we obeyed it? Do we each day rejoice in it?