Responding to Truth

Jesus told His disciples that if they would ABIDE in His Word that they would "know the TRUTH, and the TRUTH shall make you free." (John 8:32)

Most of us know this verse. We have heard it, we can quote it, and we appreciate it. But how do we respond to truth? How we respond to the truth of God's Word will tell us whether or not we are abiding in truth.

The letter to the Hebrews tells us that the Word of God is quick, powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword. It is with this understanding of the Word that we have conditioned ourselves to believe that God only delivers truth to us when He wants to cut us to the bone. Not true! God doesn't speak truth to us so that we may be pierced in our hearts, but rather to reveal to us how we can be free.

The way we respond to truth is directly related to how we perceive God and the life that we are living. If we are living a life that is contrary to God's Word, it's easy to see truth as abrasive. If we have a view of God that says He is out to punish me every time I mess up then we will not be ready to receive truth. It's funny to me that we tend to blame God for how His truth rubs us the wrong way. I have said it in the past (and so have most of you): "God nailed me with that one!" It is with this type of mindset that we have totally negated the work of our conscience. Could it be that the pain we feel (conviction) is related to the fact that we know we are living a life that is contrary to God's Word?

I have had several conversations with believers who are living outside of God's best for their lives. The purpose of my conversation wasn't to make them feel bad. I'm not out to convict anyone. I get absolutely no joy from tracking people down and sticking it to them. It's actually the pastor's heart within me that wants to help people see the life that they could be enjoying. Here are some of the responses that I have received:
"Every time you talk to me, you just make me mad."
"Why is it that you are always pointing out the bad stuff that I'm doing?"
"I don't care what you say..."
"That's not how I view it!"

These are typical responses from people who are living in opposition to the truth that can set them free. Only as we abide in the Word of God, walk in all that God would have us walk in, can we experience the freedom that God wants us to have. When God gave His commandments to the children of Israel, He said that He wanted them to have a heart to do all that He commanded so that it would go well with them and their children. God wants His absolute best for all of us, and the way that we enjoy His best is by walking in the life that He blesses.

Think about it: A lawyer comes to Jesus and says, "What is the greatest commandment?" His response: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength...and the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." The Jewish people had taken the commandments of God and made them an outward standard. This is the reason for the question. In essence the lawyer is saying "What can I do that is best in God's sight?" Jesus' reply demonstrates the nature of the law. He summed it all up by saying all that was given in the Law and from the Prophets is to lead us in a love relationship with God and one another. It doesn't matter if you follow the letter of the law if it doesn't lead you to loving God with every fiber of your being and loving your neighbor as yourself.

Remember: How we perceive God and how we live life will determine how we respond to truth. Do you view God according to His unconditional love? Are you living your life in the freedom of God's Word? If we cannot say "Yes" to these statement then it will be hard to respond to truth positively. Understand that God has His best in mind for you.