What makes God’s truth so powerful? In the Scriptures, God refers to Himself as the God of truth. Also, Christ says that He is the way…and the truth. And likewise, God’s Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of truth! But what can the truth do for us?
“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free,”’ (John 8:31-32). God’s truth can set us free—if we continue steadfastly in His word. We study to discover God’s purpose for human life, to learn the way of outgoing concern for our fellow man, and to understand God’s nature and character. These truths do free us the fear of death and gives us an understanding of the kindness and love of the most powerful being in the universe.
We have a special bond with Christ both as our Savior and our High Priest. Through Him we can know the Father (John 8:19). The Spirit of truth enables us to know the plan of God and to develop a personal covenant relationship with Him. Without the truth of God’s word in the Bible we wouldn’t even know God or how to properly worship Him. “…the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth,” (John 4:23-24). God’s Spirit provides a direct conduit between us and God the Father!
The world is beguiled, misled, and held captive by Satan’s lies. “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it,” (John 8:44). But because we have the Spirit of truth we are not deceived. God’s Spirit unlocks the words of life to us and the power of a sound mind. God’s truth is part of our spiritual armor, shielding us from falsehood.
King David wrote often in the Psalms about the protective power of God’s Commandments that keep us from harm. The truth of obeying God’s Commandments literally sets us free from the penalty of wrong living!
We know God’s Plan of Salvation and have the hope of eternal life in the Kingdom of God at Christ’s return. “But now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming,” (1 Corinthians 15:20-23).
Truth in God’s Bible gives us hope in the coming resurrections. It is through God’s Spirit that we are able to know this aspect of God’s vast plan of salvation for all mankind. We look forward to that future joyful time, realizing that we will see family and dear friends once again.
It is a blessing to be free from deception, to be able to worship God properly, and to have genuine hope for the future.
Gary MacPherson