The Primacy of Truth

Most comprehensively we walk in the truth that is to say, we conduct our lives in the realm of the truth. It determines how we think and how we speak and how we are walk in the truth suspected to hit home runs. Politicians are supposed to demonstrate skilled persuasive rhetoric executives that Apple generally know a thing or two about phones. So what should you be known for.

If you're a Christian.

John MacArthur looks at a key trait that should mark your life. As John explains the fierce commitment.

Every believer should have, to the truth.

It's part of his current series on grace to you a collection of landmark sermons from each book of the New Testament. It's a study we call the New Testament beginning to end.

Open your Bible, or the study Bible app to the book of second John and here is today's lesson well. Let's open our Bibles to the little book. We need to look at second John second John, as I have often said the most important thing most important reality is divine truth divine truth is the one great essential maybe just a brief survey of what the Bible says about divine truth. God is the God of truth. According to Deuteronomy 32 four. Meaning he is the source of it. Christ is the truth and full of truth John 14 six John 114 the Holy Spirit is called the spirit of truth in John 1417 the Bible is called in Daniel 1021 the Scripture of truth. We are saved by the truth. We are sanctified by the truth. We love the truth. We are judged by the truth. We are set free by the truth. We worship in the truth we serve God in the truth, we rejoice in the truth. We speak the truth, we think on the truth we desire. The truth we manifest the truth we hear the truth we obey the truth. Most comprehensively we walk in the truth that is to say, we conduct our lives in the realm of the truth.

It determines how we think and how we speak and how we act.

We walk in the truth with that as a background. Let me read the opening four verses of second John the elder to the chosen lady and her children whom I love in the truth and not only I but also all who know the truth for the sake of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever. Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the father and from Jesus Christ, the son of the father in truth and love. I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we received commitment to do from the father five times in those four verses you have a Greek word all they say, meaning, truth clearly. Then John is writing in the realm of the truth he lives in the truth in every sense he is informed and controlled and motivated by the truth.

John has written this brief letter to call us to that same truth in a world of lies and liars.

The unconverted then are called in Psalm 58. Three those who speak lies they live in a realm of lies they live in a round of deception and falsehood. The divine indictment of all of the lost rendered in Romans chapter 1 in verse 25 says they exchanged the truth of God for the lie, one deception after another. People pursue one unfulfilling deception after another. Everybody in the world lives in one of these two realms. You either live in the realm of the truth or you live in the round of lies.

The world is divided into two groups, those who live in the truth and those who live in lies the role of the church is clearly defined in the Bible. One verse sums it up. First Timothy 315. The church exists in the world to be the pillar and ground of the truth.

The church exists in the world to be the pillar and ground of the truth and if the church ever abandons the truth and it ceases to be the church of Jesus Christ.

What was it mean when the apostle Paul writes to Timothy, who is pastoring a church in Ephesus. What is it mean when he says that the church is to be the pillar and ground of the truth, they would've understood that because in the city of Ephesus was this massive edifice built to Diana, the God of the Ephesians, Diana sounds like a lovely name and indeed it is. But this particular God was the grossest kind of deity imaginable. In fact, an animal in a very ugly one at that.

But the temple was massive.

It was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, along with the hanging Gardens of Babylon, the pyramids and others, and the great feature that struck you when you saw the temple of Diana was the pillars there were 127 of them massive pillars solid marble, carved and then overlaid with gold and then studded with jewels when you see the ruins of an ancient temple day often see them all is white. There was a time when many of them were overlaid with gold and studded with jewels. This was one 127 pillars. Every pillar was donated to the building of the temple by a king and bore the name of that king and it was all of those kings paying their homage to the goddess and sometimes God, Diana. Now these pillars held up the roof which was an immense structure made of stone underneath the pillar where the head Ryoma, which means the support.

As I said the ground.

It's called but this is the head Ryoma the supported references the foundation they had this massive stone foundation supporting 127 solid marble pillars holding up this heavy roof that whole edifice that whole massive structure with its foundation and its pillars and its roof was a testimony to Satan.

It was a testimony to lies.

It was a monument to deception the church on the other hand, is to be a monument to the truth.

We exist to represent the truth. That is our mission and that is our purpose in failing to uphold and live the truth.

We ceased to be the church as Israel failed to uphold and live the truth and ceased to be the witness nation. If there's anything that you never occur in a church. It should be the centrality of the truth. The revealed truth of God's word. People treat the church so flippantly today. They blithely come in and out of church never having a thought that there interacting with the God of truth who hates deception and lies the true church is the pillar and ground of the truth. It proclaims the truth and the people who were there, come to hear the truth and the truth of course is the revealed truth of God. The only truth that we will know is that which God has revealed to us and that of course is revealed in the Scripture. It is the solemn responsibility then of the church to solely without wavering without moving, unshakably uphold that truth. The church does not author the message of truth, and it alters it only at its own risk church is called to be the foundation and the support of the truth.

Put another way, the church is the stewardship of the Scripture, that is our stewardship.

The church churches always clung to the truth always in the midst of every storm in the midst of all persecution in the midst of rejection whether it its enemies attack from the insider attack from the outside. The true church is always clung to the truth and thousands through its history have paid the price for the truth rather than compromise or abandonment. I admit that our challenge is not that we might be killed for the truth. In fact, it would probably be better in terms of holding onto the truth.

If that were the case, because if there were outright persecution against those who believe the truth all the hypocrites would disappear and the only people who would be left to be the people who really are the people of the truth. Persecution would help us to hold onto the truth because the true saints of God would receive the grace to endure the persecution that comes when the truth is attacked with something far worse than being killed for the truth we might be rejected by our society for the truth we might be considered as offensive and divisive. We might be looked at as alien. We might be vilified or even the best treated with indifference. We might be rejected by those around us. And so in order to avoid that we compromise or even set the truth aside that offends another reason for writing and calling people to live in the truth is because of the ever present threat of false teachers.

Only the threat here is unique. You might say Willoughby was worried about false teachers. Why did he send a letter to the church at Ephesus there are the church.

It does some other point in the Asia minor. Sardis, Pergamum, whatever or why didn't he send it to the universal church. Why does he write a letter to a lady in a letter to a man and warned them about false teachers and call them to the truth. We already wrote his letter to everybody that was first John and you certainly haven't forgotten the first. John basically was directed at the same problem of false teachers. First John 218 children. It is the last hour, just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen. For this we know it is the last hour. Verse 22 who is the liar but the one he denies that Jesus is the Christ. Verse 23 whoever denies the son doesn't have the father and again over and chapter forces try the spirits don't believe everybody see if there from God. Many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Verse three every spirit doesn't confess Jesus is not of God is the spirit of the antichrist at the heart of the whole writing of first John was the issue that false teachers were present and they were giving a false standard of salvation. So John and first John provided doctrinal tests and behavioral test by which you could evaluate the truth so having written the letter to all in general, it isn't in that sense a general epistle. He now writes these two letters to one lady and one man. Why so because in ancient times preachers traveled and stayed in homes in us were brothels, places of disease unacceptable unless one was in desperate need and those who preach the gospel, along with any other traveling teachers were itinerant, moving all over everywhere, depending upon hospitality. You remember when Jesus sent out the 12 year member that 2 x 2 in Galilee to give them some criteria by which to determine what homes are gonna stay at and how to deal with that and when he sent out the 72 x 2. Later on he gave them the same kind of instruction about where they would stay where they wouldn't stay and go to a place and if you received their church to remain there, and so for that was pretty much how it worked. You travel around and you preached and somebody showed you hospitality while this appeal greatly to the false teachers. They would claim to be the true teachers of the true gospel. The true representatives of God they would engage in an itinerant ministry, they would come into town. They say where the true preachers of God, they would be strangers to the people in the town they would approach those who were in the church they would approach those who profess Christ they would say that they also were preachers of the gospel.

They would even come to the church they would seek a place to stay, they would stay. There are, and once embedded there they would begin to teach their lies and to seek their converts and subvert the church. No doubt they had done it in Corinth. No doubt those demonized false teachers who came in and were ripping and shredding the Corinthian church had found themselves a place to stay in the homes of the people there and from that embedded vantage point were sowing the seeds of lying, deception, and so you have in second John, for example, verse 10. If anyone comes to you doesn't bring this teaching don't receive him into your house don't even give him a greeting.

You have to be very careful or you're gonna wind up participating in his evil deed.

On the other hand, look at third John verse six, when the true preachers come even though they are strangers. Verse five when they come. You do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God, for they went out for the sake of the name accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore, we ought to support such men that we may be fellow workers with the truth so they're going to be itinerant preachers. Some of them you can open your home doing some of them you're not was to become embedded in a home and they can take advantage of someone's weakness or lack of understanding from that point, they can begin to apply their lies and deception they become dangerous and deadly, may well abandon that this lady unwittingly unintentionally. It actually opened her house to some false teachers and that is why he says if someone comes to you again, and doesn't bring the teaching don't receive them into your house and you know this is not an easy thing because Christians were called to hospitality right for Lex and us in the Greek hospitality. That means loving strangers, loving strangers, but the church remember now is the pillar and ground of the truth and it's not just that you have to be afraid of who gets in the pulpit. You also have to be afraid of who gets in the homes, the church has to be protected from deception not only by who. It allows to preach in the public is not likely. The church committed to the truth is always undergoing a viable teacher and in the leadership of the church is going to say will go ahead and have added leadership of the church are fairly discerning. Hopefully if it's a Bible teaching church that I can let that happen, but unwitting people who want to be hospitable may allow false teachers to become embedded in their congregation with disastrous results. And after all. Romans 1213 says it were to practice hospitality were to open our lives in our homes to strangers, so it might been that this lady was thinking to herself when these strangers came along. If in fact that was the case. Wow, this is an opportunity for me to open my home to the super claim to represent the true God who claim to be part of us and I'm going to let them in, because who knows it might be entertaining angels without knowing it. In the early church. This kind of caring for people, was an essential service a tangible way to share the love of Christ with strangers as they went from town to town with the gospel and that was God's plan. God had God's timing was perfect and one of the things that existed in the in the world at the time of the New Testament was the Pax Romana, the Roman peace Road basically knock down all the walls between all the countries in the Mediterranean world. So the people could cross the borders without having problems and that made the gospel spread faster. The Romans built roads everywhere.

Roman roads of course are legendary room develop tolerant laws room erase the threat of borders Rome station soldiers all over the place to make travel safe everywhere in the Empire. While the Romans, all did that to advance their government. But God used it for the fast spread of the gospel so the church would welcome the preachers like Paul, who was given lodging by Lydia like Jason in Thessalonica like Gaius in Corinth or Philip the evangelist who was given a place among the believers in Caesarea or amend name Nason in Jerusalem.

It was pretty typical. To do that now. False teachers soon figured that out. They could make a good living as an itinerant preacher leeching off people everywhere they went.

And saying just enough to seduce people into thinking they preach the truth and then preying on the gullible Christians who were loving them in a kind way in getting a hearing for their lies and bringing corruption and distress into the church.

Even the pagans function like this, I found an old writing of Lucy in the Greek poet in his writing.

He drew a word picture in the para greenness showing an itinerant charlatan who lived on the fat of the land by traveling to Christian communities and settling in to live comfortably at the expense of the Christian perpetrating himself on them under the guise of being one of them so in the context of this issue of hospitality. John writes you have to be careful to maintain the truth we live in the truth we live in the truth. Sound doctrine is always the test of fellowship always the truth. Listen carefully, is never served.

The truth is never honored. The truth is never respected. The truth is never aided by those who deny it or those who attack it, nothing is gained by being exposed to error.

Don't let it in your church. Obviously the church is a pillar in support of the truth, though not in your house you cannot hold up the truth and welcome in those who seek to destroy it.

So if we get a little defensive around here about protecting the truth you will understand our mandate.

The truth matters more than anything else people. If the church loses the truth. It isn't the church. Romans 16.

Greet one another with a holy kiss verse 16 all the churches of Christ greet you. Great statement of love and affection immediately after now I urge you, brother. Keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them for such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ, but of their own appetites and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting. If you're sitting in a church full of deceivers get out if you're hanging onto some denominational affiliation that is abandon the truth of the gospel get out the truth and lies are not compatible. In Galatians chapter 1 in verses eight and nine. Even though we are an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached you, let him be accursed, let him be accursed.

Verse nine. As we said before, so I say again just to make sure you get it, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed for them. I now seeking the favor of men or of God, am I striving to please men. If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ. Take your choice.

What makes you feel the weight you feel the weight of the word or do you feel the weight of human opinion anybody preaching anything other than the truth is accursed in second Thessalonians chapter 3 verse six we commend your brother in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep aloof from every brother who leads an on ruling life and not according to the addition which you receive from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example because we didn't act in an undisciplined manner among you, even if you find a person who deviates in their conduct.

Stay away down in verse 14. If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter. That's the revelation of God. Take special note of that man do not associate with them so they may be put to shame.

Nothing is gained. Nothing is gained by mixing error with the truth. It is always destructive. That's why Titus 310 says reject the factious Man after a first and second warning, knowing that such a man is perverted and sending being can be self condemned to find somebody who takes with a position opposite the truth you confronted me with the discipline process and you put them out because he's twisting descending and building to that is its own condemnation. Another passage that addresses this second Corinthians 6 do not be bound together with unbelievers. For what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness.

What fellowship has light with darkness. What harmony has Christ with the Lyle. What is a believer in common with an unbeliever. What agreement has the temple of God with idols come out from the midst be separate, says the Lord will touch what is unclean.

Everything in the Scripture calls us as the church to be separate from lies. John says truth is everything I love and the truth with all who know the truth for the sake of the truth. Grace and mercy and peace comes in truth and love and am glad to find some of your children walking in truth it's what it's all about folks.

It's about truth it's about the truth when you lose the truth you lose all we need to be soldiers for the truth. The guarding the truth is critical not just preach the truth we contend for it.

We fight for your listening to John MacArthur, Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary with an encouraging message about the value of truth is part of his current study on grace to you covering some of John's most memorable sermons from five decades of ministry. It's titled the New Testament beginning to end.

John, you said today that the church is the pillar of the truth and it's to safeguard itself against error and wondering what that looks like practically. How does a church defend itself against false teaching. There really are two defenses against false teaching. One is the knowledge of the truth and the other is virtuous life. Certainly if you're going to be able to spot error. You have to know truth.

You have to be well taught in the word of God and by that I don't just mean culturally crafted sort of semi-psychological help. Kind of sermons dinner that have Bible verses attached. I mean, you have to know sound doctrine you you are protected from error when you have strong convictions. John says when you are strong in the word you have overcome the wicked one, and of course he's disguised as an angel of light and he is the arch deceiver. The second thing that's I think critical for discernment is walking in obedience walking in a godly fashion. And of course the first taking in the word of God is what produces the second and I would just suggest to you that if you have not availed yourself of the MacArthur New Testament commentary series that would be a life changing reality for you all 27 books of the New Testament verse by verse, phrase by phrase word by word MacArthur New Testament commentary. This will teach you what every verse in the New Testament means the doctrine that comes out of it. This will strengthen you, give you triumphant experiences spiritually and help you stand against all deception will also make your resource to everyone else.

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