The World vs Truth

The World vs Truth 

by David Brenneman 

"Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.  But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.  This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.  For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.  But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.  And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace."  James 3:13-18.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber.  But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep.  To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.  A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.”  This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them.

So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.  All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.  I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.  I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.  He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.  For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.” John 10:1-18.

"Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me.  Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word.  You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.  But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.” John 8:42-47

The tools of Satan, the minions of Satan are all around you and I. They are coming into our homes, our workplaces, our entertainment, our hobbies, our every single aspect of our lives. 

The only power that can fight these influences is the power of Christ Jesus through His finished work on the cross.  

It's easy to go with the flow of this world.  It's easy to allow things into your life that do nothing to grow you in the wisdom of God in Christ Jesus for you.  

You will find fake wisdom easily. You will find fake joy.

You will find fake success. 

You will find a counterfeit to every single good, perfect and wholesome thing from above.  These worldly desires will be twisted perverse things and ways that are just enough to keep you from the truth of God for you. 

Many times it will only be after you find yourself in a bind will you see how foolish the ways of the world really are.

Jesus said in that passage that His sheep hear His voice. Do you listen for it?  His voice that is. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.  When sheep hear their own shepherd's voice they run to him.  When Jesus speaks to you, do you run to Him?

We can be oh so easily fooled by ourselves and others.  Our sin nature isn't going to work together for good with us. 

We can be so good at bitterness and anger that we look like professionals.  Justification is something we inherited from Adam and Eve. 

The world draws you away from the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. 

The world will never ever be overt in this.  Subtlety is in the ways of Satan.  Believe it or not, so is patience.  As someone once said "know your enemy".  Satan gets credit for much that we ourselves do. Our sin nature, in all reality, just needs encouragement to do that which offends our Holy God.  

The world has no lack of know-it-all people.  Within the Church and outside of it.  

You are responsible for you.  You who claim the name of Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord are going to give an account of your life before Jesus Himself.  He's not going to play 20 questions. He has nothing to need to ask of you.  

All your heart is laid bare before Jesus. All your life is an open book to Him. Every single thought and intendion.  Every single action and inaction you're doing or ever considered.  

Actually this is the same for those who are saved and those who have denied Christ Jesus and are now in Hell.  The same goes for those who have not yet chosen the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. 

The difference is the Spirit of God within the Believer.  

Without the Spirit who only comes by way of acknowledging the need for salvation, repenting of our sins, and turning to the living hope found only in Christ, there is no hope of escape from the tormenting fires of Hell.

The world cares not that you go to Hell or not.  The world wants you to stop living for Jesus.  The world wants you to stop believing in God. The world wants to silence Believers everywhere. 

And the world wants your help in doing this. 

It takes commitment to live life in Christ Jesus.  It takes seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness. It takes asking for God's wisdom rather than accepting the world's attempts at wisdom.

As you look at your life, are you saved?  Is Jesus Christ your Savior and Lord?  If not, why not? What's holding you back?  Please don't be fooled by this world any longer. 

Every good and perfect thing truly comes from above.  

"But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching,  that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.  For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.”  For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him;  for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?  How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!” Romans 10:8-15.

Until your death there's the chance for you to find the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ alone.  

Jesus IS the Way, the TRUTH, and the Life. No one comes to the Father but through Him. 

Tired of the lies?

Tired of the empty philosophies?

Tired of the world?

Jesus is waiting...just for you. 

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.