Godsloveandlaw's Blog

Many of us remember the old Wizard of Oz classic. In the movie Dorothy comes to a fork in the road and has to make a decision. Although that was fiction, today it’s reality in a spiritual sense. We as professed followers of Christ come to a “fork in the road” quite often. One way is left, meaning the wrong way and denying truth, the other is to the  right,  which is the right way by accepting truth. Let’s look at the truth of this matter.

In ( 2 Thes. 2:10) we read, “He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them.

As I often do in standing at my post (ready to help others see His truth, specifically His present truth) I have been recently led by the Holy Spirit to speak about a big problem today. The sad fact is that when new truth is shown to many around us, there is no real “wow! I love it! It’s the truth!Praise the Lord!”. Instead we often see little or no response or acknowledgement. As if truth is not relevant or worthy of comment. Who needs truth? We have Jesus we presumptuously think.

In the above quote, we see a  plain statement of truth  made that if we do not love and accept the truth we will not be saved.   We should have joy and excitement in our hearts when we learn and know the truth, which is Jesus. Our King said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life ” (John 14:6).

Many of us have heard the term , ” it slides off them like water off a duck’s back.” This saying has been around for a long time yet it is still relevant  today. One of the ways we show we don’t “love and accept” the truth is to let it slide right off us and not acknowledge it. New light, which is new truth should be one of the greatest things we can experience in our Christian life, like finding a gold nugget.

Ellen White shows the “non” truth lovers modus of operation , “There are some who indulge in levity, sarcasm, and even mockery toward those who differ with them. Others present an array of objections to any new view;and when these objections are plainly answered by words of Scripture, they do not acknowledge the evidence presented, nor allow themselves to be convinced. Their questioning is not for the purpose of arriving at truth, but is intended merely to confuse the minds of others.”

” Some have thought it an evidence of intellectual keenness and superiority to perplex minds in regard to what is truth. they resort to subtlety of argument, to playing upon words; they take unjust advantage in asking questions. When their questions have been fairly answered, they will turn the subject (and) bring up another point to avoid acknowledging the truth.” (Test to Ministers, p.108)

We notice in the above words that when truth is shown, sometimes ignorance is displayed by sidestepping the truth. This mode of operation by some professed brethren can be quite discouraging, yet we must do our job and profess the light shown to us, lest we be found to be cursed as “delinquent”.

“Every man who bears the message of truth to our churches must do his duty by warning, educating, rebuking. Any neglect of duty which is robbery toward God means a curse upon the delinquent.” (Special Test. for Min. no. 7, p.22)

We remember in the days of Christ, the Jews were faced with a great fork in the road. The left way was to go with the leaders and traditionalists and deny the new light our Lord was revealing. The popular way was to the left. The other way, to the right, meant to be with the relative few, and even possibly risk being removed from the church.

Let us now look at some practical examples of  accepting and loving the truth.

1) We are frequently studying God’s word for more truth.  The Bible, the Spirit of Prophecy (Ellen White writings) and the Lord’s most important last message to us– The Elijah message ( as brought by His servant  Victor T. Houteff).

“The truth, when received into the heart, sanctifies the receiver; kept apart from the life and practice, it is dead and useless to the receiver.”(Test. to Ministers, p.431)

“Whatever may be man’s intellectual advancement, let him not for a moment think that there is no need of thorough and continuous searching of the Scriptures for greater light” (Gospel Workers, p.300)

2) We take it serious when a brother or sister  wants to show us truth as it is revealed to them. We do not carelessly stand aloof and ignore it or side-step it once we see clearly that it is indeed truth. We agree with it and let them know it. We fear being  accused of being in need of nothing(no more truth).

“..I am rich and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked..” (Rev.3:17)

3) We change any behavior or lifestyle when we find new truth that is discovered that is not in harmony with our lifestyle. We “fear” God knowing that this is one of the two great duties that mankind was given.

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole natter: Fear God and keep His Commandments, for this is man’s all.” (Ecc. 12:13)

4) Any new light we learn, if it causes a change in us that may not be popular with others, we remember that in all God’s church history,  “new light” has never been popular with the masses. We press forward with God’s way, despite customs and traditions to the counter.

“We have no time to .. cut the sharp corners of truth, so that they shall not disturb others. (Review and Herald, Nov. 13, 1888)

5) If we find a brother or sister trying to teach us error instead of truth, we should attempt to show them their error.

“If a brother is teaching error, those who are in responsible positions ought to know it; and if he is teaching truth, they ought to take their stand at his side.” (Test. to Ministers, p.110)

6) When we discover new light, we do not selfishly hide it “under a bed” we spread it as God leads.

“No man, when the light is lighted, puts a cover over it, or puts it under a bed, but he puts it on its table, so that those who come in may see the light.” (Luke 8:16)

7) In our search for truth, we should become occupied with what is known as “present truth”. As the truth scroll unrolls we are keeping pace.

“I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.” (2 Peter 1:12)

” I saw that the saints must get a thorough understanding of present truth, which they will be obliged to maintain from the Scriptures…. Our minds must not be taken up with things around us, but must be occupied with the present truth and a preparation to give a reason of our hope with meekness and fear. We must seek wisdom from on high that we may stand in this day of error and delusion” (Early Writings, p. 87).

As Lord’s Elijah messengers, we become familiar with those of whom the Scriptures say, “You are very entertaining to them, like someone who sings love songs with a beautiful voice or plays fine music on an instrument. They hear what you say, but they don’t act on it.” (Ezekiel 33:32)

We sometimes feel discouraged  because the “gold nuggets” of truth mean little to many. But nevertheless we must press on,  leaving the results with God. All we can do is set the table of truth before them, it is they who must grab the fork and eat.

“God means that testing truth shall be brought to the front and become a subject of examination and discussion, even if it is through the contempt placed upon it. The minds of the people must be agitated. Every controversy, every reproach, every slander, will be God’s means of provoking inquiry and awakening minds that otherwise would slumber.”(Test. for the Church, vol. 5, p.453)

“In every age there is a new development of truth, a message of God to the people of that generation. The old truths are all essential; new truth is not independent of the old, but an unfolding of it. It is only as the old truths are understood that we can comprehend the new. . . . He who rejects or neglects the new, does not really possess the old.”—(Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 127, 128.)

The fork in the road is before us. Do we  go left or right?

This entry was posted on December 7, 2013 at 3:51 am and is filed under Present Truth. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.