To: Hebraic-Foundations@yahoogroups.com
From: "Pastor Buddy Martin" <Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org>
Date sent: Fri, 14 Feb 2003 12:14:13 -0600
Subject: [HF] Bible Study HF072 - Truth is a Person
Hebraics,
As a prelude to this study I want to share a partial quote from
someone who recently wrote me on the 'Ask the Pastor' portion of
our web site. Here is the quote:
"...I am scared. I have been told I have turned my back on the
truth
because I left and therefore am being turned over to a spirit of
unbelief. My walk with God seems much more grounded and solid
than it ever has and was just wondering what you thought?
..."
Did you notice the struggle area for this person? She is scared,
and
yet her walk with the Lord is much more grounded. As for the fears,
they will soon disappear altogether. But the reason her walk is
much more grounded is because this lady is discovering something
about truth. Truth is not a religion.
With that in mind let's get on with our next study.
This is Bible Study HF072 - Truth is a Person.
The place to begin is to understand the difference between
religion
and relationship. Men build religions, put labels on them, and then
declare, 'This is the true religion.' Does God do that? Hardly. God
gives us a relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Jesus says, "I am the truth." And this is why Truth cannot be
a
religion. Truth is a Person.
No one is ever saved by joining a religion or by identifying with a
certain religion. There is no right religion. Salvation is based on
one factor alone. Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the
life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." (John
14:6)
Here is where we need to come to grips with what the word Truth
actually means in its new covenant setting. The word 'alethia' is an
interesting word in Greek. It speaks of the reality that is behind an
appearance, or the truth in its opposition appearance.
The apostle Paul spoke of religious appearances. He said, "Let
no
one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-
abasement and the worship of angels, taking his stand on visions
he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind." Then
we
went on to say, "These are matters which have, to be sure, the
appearance of wisdom in self-made religion ... but are of no value
against fleshly indulgence." (Cf. Colossians
2:16-23)
Self-made religion is the word 'ethelothreskia'. It speaks of a
form
of worship that has man's design at its center, that is, with its
rules
and rituals and standards of worship. This is the only place this
particular word is found in the new covenant. Paul said that this
form of religion only appears to have wisdom. It actually genders to
bondage.
In the midst of these things Paul adds, "But the substance
belongs
to Christ." What Paul is saying is that the reality of what true life
is
about is found only in Christ. All these other things are only
appearances. (He is including types and shadows of the former
covenant, which some wished to bring over into the new
covenant.)
Is there a good side to the term religion? Yes, if it is understood
in
its proper sense. But when a form of religion becomes exclusive to
a person's salvation, it is no longer true religion.
Does this seem odd? James explained that true religion consists
of
an outflow of goodness. He said, "Pure and undefiled religion in
the
sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in
their distress, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."
(James
1:27)
The word James uses for religion, that is, threskeia, simply
means
'worship.' (Not self-willed.) But James is saying that true worship
of
God must include an outflow of God's love to others, or it isn't
true
worship. This idea is very Hebraic. The Hebrew idea of love is to
act with kindness. This is the background for what James is talking
about.
But there is a greater point to be made. In the covenant of
Moses,
God did establish a religion. It was the best to be had. The
religion
of Moses had a multiple purpose, of which one purpose was to
draw the people to Christ at His first coming. So we have in the
tabernacle all the types and shadows. But types and shadows are
not reality. They only speak of a reality. A shadow is not real. It
only tells you something is real that is casting the shadow. Jesus
as
casting His shadow across the pages of history past.
Jesus came for a purpose. He came to give us the reality of God.
He came to restore to use our lost heritage as God's children. The
covenant of Moses was to be replaced with the reality of each
person coming to know the Lord personally. This is the underlying
message of the gospels. We can only know God through and in
Jesus Christ.
Here are examples: On the Mount of Transfiguration, Moses and
Elijah appear with Jesus. They are speaking of His departure at the
cross. Suddenly Moses and Elijah disappear. Only Jesus is left.
The Shekinah overshows the mountain, and the voice of God says,
"This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!" (Mark
9:7)
In this picture we have the very essence of the new covenant.
Truth is a Person speaking into our lives. This Person makes God's
reality to become our reality. The point being, if you are walking
with the Person of Jesus, you are walking with and the in the Truth.
Jesus said that He was the Way of God, the Truth of God, and the
Life of God.
Another testimony is when Pilate said to Jesus, "So, You are
a
king?" What was the response? Jesus said, "You say correctly
that
I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come
into
the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth
hears
My voice." (John
18:37)
What does all this mean? It means that Jesus came to fulfill what
the best religion in the world could only give in a shadow to. It is
in
this sense that Jesus dismantled religion to give us reality. He
came to give us a personal relationship with the God of
Creation.
But we are so religious in our make up. Here again I need to call
attention to another example. The lady was really looking for
answers in speaking with Jesus. She said, "Our fathers
worshiped
in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place
where men ought to worship."
Did you catch it? She was saying, 'Our denominational places are
the places you must worship, but you folk say that your
denominational places are the place to worship.' The terms may be
different but the case remains the same. She needed help. And it is
here that Jesus speaks of the dismantling of religion.
There is no 'place' where men ought to worship. There is only
worship. This doesn't mean that God doesn't place us in flocks. He
does that indeed. But we should never mistake the places for the
reality. If you are a born-from-above child of God, you carry Truth
with you wherever you are. Truth is the very presence of Jesus
Christ in your heart and life.
Jesus responded to the lady, "Woman, believe Me, and hour is
coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you
worship the Father." He went on to say, "...the true worshippers
will
worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father
seeks to be His worshippers." (Cf. John
4:19-24)
Remember what the writer on the 'Ask the Pastor' said? She was
scared, and yet she said, "My walk with God seems much more
grounded and solid." She was discovering life as it was meant
to
be. As we begin to discover our true life in Christ, we find
ourselves
in a world that is far different than we ever imagined.
How about her fears? As I said in the beginning, 'They won't last.'
John said that perfect love casts out all fear.
Certainly there is so much more to be said, but I would like to leave
the study open for responses and questions.
Let's talk about it. Is Truth a Person? Feel free to inject your
thoughts.
The Lord bless you,
Buddy
Lawrence E. (Buddy) Martin, HF Host
email: Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org
Web: http://www.christianchallenge.org/
"See to it that no one comes short of the grace
of God; that no root of bitterness springing up
causes trouble, and by it many be defiled." (Heb12:15)