Loving The Truth
I.
2 Thessalonians 2:10-Not
loving the truth will keep you from seeing the truth and not seeing the truth
will keep you bound and you won’t be free
A. We got to be people who
love the truth; Loving the truth will cause you to miss deception and
destruction
1.
They didn’t take hold
upon and get and receive a love for the truth; it wasn’t just that they didn’t
love the truth, they didn’t take hold of a love for the truth
a. We don’t just need to try
to love the truth we need to take hold of a love for the truth – I LOVE
THE TRUTH
b. ERV-They are lost because they refused to love the truth –
NLV-They refused to love and accept
the truth that would save them – AMP-They
did not welcome the truth but refused to love it – Philips-For they have refused to love the truth which could have
saved them
2.
This not taking hold of a
love for the truth and this not loving the truth is leading to deception and
destruction, so is it important that we develop a love for the truth and
what’s on the line if we don’t develop a love for the truth?
a. Why are they perishing,
what’s the reason for this destruction? – They don’t have a love for the
truth and they don’t love the truth
1)
It’s
not that the power of the devil was too great, it’s they don’t love the truth
2)
They
don’t have to perish and be destroyed if they will take hold of a love for the
truth and love the truth
3)
What’s
going to keep you and I from perishing? It’s going to be because we take hold
of a love for the truth and love the truth
b. If you don’t want the truth (that makes you free), then you
can’t expect to be free and walk in victory; when you said no to the truth you
said no to victory
c. Why would God send them
strong delusion? When you push away the truth and don’t want the truth all
that’s left is lies and deception
3.
13-Believing
the truth is how you get saved, it’s how you get victory
a. You cannot push the truth
away and believe the truth
4.
15-Are
you going to have to stand fast and hold on to the truth?
a. Traditions-Giving over which is done by word of mouth or in
writing, i.e. tradition by instruction, the substance of teaching
b. Stand fast-Stand firm, stand immoveable, not wavering, fixed
established
c. Hold-Not discard or let go, to continue to hold, to retain
B. Agape the truth or love
the truth unconditionally; Your love for the truth has to be unconditional
1.
Will
you love the very thing (truth) that shows you that you are wrong and that you
need to change?
a. Will you love the truth
when it exposes you?
b. Will you love the truth
when it reproves you and shows you your faults?
2.
Will you love the truth
when it’s unflattering?
3.
Will
you love the truth if what you believe and the truth aren’t the same? Will you
love the truth if it opposes what you believe?
4.
Will
you love the truth if you have a different opinion than the truth?
5.
Will
you love the truth more than your feelings?
6.
EX: What if the truth is
you haven’t prospered to the level God wants you to because you haven’t done
what He’s told you? What if the truth is your spouse is not the problem? What
if the truth is you don’t have any money because you don’t tithe?
7.
You got to love the truth
more than what you are doing, more than what you believe, more than your
opinion, more than your feelings; your love for the truth has to be
unconditional
a. Your love for the truth has to be so great that even when you
don’t like the truth you still love it and receive it
C. The significance of the
truth: When you roll with the truth you roll with Jesus, with the Word, with
the Spirit of God
1.
The Word-The word of truth-2
Corinthians 6:7 – Thy word is truth-John 17:17
2.
The Holy Spirit-The Spirit Of Truth-John
16:13 – The spirit is truth-1 John 5:6
3.
Jesus-Jesus is the truth-John
14:6 – Jesus came to bear witness of the truth-John 18:37 – Jesus
is full of the truth-John 1:17
4.
God-God is truth; it’s
impossible for him to lie-Hebrews 6:18 – Jesus said he that sent me is
true-John 7:28 – Let God be true-Romans 3:4 – God is abundant in
truth-Exodus 34:6
5.
3 John 4-I have no
greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth
II.
If you’re smart you love
the truth
A. 2 Thessalonians 2:10-Loving
the truth will keep you from deception and destruction
1.
Jeremiah
41,42-Jeremiah gave them the truth, but they don’t want this to be the truth,
they don’t love the truth, they liked lies instead & b/c of it they are deceived and they
think they’re doing right and they think he is wrong; they didn’t want the
truth and all that was left was lies
B. Functions of Truth
1.
The
truth is your shield and buckler
a. Psalm 91:4-5-His truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 5
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
2.
The
truth will continually preserve you (guard you from danger)
a. Psalm 40:11-Let thy lovingkindness
and thy truth continually preserve me.
3.
The
truth will keep you, preserve you
a. Psalm 61:7-He shall abide before God for
ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him.
4.
The
truth will bring you victory
a. Psalm 57:3-He shall send
from heaven, and save me from the
reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy
and his truth.
5.
The
truth will make you free
a. John 8:32-The truth shall make you free
6.
The
truth will sanctify you, set you apart, make you extraordinary
a. John 17:17-Sanctify them through they truth: thy word is
truth
7.
The
truth will cause you to prosper
a. Psalm 45:4-And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of
truth
8.
Truth
will bring you favor
a. Proverbs 3:3-4-Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind
them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine
heart: 4 So shalt thou find favour
and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
9.
The
truth will purge iniquity from you
a. Proverbs 16:6-By mercy and truth iniquity is purged