GOD is TRUE
(Pastor Terry Reese; Valley GBC, Armagh; 2/14/21)
I. Scripture abundantly testifies as to the True-ness of God…
A. God is
the true God…
John
17:3: "This is eternal
life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have
sent.”
1
Thess. 1:9: “…and how you turned
to God from idols to serve a living and true God…”
B. The
God of Truth…
Deut.
32:4: “He is the Rock… a
God of truth and without injustice…”
Ps.
31:5: “…You have ransomed
me, O LORD, God of truth.”
C. His
written Word is Truth…
John
17:17: "Sanctify them
in the truth; Your word is truth.”
Ps.
119:160: “The sum of Your word
is truth…”
D. The Living
Word is Truth…
John
14:6: Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
II. What does “true”
mean?
a. To be “true,”
something must conform to a standard.
b. The term can be used
in different ways.
1. As applied to an object: a person or thing that
conforms to the standard criteria & commonly accepted
definition of what it is expected to be.
That which is objectively truthful, in accordance with the final and ultimate standard of reality.
III. Truth as a Divine
Attribute; in what ways is
God called “True?”
A. He is the true God.
He conforms to the exact, highest possible
ideal of what God is supposed to be; the “only true God” (John 17:3, 1Cor. 8:5-6).
B. He is the truthful God (John 3:33: “…God is true”).
His knowledge, words, & deeds conform to the
standard of objective reality.
John
17:17: "Sanctify them in
the truth; Your word is truth.”
Titus
1:2: “…God, who never
lies, promised before the ages began”
C. He is the God of Truth.
He is the author of all truth; all
truth—scientific, moral, religious, mathematical, etc.—is grounded in His Being
and Nature.
John
14:6: Jesus said to him,
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but
through Me.”
IV. The Contrast with
the “god of this world.”
Satan is truly the “god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4)—but he is not the
true God, not is he a God of Truth, nor is he truthful! (John 8:44)
V. The Practical Benefits
associated with the Doctrine:
A. All reality—both
moral and physical—is rooted in TRUTH.
Ps.
111:7-8: The works of His hands
are truth and justice; all His precepts are sure. They are upheld forever and
ever; they are performed in truth and uprightness.
Ps
146:5-6: Happy is he who has
the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God, Who made
heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; Who keeps truth forever…
Modern believers must accept the fact that
modern “science” is in hopeless contradiction to the Word. God’s truth
(scientific, historic, etc.) will not contradict His Word (John 3:12). The
tragedy of many modern believers: they are committed to scientific empiricism
and are more impressed with the expression “Scientists say…” than with “the
Bible says…”
B. God responds only to
sincerity & truth in worship &
prayer.
Some sorts of worship
are unacceptable to God, because He is the God of Truth! What sort of worship does
God respond to?
John
4:23: “But an hour is coming,
and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and
truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.” (Ps. 145:17-20)
He will NOT respond
to empty, insincere, or hypocritical worship!
(Ps. 51:16-17; Isa. 1:10-17;
James 1:26-27; 1 John 3:17-18)
God is also not pleased with “sincere” but
disobedient or heretical worship! (Lev. 10:1-7; 2 Sam. 6:5-7; 1 Kings 18:27-28)
C. God will honor His
promises & prove worthy of our trust.
Ps.
31:5: Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have ransomed me, O
LORD, God of truth.
>The ransom will not one day prove to be
false or insufficient!
D. Guarantees there
will be no injustice in the final judgment.
Rom.2:2: But we know that the judgment of God is according to
truth…
Ps.54:5: He will repay my enemies for their evil. Cut them off in Your truth.
E. Our place of protection against pessimism and
despair.
Men place their trust in many things: leaders,
institutions, wealth, etc.—but there is only one ultimate resort in which to place
our trust: God Himself—our great Shield & Buckler!
Ps.
91:4 (KJV): He
shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his
truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
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