Contenders: Trust (truth) Part 1

One of the things I love about my smart phone is all the simple ways I can stay connected to my wife of great worth throughout the day while I’m away. Sending a picture message of a smile can do wonders for lifting ones spirit. Something I have noticed about myself is I never send the first picture I take. Why? If I’m going to be honest, the truth is I don’t like the truth it reveals. In annoyance I continue to snap off photos until one portrays the truth I desire for someone to see. In one respect this is foolish because in relation to my wife she has seen me at my worst, and has observed me from every angle; those that are flattering and unflattering. The issue isn’t with my wife and her view of the pictures, but the animosity developed in me towards what they reveal (Truth).
   Contenders who take A.C.T.I.O.N. in their approach to handling and expediting of the Holy Scriptures will place great emphasis on our next subject-Truth. This is really the heart of the matter; truth is the foundation of all we are trying to accomplish. Our objective for this specific study is to consider three main arenas to the reality of truth. First, truth (objective reality) is the foundation laid in eternities past by God not man. It would be more accurate to say if God is truth (which He is) then it has always been laid. Second, trust is mans obligation to Gods truth that has been revealed. In the O.T. mans obligation came as God unraveled the mysteries of His truth through the fathers and the prophets. In the N.T. it was mans (and still is) obligation to trust the fulfillment of those mysteries in the person of His Son (Heb. 1).  Trust is what we build on the foundation of Truth. Trust is the manifestation in our lives (personally) of what God has imposed as truth. The gospel of Truth is a prime example; the gospel is a foundational (already laid) reality. When the truth of the gospel is trusted it manifests its benefit into the life of the one who has trusted it. This is also true of the promises of God (truth); they are realities waiting to be manifested by trust. Thirdly, Integrity is what authenticates both truth and trust. Integrity means whole (like integer- a whole #) and undivided. If the truth of God has integrity (it does) then it is proven to be sure, whole, and undivided. Likewise trust is shown to be wise because of the integrity of the truth. Jesus said that wisdom is vindicated by all her children ( Lk. 7:35 ). This is also true of our topic; trust is what vindicates truth. One last thing to consider about Truth, Trust, and Integrity we can see in everyday relationships; A loss of trust isn’t the hardest pill we swallow, it is finding out what we perceived to be truth to be void of integrity.
   In our next study (part 2) Holy Spirit willing the teacher will dig deeper into the subject of truth, Trust, and integrity using John 14 :16-17 as our main text .

"I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.

Our objective is two- fold. One, to display the Trinitarian truth at work in man from Heaven (Father), In the word which is outside man (Son), and the word deposited (applied) inside man ( Holy Spirit). Two, The three ministries of The Spirit of Truth (one of the many names applied to the Holy Spirit).

1. He is the expediter ( giver) of truth from the Son to man
2. He is the Teacher (interpreter)  of truth To man
3. He is mans divine enabler to live up to truth

By the end of our study (part 1 and 2)  when asked about truth, may our response not be as Pontius Pilate " what is Truth?"; but may we say I  trust the Truth of Christ because of the integrity of God. Until then pick up your sword...it's the leather one. -Ryan