I am so glad that the Lord told us to “Know the truth and the truth will make you free” (John 8:32). Peter admitted that turning from Jesus was foolish since only Jesus had the “words of eternal life” (John 6:68). The writer of the Hebrews proclaims emphatically that God speaks to us today through Jesus (Hebrews 1:1-2). God was adamant about us listening to Jesus (Matthew 17:5). Jesus assured us that we will be judged by His words (John 12:48). This really settles in my mind that I should not go to the teachings of men to learn what I must do to please God.
In Jesus simple command to know the truth are some powerful lessons. First, it tells me that I can know the truth. God was kind and merciful in relaying to us the truth in a way that we can understand and apply it. God made man with the ability to communicate with words. A person can write down letters and symbols that represent ideas and thoughts. Another person can read those words and fully understand what the person wanted to express. There is a big scientific word for this process of ascertaining exactly what someone else writes down. It is truly fascinating to me how language and writing along with its counterpart reading and understanding works in the minds of people. God truly is an amazing designer. Hermeneutics is the science of coming to the exact message that someone speaks or writes.
Knowing the truth is more than just a suggestion from the Lord. He expects us to follow the words that He speaks. It is very important to note that Jesus gave the Holy Spirit to the apostles to guide them into all truth and to bring back to their memory His words that He had spoken to them. In a supernatural way God wrote the Bible using the words of men and by the pen of men. He protected His words by giving the Holy Spirit to move them in writing Scripture (2 Peter 1:21). We cannot escape the fact that “All Scripture is God breathed (inspired) by God” (1 Timothy 3:15). Scripture is what leads us to maturity in Christ, and every good work. Jesus is not our Lord unless we are doing the things that He says (Luke 6:46). Jesus is the “author of salvation to all who obey Him” (Hebrews 12:8). An author writes words, we have all things that pertain to life and godliness, through a knowledge of Him who called us to glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:3). James strengthens the idea of doing what we learn to be truth, “… him that knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:14).
I am glad that Jesus told us what He wants us to do and be as His followers. I am glad that he gave me the ability to read the Bible and understand it enabling me to be pleasing to Him.
Knowing the truth carries with it the ancillary commands to apply ourselves to handle correctly His truth.
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 ESV)
Worship Thoughts 