Truth is one of those words which stands alone! It does not fall into the words, “half-truth,” or nearly “truth;” but is limited to one body of truth; the gospel of Christ! When Jesus said, to those disciples which believed on him: “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). The “truth” of which Jesus speaks, is equal to “the teaching of Christ,” of which John wrote: “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son” (2 John 9). Have you ever thought, that the “truth” is equal to “the teaching (doctrine) of Christ,” and “the teaching of Christ” is equal to “the gospel of Christ?” That which is equal to the same thing, is equal to each other! For instance, 2+2=4 and 1+3=4; therefore, 2+2 is equal to 1+3!
The word “abideth” is a most important word; it means: “to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy): – abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand, tarry.” No matter which words you would like to use, each one is saying the same thing; one must start, by obeying, with the idea of “abiding in,” as in the present tense! There was a time that we did not “abideth” in the truth, we were, as Paul writes the Romans: “For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness” (Rom. 6:20). Therefore, when we did not “abideth” in “the teaching of Christ,” we “were the servants of sin,” and not only so, but we were “free from righteousness!” Now we have been introduced to another word, which is equal to “the teaching of Christ,” and it is the word “righteousness.” The word “righteousness” comes from the Greek word “dikaiosune” and means: “justification!” This gives us another word, that is equal to the “truth” (John 8:32), “the gospel of Christ,” (Rom. 1:16), “the teaching of Christ,” (2 John 9), “righteousness” and it is the word “justification.” Is it not true, that Jesus could have used any of these words and meant the same thing! The result being freedom from sin! Before concluding this part of our article, please read: “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you” (Rom. 6:17). Salvation, being made free from sin, is found i
0n the words “that form of doctrine” and is also equal to the other words noted above. More over, there is no freedom from sin, no salvation, outside “that form of doctrine.” The Greek word is “tupos” and among other things, is “a statue,” and “a model.” It is a completed “statue,” or a completed “model.” To add anything to it, would change the “statue” into something else! It would be “another” of a different kind, as Paul wrote of the Galatians: “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel” (Gal. 1:6). Now notice what Paul wrote next: “Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ” (verse 7). The two key words are “not and “another.” The Greek word for “not” is “ou” and is “the absolutely negative,” and goes with “another” which is the Greek “allos” and means: “another.” Therefore, Paul is saying there absolutely is no other gospel that is the same as the gospel of Christ!
Precious are the words of Jesus: “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). Jesus is addressing the subject of salvation! Freedom from sins committed, in the past. It is not salvation from sins one will commit in the future! But it does put one in the state of being able to be forgiven of such sins; by repenting, confessing, and asking God’s forgiveness! Knowing the truth is one of life’s greatest blessings! But it is limited to the “truth” of which Jesus spoke! Just as it is limited to “the gospel of Christ,” to “the teaching of Christ,” to words of “righteousness,” and to the word of “justification!”
Friends, “truth” means “truth,” and “truth” is not subject to change! The moment “truth” is changed, altered, it is no longer the “truth!” Bible “truth” is not like the truth of men! Years ago, I purchased an old set of encyclopedias and what was written in them was written as truth, but a new set of encyclopedias reveals things learned between the time the of the old one and the new; truth as seen by men is subject to change! But God is Omniscient! There is no: 1) half-truth; 2) home truth; 3) not an atom of truth; and 4) that is the literal truth, in “the truth” of which Jesus spoke! Recall the words of the “wise man of the Old Testament,” as he wrote: “Buy the truth, and sell it not; …” But let us not forget the second half of this verse: buy “also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding” (Pro. 23:23).
Thanks be to God who has given us “the truth” by which we can be saved!
Frank R. Williams