The last four articles which have APPEARED on this page were about “truth!” With this in mind, it seemed only natural to ask the question under which this article is written. As teachers of a “by-gone-time,” used to say, “Class put on your thinking caps,” at which time the students were to be quiet, listen, and think!” This is no longer heard in the class room, as it is hard to get the class to be “quiet,” in the first place, and to get the class to “listen” is reaching for the near impossible, and to get the class to really “think” is simply out of the question!
It seems a good time to put before the reader the question: “which side of the truth are you on: right or left?” It is required, that the reader be keen of mind, as these words are “rolled” around in the mind. If you have given time to study and think about “truth,” and you should have, you should have said to yourself, “Truth does not have sides!” When the subject is the truth, the inspired word of God, there are no “sides!” It is true, that one may stand outside of the truth, on either the right or left of truth and one might stand outside of truth; on the “top” or “bottom” of truth! Therefore, the words of our question, “Which side of the truth are you on,” should have gotten your attention, at once! In other words, truth is truth!
No, it is not meant, that people do not stand on one side, left of truth or right of truth, but truth itself, does not have sides, as in “right” or “left. Think, as in “put on your thinking cap,” think of truth as a circle or a square, whichever you like, but have it be the truth! If you are on either side of it, you are not in it. Let me write that again: “If you are on either side of the truth, you are not in it!” Hear the apostle John on this subject: “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). Notice the word, “transgresseth,” which is the Greek “parabaino,” and means: “1) to go by the side of” but not in truth! To “go by the side of,” in our case, “to go by the side of “the truth; now, if you are: by the side of” something, you are not in it! Second, the word also means: “to go past or pass over without touching a thing;” as to “go past” the truth, or to fly over it without ever touching it! Third, the Greek word means “to overstep,” as in “to overstep” the truth! Fourth, one may “depart, leave, be turned from” the truth. Finally, “one who abandons his trust” of the truth! (Thayer) Please notice, that each of the four, the words do not describe one who is in the truth but one outside of the truth!
By now, you must have gotten the idea; if you are on the right or left, top or bottom, of the truth, you are not in it! As for me, I have no desire to be anywhere but in the truth! I am going to stand, with both feet, in the circle of truth or the square of truth; however, you desire to describe it! Truth has limits! It does not run everywhere like “sorghum molasses!” Yes, sorghum molasses may run slowly, but it still runs! Truth does not “run!” It does not change today from what it was a hundred years ago or two thousand years ago! Of course, this writer is fully aware that some, and their “herd” is increasing today! As the old beloved preacher use to say, “There was a time when you could use a fine tooth comb and you could not find a “liberal,” but now you can take a hay rake and bail them up!” Don’t you “love” to hear: “You can catch more flies with honey!” I have always wondered, whatever gave those who use this phrase, the idea that we are not trying to catch “flies!” Listen to Luke as he writes about that great Pentecost day recorded in Acts two, as he covers those who obeyed the truth: “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42).
Don’t be fooled, you can be on the right or left of the truth; you can be on the top or bottom of truth; but in either case you are outside of the truth! Friends, if the truth revealed what kind of music may be used in worship is “singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” (Col. 3:16), it is still the truth! If the truth revealed, two thousand years ago, that one who is yet in his sins, that he should be told: “be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). Friends, with all of this old heart, I plead with you, that you stand, as in put both feet, in the unchangeable truth!
Frank R. WilliamsThe last four articles which have APPEARED on this page were about “truth!” With this in mind, it seemed only natural to ask the question under which this article is written. As teachers of a “by-gone-time,” used to say, “Class put on your thinking caps,” at which time the students were to be quiet, listen, and think!” This is no longer heard in the class room, as it is hard to get the class to be “quiet,” in the first place, and to get the class to “listen” is reaching for the near impossible, and to get the class to really “think” is simply out of the question!
It seems a good time to put before the reader the question: “which side of the truth are you on: right or left?” It is required, that the reader be keen of mind, as these words are “rolled” around in the mind. If you have given time to study and think about “truth,” and you should have, you should have said to yourself, “Truth does not have sides!” When the subject is the truth, the inspired word of God, there are no “sides!” It is true, that one may stand outside of the truth, on either the right or left of truth and one might stand outside of truth; on the “top” or “bottom” of truth! Therefore, the words of our question, “Which side of the truth are you on,” should have gotten your attention, at once! In other words, truth is truth!
No, it is not meant, that people do not stand on one side, left of truth or right of truth, but truth itself, does not have sides, as in “right” or “left. Think, as in “put on your thinking cap,” think of truth as a circle or a square, whichever you like, but have it be the truth! If you are on either side of it, you are not in it. Let me write that again: “If you are on either side of the truth, you are not in it!” Hear the apostle John on this subject: “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). Notice the word, “transgresseth,” which is the Greek “parabaino,” and means: “1) to go by the side of” but not in truth! To “go by the side of,” in our case, “to go by the side of “the truth; now, if you are: by the side of” something, you are not in it! Second, the word also means: “to go past or pass over without touching a thing;” as to “go past” the truth, or to fly over it without ever touching it! Third, the Greek word means “to overstep,” as in “to overstep” the truth! Fourth, one may “depart, leave, be turned from” the truth. Finally, “one who abandons his trust” of the truth! (Thayer) Please notice, that each of the four, the words do not describe one who is in the truth but one outside of the truth!
By now, you must have gotten the idea; if you are on the right or left, top or bottom, of the truth, you are not in it! As for me, I have no desire to be anywhere but in the truth! I am going to stand, with both feet, in the circle of truth or the square of truth; however, you desire to describe it! Truth has limits! It does not run everywhere like “sorghum molasses!” Yes, sorghum molasses may run slowly, but it still runs! Truth does not “run!” It does not change today from what it was a hundred years ago or two thousand years ago! Of course, this writer is fully aware that some, and their “herd” is increasing today! As the old beloved preacher use to say, “There was a time when you could use a fine tooth comb and you could not find a “liberal,” but now you can take a hay rake and bail them up!” Don’t you “love” to hear: “You can catch more flies with honey!” I have always wondered, whatever gave those who use this phrase, the idea that we are not trying to catch “flies!” Listen to Luke as he writes about that great Pentecost day recorded in Acts two, as he covers those who obeyed the truth: “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42).
Don’t be fooled, you can be on the right or left of the truth; you can be on the top or bottom of truth; but in either case you are outside of the truth! Friends, if the truth revealed what kind of music may be used in worship is “singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” (Col. 3:16), it is still the truth! If the truth revealed, two thousand years ago, that one who is yet in his sins, that he should be told: “be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). Friends, with all of this old heart, I plead with you, that you stand, as in put both feet, in the unchangeable truth!
Frank R. Williams