The Truth Never Changes
Translated and adapted from Holy Spirit Monthly—Issue 98
“Truth,” what a wonderful word!
Who wouldn’t want to have his or her theories, ideas, speeches, beliefs,
inventions, or creations be everlasting truths that never change? Therefore,
humans have employed all sorts of methods, whether by establishing educational
institutes or by using human influences, to uphold their theories as universal
laws.
But which of the –isms and schools
of thought—whether of science, philosophy, or even religion—can remain relevant
through every generation? The belief that the earth was the center of the
universe was widely accepted as true for over 1,000 years, beginning from the
time of ancient Greece. Yet it was proven to be incorrect during the Renaissance.
What is accepted in a certain
period of time is called the truth or law. However, this kind of knowledge
changes over the years, so how can it be called the truth?
WHAT IS TRUTH?
When the Lord Jesus was on trial
before Pilate, He said,
“My kingdom is not of this world…For this cause
I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear
witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My
voice.” Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” (Jn
18:36-38)
If Pilate—a prefect whose status,
education, knowledge, and experience surpassed that of the average citizen—did
not know what truth is, what chance do ordinary people like us have to know the
truth? Not many people are like Pilate, who sought the truth with a
straightforward and direct question.
Instead, we see unceasing debates
about the truth among those who regard evil as good, righteous as wicked, and right
as wrong. There is no conclusion from such arguments on what the truth is.
What exactly is the truth?
Jesus told His sorrowful
disciples: “‘And I will pray the Father, and He will
give you another Helper…the Spirit of truth’” (Jn
14:16, 17). In this prayer, Jesus asked for the sanctification of His disciples
by the Spirit of truth because no one can go to the Father without being
sanctified by the truth. This request is fulfilled by the prayer Jesus gave
before His crucifixion: “‘Sanctify them by your truth, [for] your word is truth’”
(Jn 17:17).
From the two verses, we see that
sanctification by the truth is sanctification by the Spirit. In other words,
the Holy Spirit is Truth (Jn 14:17).
When Jesus said in John chapter
17, “Your word is truth,” what word is He referring to? The word refers to the
word of God, which is the true God that has existed since the beginning of time
(Jn 1:1). So we see that God is Truth.
Because Jesus is the Word in flesh
who dwelled among us (Jn 1:14), He said, “‘I am the
way, the truth, and the life’” (Jn 14:6). Jesus is Truth.
The Holy Spirit, God, and Jesus
are one, and they are the Truth. Therefore, John says, “And the Word became
flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only
begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (Jn
1:14).
WHERE IS TRUTH?
We know that Jesus is Truth and
that He ascended to heaven after the completion of the work of salvation. So
where can we go to search for the truth? Scripture says, “In every place where
I record My name I will come to you, and I will bless
you” (Ex 20:24)—meaning a church that is erected by the name of God has the abidance
of God (the truth).
Today, there are innumerable
Christian churches, so how do we know which one is erected by God? According to
the Bible, such a church must have the four qualities below:
Raises the Holy Name of God on High
A church must raise God’s holy
name on high, proclaiming the Lord Jesus as true and great because there is no
other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). Numerous
denominations exist today, but do their churches’ names truly honor the Lord and
identify themselves as God’s temple?
It is rare to find another church
whose name honors God. Most churches are named after people or places and have
therefore changed God’s church to “man’s church” or “earth’s church.”
Behold! Here is a unique church,
one of its kind—True Jesus Church, where God’s name
has made its dwelling; those who belong to Him are forever under His name. Amen!
Abidance of the Holy Spirit
As previously discussed, the Holy
Spirit is Truth. A church that has the Holy Spirit has the truth, as well as
God’s constant abidance.
When the Lord became flesh and
dwelled in the world, few knew that He was the Holy Lamb of the Highest One. Even
John the Baptist, who came for the purpose of preparing the way for the Lord, did
not know who Jesus was.
“I did not know Him, but He who sent me to
baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and
remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have
seen and testified that this is the Son of God.” (Jn
1:33, 34)
Today, how can a church attest
that she is the church of God, the body of Christ? Thank God, we can use the
method John the Baptist used to know the Lord. We must look at where the Holy
Spirit abides—the church that has the abidance of the Spirit is a church that
belongs to God.
God’s church will have the
abidance of Truth.
The Word of Truth
A church that has the truth must
have this critical quality: she preaches the word as a whole according to the
Bible (Ezek 11:25), and not in bits and pieces. Nowadays many churches twist or
even reject God’s word; having united with the world they discard God’s
commands in favor of men’s traditions.
Conversely, the true church has
the teachings of Christ as her foundation; she imitates the mind of Christ and
refuses to compromise with any teaching that is different from Christ’s. The
true church is Bible–based and relies on the Holy Spirit’s guidance to walk
according to the truth.
Signs and Wonders
John chapter 3 records that
Nicodemus came to see Jesus because of the signs He performed. Concerning the
signs, Nicodemus remarked that no one can do them unless God is with him (Jn 3:2).
Before the Lord ascended to
heaven, He promised to confirm through signs and wonders the word that the
disciples preached (Mk 16:17, 20). When the disciples went out and preached,
signs and wonders did indeed accompany them to confirm their testimonies.
Signs and wonders are rare except
in the true church. Only in the true church would God constantly manifest His
great power. Therefore, signs and wonders are another confirmation of the truth.
THE TRUTH NEVER CHANGES
The one true God is the absolute
truth, everlasting, and never changing.
Absolute
Everything in this world is
relative. As a popular Chinese saying goes, “There is no absolute right or
absolute wrong under the sun.” Even though gray areas exist throughout the
world, the truth—God’s word—is absolute. The Bible says, “Know the only true
God” (Jn 17:3), and “‘The Lord is one,’ and His name
one” (Zech 14:9).
Everlasting
Truth must be eternal; it cannot
be true today but false tomorrow. Scripture says, “Forever, O Lord, Your word
is settled in heaven” (Ps 119:89). This is an everlasting, unceasing existence.
As Peter says, “‘The word of the Lord endures forever’”
(1 Pet 1:25).
Jesus Remains the Same
Humans’ hearts change as often as
the wind changes its direction. Our volatile nature fills the world with
hypocrisy.
But the Lord Jesus is the same
yesterday, today, and forever (Heb 13:8). Only Jesus, who never changes, is
worthy to be called the Truth and the Life (Jn 14:6).
CONSEQUENCES OF CHANGING THE TRUTH
Eternal Condemnation
To the church of Galatia, Paul
repeatedly pointed out that those who pervert God’s true gospel will be
condemned:
I marvel that you are turning away so soon from
Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not
another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of
Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you
than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before,
so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you
have received, let him be accursed. (Gal 1:6-9)
We must examine against the Bible
the doctrines that we have received, lest we be eternally condemned for
preaching “a different gospel.”
Plagues
When on the island of Patmos, John received a revelation from the Holy Spirit. In
the last chapter of the Book of Revelation, he expressly wrote down a warning:
For I testify to everyone who hears the
words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will
add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away
from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from
the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in
this book. (Rev 22:18, 19)
When faced with such a stern
warning, how can anyone who calls on the Lord Jesus not take heed?
THE PROPER ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE TRUTH
Love
Now it shall come to pass in the latter days
that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established on the top of the
mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to
it. Many people shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of
the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we
shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion shall
go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (Isa 2:2, 3)
The mountain, the house of God, Zion, and Jerusalem
all refer to the true church of the last days. We will go up to this mountain,
to this house of God, and the Lord will reveal the truth to us and teach us so
that we can see the light of the truth.
The queen of Sheba traveled
thousands of miles to listen to King Solomon’s words of wisdom (1 Kgs 10:1-6). The Ethiopian eunuch endured the long journey
to Jerusalem to learn more about the truth (Acts 8:27-29).
Modern transportation has made
traveling to distant places more convenient. We don’t need to go through the trouble
that the queen and the eunuch went through, traveling long distances to search
for the truth. If others have been willing to endure difficulties to learn the
truth, how much more should we, as children of God, endure to understand the
truth that we believe in?
We must show our love for the
truth.
Keep
Keep my commands and live, And
my law as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; Write them on the
tablet of your heart. (Prov 7:2, 3)
After a person acquires a
treasure, he will certainly store it in a very secure place. If he treats it as
junk, what profit would this treasure bring him? Truth is far more valuable
than money and jewels, and cannot be exchanged for wealth.
I entreat brothers and sisters
who have already received the truth to be watchful and make every effort to
guard yourselves, lest you reject the truth and be rejected
by the truth in the end.
Support
For we can do nothing against the truth, but for
the truth. (2 Cor 13:8)
Support the truth, and do not oppose
it. Be strong and courageous, and submit to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. When
the devil attempts to alter the truth among the congregation, we should contend
earnestly for the truth and point out the devil’s trick lest believers be
fooled by it.
Because we love God, we are willing
to suffer and even give up our lives to guard and support the truth. Never
compromise with the world and thus surrender to the devil. To be friends with
the world is to forsake the truth which we have received, and to be enemies
with God (Jas 4:4).
Apply
A true believer does not merely
hear the truth, he practices the truth. David had the heart to practice the
truth. He prayed, “Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will
walk in Your truth” (Ps 86:11).
God came in flesh as Jesus and
set an example for us. As long as we try our best to imitate the examples that
the Lord has set for us—like what Paul wrote, “Imitate me as I imitate Christ”
(1Cor 1:11)—we will have the likeness of Christ, spotless and blameless, able
to welcome the true God. Amen!
CONCLUSION
The Lord Jesus is Truth, and in
Him there is no change. Though our resurrected Lord has ascended to heaven, He
manifests Himself by the Holy Spirit, the evidence of Truth.
As long as we humble ourselves and
seek to know the truth, we will receive it. The true God will give the truth to
those who ask Him. The Lord has already promised: “Blessed are the poor in
spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:3).
