Sermon Central
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The Truth About Pergamum Series
Contributed by Charles Mallory on Feb 1, 2002 (message contributor)
Summary: A call to stand firm upon the Truth of God’s Word by refusing to give in to the world’s view of "tolerance."
IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT THE RIPPLE OF TODAY’S LIE IS TOMORROW’S WAVE AND NEXT YEAR’S FLOOD! GOD NOT ONLY TOLD US, BUT REQUIRES US TO ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH!
THE SAME IS EVEN REQUIRED OF US FOR MAN MADE LAWS. IN A COURT OF LAW A WITNESS WHO COMES BEFORE THE JUDGE AND JURY IS REQUIRED TO PLACE THEIR HAND UPON THE BIBLE AND MAKE A PROMISE THAT THEY WILL TELL THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH.
THE PURPOSE OF A WITNESS IS NOT TO EXPAND UPON, FABRICATE OR EVEN DILUTE THE TRUTH. THE PURPOSE OF A WITNESS IS TO TELL THE TRUTH!
LEAVE IT TO THE LEGAL COUNSEL TO INTERPRET. LEAVE IT TO THE JURY TO RESOLVE. LEAVE IT OT THE JUDGE TO APPLY. THE WITNESS IS CALLED ON TO JUST TELL THE TRUTH!
ALLOW THE WITNESS DO MORE OR LESS THAN THE TRUTH THEN THE WITNESS CONTAMINATES THE OUTCOME. BUT LET THE WITNESS TELL NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH AND JUSTICE WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO BLOSSOM!
THE SAME GOES FOR US AS CHRISTIANS WHEN WE MINISTER AS WITNESSES FOR CHRIST. WHEN WE ACCEPTED CHRIST AS OUR SAVIOR WE MADE A PLEDGE, JUST LIKE THE WITNESS IN COURT, TO BE HIS WITNESS AND TELL NOTHING BUT THE HONEST TRUTH.
WHEN WE WITNESS AS CHRISTIANS THE BENCH MAY BE ABSENT AND THE JUDGE UNSEEN, BUT THE BIBLE IS STILL PRESENT AND THE WATCHING WORLD IS OUR JURY. WE HAVE BEEN SUBPOENAED BY JESUS TO TESTIFY ON HIS BEHALF.
ACTS 1:8, "YOU WILL BE MY WITNESSES IN JERUSALEM, IN ALL OF JUDEA, IN SAMARIA, AND IN EVERY PART OF THE WORLD." JUST LIKE WITNESSES IN A COURT ROOM, WE ARE CALLED TO TESTIFY AND PROCLAIM THE TRUTH OF CHRIST AND GOD’S WORD TO THE LOST AND DYING WORLD.
OUR TASK AS MINISTERS IS NOT TO ADD SOMETHING THAT ISN’T REALLY THERE OR TO EXPAND OR DETRACT FROM THE WORD. OUR TASK IS TO TELL THE TRUTH. PERIOD!
ONE THING TO NOTE, THERE IS ONE BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A WITNESS IN COURT AND THE WITNESS FOR JESUS CHRIST. THE WITNESS IN COURT EVENTUALLY STEPS DOWN FROM THE WITNESS CHAIR. BUT THE WITNESS FOR CHRIST NEVER DOES BECAUSE THE WORD OF GOD AND THE WAYS OF CHRIST ARE ALWAYS ON TRIAL. SPIRITUAL COURT IS ALWAYS IN SESSION, AND WE REMAIN UNDER OATH UNTIL WE DIE!
TELLING THE TRUTH WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONS OR SUBTRACTIONS OR WITHOUT ANY INFORMATION ADDED TO IT TO FAVOR OUR OPINION IS NEVER AN OPTION.
IT WAS NEVER AN OPTION FOR JESUS EITHER! ISAIAH 53:9, "HE HAD DONE NOTHING WRONG, AND HE HAD NEVER LIED." JESUS WAS CONSTANTLY HONEST. HIS EVERY WORD WAS ACCURATE, HIS EVERY SENTENCE TRUE. NO ALTERING THE INFORMATION OR FABRICATING THE SITUATION AND NOT ONCE DID HE SHADE THE TRUTH.
JESUS DIDN’T EVEN AVOID THE TRUTH! HE JUST SIMPLY TOLD THE DIRECT, HONEST TRUTH ABOUT EVERYTHING! NO DECEIT WAS EVER FOUND IN HIS MOUTH. GOD EXPECTS THE SAME FROM US, BECAUSE AFTER ALL, OUR FATHER HAS A VERY STRICT HONOR CODE.
ALL THROUGH THE BIBLE IS THE EXACT SAME THEME: GOD LOVES THE TRUTH AND HATES DECEIT! PROVERBS 12:22, "THE LORD HATES THOSE WHO TELL LIES BUT IS PLEASED WITH THOSE WHO KEEP THEIR PROMISES."
PROVERBS 6:16-17, "THE LORD HATES…A LYING TONGUE." PSALM 5:6, "[GOD] DESTROYS LIARS…[AND]HATES THOSE WHO KILL AND TRICK OTHERS."
YES, IT’S TOUGH, IT’S HARD, AND IT MAKES US FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE TO THINK THAT WE ARE BEING HELD TO A HIGHER STANDARD AND HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO SOMETHING THAT IS SO STRICT!
GOD WANTS US TO BE JUST LIKE HIM AND BECAUSE HE ALWAYS SPEAKS THE TRUTH WE MUST SPEAK THE TRUTH. WHEN GOD MAKES A COVENANT, HE KEEPS IT. WHEN GOD MAKES A STATEMENT, HE MEANS IT. SO WHEN GOD PROCLAIMS THE TRUTH, WE CAN BELIEVE IT!
SO, WHEN IT COMES TO THE PURE TRUTH, INSTEAD OF ASKING "WHY DOES GOD DEMAND SUCH HONESTY?" WE SHOULD BE ASKING OURSELVES, "WHY DO WE TOLERATE SUCH VAST AMOUNTS OF DISHONESTY?"
FOR EXAMPLE: WE WANT OUR BOSSES TO LIKE US, SO WE FLATTER THEM. SOME WOULD CALL THAT "BROWN-NOSING," BUT GOD CALLS IT A LIE! WE WANT PEOPLE TO ADMIRE US, SO WE EXAGGERATE. WE CALL IT "STRETCHING THE TRUTH A LITTLE," BUT GOD CALLS IT ALL A LIE!
LIES ARE NOTHING MORE THAT A COMPROMISE OF THE TRUTH. A COMPROMISE OF THE TRUTH ALWAYS LEADS TO DEATH. IT MAY NOT BE PHYSICAL DEATH BUT THE DEATH OF A MARRIAGE. MARITAL DECEPTIONS ARE THE TERMITES IN THE TRUNK OF THE FAMILY TREE.
COMPROMISING THE TRUTH WILL RESULT IN THE DEATH OF OUR CONSCIENCE. THE TRAGEDY OF THE SECOND LIE IS THAT IT IS ALWAYS EASIER TO TELL THAN THE FIRST ONE.
COMPROMISING THE TRUTH WILL RESULT IN THE DEATH OF OUR FAITH. WE NO LONGER BELIEVE THAT GOD’S WORDS IS COMPLETELY TRUE. WE BELIEVE OUR OWN DEFINITION OVER GOD’S ORIGINAL MEANING. DEAD FAITH FINDS TERMS LIKE CONFESSION AND REPENTANCE HARD TO PRONOUNCE.
