Attribute Five | A Man Is Receptive To Truth Series

Well, here we are, attribute number 5 – Receptive to Truth. As we look at each one of these 9 attributes of a man of God, I said that each one of them is going to drive us closer to becoming the men that God wants us to be. Nothing will do that more than becoming more receptive to truth in our life. So each time – I promised that I was going to read a verse around something that Jesus did, and commanded us to do at the same time – the first verse

I want to look at today is John. Chapter 7, verse 16. It reads, “So Jesus answered them, ‘My teaching is not mine, but Him who sent me.'” What we see here is that Jesus is teaching what he hears from God. In other words, Jesus is receptive to truth. In fact, he communicates it from God. He is a carrier of the message of God. And then later on in John 14, verse 6, here’s what he said. “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'”

Here we discover that through Jesus, we discover the truth. And thus, we become receptive. Not only to him but to God. For he has the way and the truth and the life, and he is the method through which we discover the truth. Therefore, here is my definition of attribute 5 – a man is receptive to truth.

Corruption in this world is evidence that we struggle to live in and to know the truth. Truth for a man is only found in God and his words. God’s Word – the Bible, is our truest guide and one resource we should reach for in every decision, challenge, and temptation. A man receives this truth, even before his own intuitions, opinions, and emotions. In addition, he is willing to admit when he is wrong when confronted by the truth. He does this by being sensitive to the spirit.

Guys, for just a moment, I want you to think of someone that you know who is not receptive to the truth. Now this isn’t you, because you’re perfectly receptive – right? You’re perfectly receptive to truth. So I want you to think of somebody else, okay? And whoever this is, think about why they’re not receptive to the truth that is in the Word of God.

Now there actually are good reasons for why people are not receptive. They are both – there are both internal factors and external factors to us. For example, a good internal factor would be something like their emotions cloud their ability to see the truth. Or maybe they are change averse? Or they are resistant to rules that look constricting and appear counter-intuitive to them? Or maybe they don’t want to admit their faults? Or maybe they get a callous heart issue? Or maybe there’s been a misunderstanding along the way? Or they have a lot of historical baggage, right?

All these are real factors for people not being receptive to the truth. But there are also these external factors, right? That comes from other people, right? So things like – maybe it’s a persons’ approach that keeps a person from becoming receptive to truth. Or maybe it’s criticism from well-meaning people? Or maybe it’s hypocrisy that keeps people from the truth.

Whatever it may be, there are good reasons – whether internal or external – to why we don’t receive the truth. But we have to move this a little bit personally, right? We have to move it toward us. Because there are certain issues or triggers that also keep us from becoming receptive. All kinds of things to be quite honest. And they’re internal and external to us.

Maybe it’s an unresolved conflict, right? Each and every one of us had a conflict in our life, where in that moment of conflict we are not receptive to truth. Maybe it’s our own defensiveness that makes us un-receptive to the truth? Maybe it’s a lack of a meaningful relationship, right? An understanding that keeps us receptive to truth. Maybe it’s procrastination that keeps us receptive to the truth? Or control? Or the fact that we know better, or the fact that we discredit the other person who’s actually sharing it? Or maybe it’s that we simply just cannot forgive ourselves, therefore we are unreceptive to the truth.

All these little triggers and issues are so powerful and potent, to keep us from discovering the real truth. Well, you know what? Jesus cares that we know his truth. This is good news. He cares deeply. He wants us to hear it, and to heed it, to listen and to obey it. And in Luke 8, verses 4 through 8 – he gives us a beautiful illustration on how this works. So here are the words of Jesus.