Standing for God’s Truth
By
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
Psalm 119:1-4 says, “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently”.
To compromise is to make concessions or accommodations for someone who does not agree with a certain set of standards or rules. What makes compromise so dangerous is the subtle way it attacks us. Compromise, by definition, doesn’t involve a wholesale submission to worldly ways or ideals; rather, it accommodates them. Most of us would buck against the thought of tossing Jesus aside and embracing an idol, but compromise never asks us to do that. Compromise says that we can have the idol and keep Jesus, too, what’s the harm, since we still have Jesus?
We need to stand for God’s Truth and not compromise.
PRAYER:-
OPENING: - G.K. Chesterton, 1874 – 1936, was an English writer and Christian Apologist said, “The coming peril facing civilization was standardization by a low standard”. How truly profound that statement is today.
We live in world of compromise where people are letting go of standards, values, and morals to have recognition, position, titles, clout, and prestige. Society has pushed for the lowering of standards with the so-called premise of improving equality, acceptance, and accessibility.
The lowering of standards, morals, and values is simply ludicrous and does nothing but promote failure while insulting every race, gender, religion, and totally disrespecting God. The lowering of standards for so-called equality because of the color of your skin, your gender, or your religion determines if you are capable of something or not rather than your skills, education, or the content of your character.
The lowering of standards says that we are not capable of achieving this or accomplishing that because the bar is set to high; therefore, to accomplish it standards are lowed. The question becomes if standards are lowered are we achieving anything or is it just a means to satisfy the result.
I am not up on my political astuteness as maybe I should be, but the other week I watched as the vote for the speaker of the house played out over and over and over again. I listened as one news analyst said McCarthy is selling pieces of himself, he must compromise on certain things and give up certain things to get the votes needed to become speaker of the house. Sure, he got what he wanted but at what price.
When it comes to standing for God’s truth there can be no compromise, no lowering of standards.
SCRIPTURES: - 2 Corinthians 13:8 “For we cannot oppose the truth, but must always stand for the truth - NLT”.
Jude 3 “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints”.
John 18:37-38 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me. Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.
John 16:13 “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come”.
Let me say it is in our duty to stand up for the Truth! We must put up a real fight for the faith which was once for all committed to those who belong to Christ. We need to be fighting against the evil that is attacking the truth of God and stand strong. We cannot compromise our standards, we can afford to appease the world, we can’t follow the ways of the world and expect to be the church of God, we must hold up the standard of Holiness and Truth.
Pilate said, “What is Truth”. Jesus said in John 17:17 says “thy word is truth”.
This is what we are to defend the whole body of revealed Truth which is contained in the Word of God. We must stand and hold up the Word of God, the whole Bible, not just certain parts of it. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works”.
WATCH THIS: - Profitable for doctrine – Profitable is everything necessary to make you the person God wants you to be. Profitable means useful or beneficial. Doctrine is the foundation of teaching and learning. Biblically, true doctrine provides us the opportunity to learn what is the desired result that God wants us to know from His Word. Reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness is to expose error. It is not a tool to beat someone over the head and condemn them to hell but to expose the error of their ways and show them what God expects and what is right in His sight. This can only be done when we stand on the Truth of God’s Word and do not compromise, because the result is eternal life or eternal damnation so we must hold up the standard.
Sadly, the fundamental truths of the Christian Faith are being attacked and denied and not just by outsiders, but by many inside the church. There is so much compromise and assimilation with the world that it is becoming hard to even tell them apart. It is often said Well the world does this and the world allows that, and we are just going along with what is trending in the world. The church cannot lower its standards and do the things the world is doing and expect to transform the world. When we allow this to happen, when we lower standards and compromise, Truth is attacked, and robbed of its power and glory. It is our duty to stand for it and defend it.
Society today wants to accept everyone and everything regardless of the holy and moral consequences and if you don’t then you are considered a hater or have some kind of phobia and it becomes easy to be tempted to bow at the altar of compromise, instead of standing up for God’s Truth and His Word. Jesus told Peter in Luke 22:31-32 “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren”. Satan wanted to shake his faith, to cause him to lower his standards, to compromise what he believed and fall. This is what is happening today to many so-called Christians and in some churches, truth standards are being lowered and compromised and people falling victim to the attacks of the enemy all while saying well I just don’t want to offend someone. Thomas Paine, 1737 -1809 was an English-born American political activist, philosopher, political theorist, and revolutionary who once said, “He who dares not to offend cannot be honest”.
When you stand for and on the Truth of God’s Word it is going to offend some people WHY because Sin, Flesh, The World, Satan, and all the demons of Hell are enemies of God and when truth is proclaimed the enemies get offended. Everyone one of us can admit that times of conflict and confrontation are not enjoyable. Yet, when we compromise the truth or remain silent on Biblical issues, are we doing anyone a favor? I rather have someone offended now and stand before God and hear Him say Well Done then compromise standards in order not to offend and hear God say Depart from me ye worker of iniquity I know you not.
UNDERSTAND: - We have a job and that is the ministry of reconciliation. We are to lead lost humanity back into relationship with a Holy God and to do that we must stand for God’s truth. We are to do as Proverbs 23:23 says, “Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding”. What do you mean Bishop:- We are to look at truth as a thing of the highest value, and spare no pains, cost, or sacrifice to obtain it, and, when we have it, keep it safe; defend it, do not sell it for earthly profit or the pleasures of the world, do not be reasoned out of it, or laughed out of it; don’t compromise it, don’t lower the value of it by lowering standards sell it not.
Imagine if Noah had compromised and lowered his standards by telling the people that everything and everyone was ok in the eyes of God instead of preaching a message of truth, repentance, and destruction. If Noah would have compromised the truth or lowered his standards who would that have helped when the flood came? Noah himself would have been lost for not preaching the word as God commanded, his family would have been lost, and we wouldn’t be here today and that’s the truth.
What if Joshua and Caleb would have lowered their standards and compromised on truth, they would have never said but we are well able to take it in spite of the giants in the land. Sure, it would have been more in line with popular culture at the time, sure it would have made others comfortable, but they were standing on truth knowing that God would deliver them and because of their standing for truth they were blessed.
What if the fore runner of Jesus Christ, John the Baptist would have lowered his standard with King Herod because of his position and status, but he decided to speak truth in Mark 6:18 when he said, “It is not lawful for you to have your brothers’ wife”. Sure, Herod was upset but in the eyes of God John did exactly the right thing and for standing up for truth Jesus said of him in Matthew 11:11 “Among those born of women there has not risen a greater than John the Baptist”.
What if Paul would have compromised and lowered the standards, most of the New Testament would not have been written. Sure, people were often offended by what Paul pointed out but listen to what he said at the end of his life. 2 Timothy 4:7-8 “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing”.
What if Jesus would have lowered the standards and compromised with the people of His time. What if He accepted the hypocritical Pharisees as they were, overlooked the sin of the Scribes walked around with the everybody is ok, and everything is just alright with the world mentality. If Jesus did that, would He be our Savior, would He have been pleasing to God? No!
Today we must follow the same example of those before us and stand for God’s truth. We are doing no one any favors by compromising the Word of God or lowering the standards that God has set in His Word. Look what Ezekiel 33:2-7 says “Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman: If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand. So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me”. If you stand for God’s Truth and tell people the truth and they then you can stand before the Lord and hear Him say well done because you did as Ephesians 4:15 says, “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ”. However, if you compromise or lower the standard and the people end up lost their blood will be required on your hands because we are the watchmen.
CLOSING: - Truth is being fought in the world, just look around Politicians, Lawyers, and the entire Governmental system tries to deny the truth. The stuff that comes out in the media; the televisions, podcast and internet is utter nonsense and far away from the truth of God.
Compromise and the lowering of standards is the norm in society that is being perpetuated by the lie of equality and accessibility. When you lower standards trying to say you are helping people the lie is clear they feel that certain people rather, race, gender, class or religion are not capable of meeting the standards. Literally you are saying people lack the intelligence, skills, and aptitude required. You say it helps people access certain things and levels the field of equality when all it really does is set people up for failure in life and reaching unattainable goals. However, when it comes to the Word of God and His Kingdom, we must hold up the standard of truth. It is truth that holds everything together. The Bible says in Ephesians 6 to have your loins girt about with truth. This is a military expression, when I was in the Army, I was issued an LBE, Load Bearing Equipment Belt. This belt held everything I needed to survive in war. It held my canteen, my gas mask, my ammo pouches, my bayonet when it wasn’t on my rifle, my flashlight, and a compass. The truth of God’s word is what hold everything you need to survive the attack of the enemy. When you compromise and lower the standard you don’t have what you need to survive the attack of the devil and death is imminent.
Jesus declared just how important and essential the truth is when in John 18:37 He said, “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice”.
He gave us a promise if we stand for God’s truth when He said in John 8:31-32, “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”.
Are you going to compromise and lower the standards setting people up for imminent fail and hells damnation or are you going to Stand for God’s Truth.
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
