Truth?

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER:

• How can one know what is true about God?

• How can on know if the Bible is true?

• What methods are approved by the Bible for seeking and coming to know truth?

VIEWS TO CONSIDER:

• EVANGELICAL VIEW: There are many different views on how man can come to know truth, but many believe that it is by reading scriptures and having one’s heart changed by God and having oneself filled with the Holy Spirit.

• LATTER DAY SAINT VIEW: Man can come to know the truth by seeking for it in faith, by looing at all that God has given him (miracles, evidences, miracles etc.), by studying scripture, by living/experiencing the gospel, by listening to (or reading) the words of God’s servants and ultimately by the internal witness of the Holy Spirit which speaks truth to our mind and to our heart.

CONTENTS:

• Confessing Christ = Truth

• Heart

• Holy Ghost

• Faith / Trust

• Fruits

• Miracles / Signs

• Personal Experience / Obedience / Righteous Living

• Pondering / Meditating / Considering

• Prophets / Apostles

• Proving / Testing

• Revelation from God

• Scriptures

• Seek God

• Witnesses

• Not by signs

• Not by sight

• Not by man’s wisdom

CONFESSING CHRIST = TRUTH:

• 1 John 4:2 Hereby know ye the spirits of God; every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God

• John 4:15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

FAITH:

• John 20:27 Be not faithless, but believing

• James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him as of God… and it shall be given him… but let him as in faith

• Heb. 4:1-2 Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them; but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith In them that heard it

• Prov. 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

FRUITS:

• Matt. 7:15-20 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

HEART, THE:

• Deut. 4:35-39 Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the Lord he is God

• Jer. 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

• Rom 10:10 For with the heart man beleiveth unto righteousness

• Prov. 2:2 Apply thine heart to understanding

• Luke 24:32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

• Acts 2:37 Now when they heard [the gospel preached unto them], they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

• Deut. 4:9 Seek him with all thy heart

• Eph. 4:18-19 Having the understanding darkened… because of the blindness of their heart. Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto [a sinful life]

HOLY GHOST, THE:

• 1 Cor. 12:3 No man can say that Jesus is Lord but by the Holy Ghost

• 1 Cor. 2:10 God had revealed [the mysteries of God] unto us by His Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God

• 1 Cor. 2:11-14 The things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God… we have received the Spirit of God; that we might know the things that are freely given us of God… which things the Holy Ghost teacheth…But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned

• 1 John 5:5-6 the Spirit beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth

• 1 John 5:6-9 It is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth… if we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater, for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of His Son.

• 1 John 2:20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.

• Eph. 5:9 The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth

• Jeb. 10:14-15 The Holy Ghost also is a witness to us

• John 14:25-26 The Holy Ghost… shall teach you all things.

• John 15:25-26 The Spirit of Truth… he shall testify

• John 16:13 The Spirit of Truth… will guide you into all truth. He shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you… All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you

• John 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness

• Neh. 9:19 Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them

• Rom. 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness to our spirit that we are children of God

MIRACLES / SIGNS: (While Jesus did warn and rebuke those who demand signs/sight as a pre-requisite to belief, it can also be seen that miracles and great works were given to help men believe and to know truth. We should not demand signs/sight, but we should review the signs that God has given man.)

• Mark 2:10 But that ye may know that the son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, arise, take up they bed

• John 11:15 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE / OBEDIENCE / RIGHTEOUS LIVING:

• John 7:17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God or… of myself

PONDERING / MEDITATING / CONSIDERING:

• 2 Tim. 2:7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things

PROPHETS / APOSTLES:

• Amos 3:7 Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets

• Eph. 4:11-14 XXX

PROVING / TESTING:

• 1 Thess. 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast to that which is good

• 1 John 4:1 Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God

• (NOTE: How do we prove or test all things? Not with signs, physical evidences or sight etc. (for Christ has warned against such – see that section above), but by the methods approved in other parts of scripture: By the Holy Ghost, scripture, the heart, obedient living, revelation etc.)

REVELATION FROM GOD:

• 1 John 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him

• Eph. 1:17-18 That… God… may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him; the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know that is the hope of your calling.

• Matt. 21:22 All things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive

• James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, which giveth to all men liberally and abraideth not, and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith

• Matt. 16:16-17 Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven

• 2 Tim. 2:7 Consider what I sat; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things

• 2 Tim. 2:24-26 Be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth

SCRIPTURES:

• Acts 17:2 Paul reasoned with them out of the scriptures

• Matt. 22:29 Ye do error, no knowing the scriptures

• Matt. 4:4 [Jesus] answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God

• 2 Tim. 3:15-17 From a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus: 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.

SEEK GOD:

• Jer. 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

WITNESSES:

• 2 Cor. 13:1 In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established

NOT BE BY SIGN:

• Matt .12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there

• shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas

• Matt. 16:4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the

• sign of the prophet Jonas

• Mark 8:12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation

• John 4:48 And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation

• Mark 8:11 And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him.

• 2 Thess. 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders

• 1 Cor. 1:2 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom

• 1 Cor. 1:22-23 The Jews require a sign… but we preach Christ

NOT BE BY SIGHT:

• John 20:29 Then saith [Jesus] to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed

• John 14:7 the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him

• 2 Cor. 5:7 Therefore we are always confident… we walk by faith, not by sight

NOT BE BY MAN’S WISDOM:

• 1 Cor. 1:22-23 The Greeks seek after wisdom, but we preach Christ

• 1 Cor. 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God

• Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding