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Established In The Present Truth
May 06, 2012
Many who profess to follow Christ do little study of His word, and the scriptures as the word of God. Those who do not study and try to know the will of God struggle to make godly decisions. They also often toss around some pretty wild statements about their faith, which is troubling to me. If we do not learn the basics of the scriptures and then apply those things to our lives, we will fall short. We need to be rooted and grounded in the truth of God's word and will.
Bernie Parsons
Established In The Present Truth
by
Bernie Parsons
Presented to Load church of Christ on 05-06-2012
Presented to Globe church of Christ on 05-13-2012
2
Peter 1:12 "Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in
remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the
present truth.
13
Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by
putting you in remembrance;
14
Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord
Jesus Christ hath shewed me.
15
Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these
things always in remembrance."
Like Peter, I realize that I shall not always be with you. I also realize,
that although many lessons from God’s word are basic and simple, they can be
lost if we do not call them to the forefronts of our minds from time to
time. If we recall them, we can use those truths to be firmly established.
Ephesians 3:14 "For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ,
15
Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16
That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be
strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17
That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and
grounded in love,
18
May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length,
and depth, and height;
19
And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be
filled with all the fulness of God."
To
be firmly established in the present truth, we need to think on the present
truth of God’s will.
Philippians 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
5
Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
6
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your
hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest,
whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things
are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue,
and if there be any praise, think on these things.
9
Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen
in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you."
If
our minds are focused on the things of God Almighty, we will tend to do His
will instead of ours.
1
Timothy 4:6 "If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou
shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith
and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
7
But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto
godliness.
8
For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all
things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to
come.
9
This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation."
The
apostle Paul told Timothy to remind the brothers of the truths that they had
already been taught, and knew. When we nourish our spirits on the words of
faith and good doctrine, then we shall indeed be strong in the word and ways
of the Lord God of heaven and earth.
Hebrews 5:11 "Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered,
seeing ye are dull of hearing.
12
For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach
you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are
become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
13
For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for
he is a babe.
14
But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by
reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."
The
writer of Hebrews informed his readers that believers need to grow beyond
the basics of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Once that we truly understand the
foundational tenets of the scriptures, we need to mature as believers in
Christ. The more that we exercise ourselves unto godliness, the more
spiritually experienced and mature that we become.
We
read earlier from the apostle Paul’s letter to Timothy that physical
exercise is of little profit. However, if we exercise ourselves in the
spiritual things, we get stronger in the faith.
Acts 24:14 "But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call
heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are
written in the law and in the prophets:
15
And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall
be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.
16
And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence
toward God, and toward men."
Paul said that he took concrete steps to exercise himself in the ways that
clear his conscience before and God. He meant to establish himself firmly in
the ways of righteousness.
Ephesians 4:17 "This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye
henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18
Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God
through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their
heart:
19
Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to
work all uncleanness with greediness.
20
But ye have not so learned Christ;
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If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth
is in Jesus:
22
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is
corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness
and true holiness."
Born again of the water and spirit, renewed in our minds as our heart turns
toward God, fed first upon the milk of the gospel, and then the meat, we
grow up in the Lord to spiritual maturity and stability.
Ephesians 4:11 "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some,
evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the
edifying of the body of Christ:
13
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son
of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness
of Christ:
14
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about
with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness,
whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15
But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is
the head, even Christ:
16
From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which
every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of
every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in
love."
John 8:31 "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye
continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
