– Truth –

Tags

Colossians 2:1-7, God's Word is Truth, Grasping the Truth, Growing in the Truth, Guarding the Truth, Walking in Christ

John 17:17, “Sanctify them through thy truth: Thy word is truth”

Psalm 119:160, “The entirely of Your Word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever”

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Key Verse – Colossians 2:6-7, “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving”

Our Text – Colossians 2:1-7

Our Theme – Christ is the source of all wisdom and truth for spiritual growth

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Introduction

When Pilate interrogated Jesus, he asked, “What is truth? (John 18:38)”. It was the closest Pilate would come to life’s greatest question. The shrewd Roman politician had asked the right question of the right Person. However, Pilate could only pass on the answer by concluding, “I find no fault in Him.” Jesus had just told him that He had come into the world to bear witness to the truth (John 18:37). The question Pontius Pilate asked centuries ago needs to be rephrased in order to be completely accurate. The Roman governor’s remark “What is truth?” overlooks the fact that many things can have truth, but only one thing can actually be the Truth. Truth must originate from somewhere.

The stark reality is that Pilate was looking directly at the Origin of all Truth on that early morning almost two thousand years ago. Not long before being arrested and brought to the governor, Jesus had made the simple statement “I am the truth” (John 14:6), which was a rather incredible statement. How could a mere man be the truth? He couldn’t be, unless He was more than a man, which is actually what He claimed to be. The fact is, Jesus’ claim was validated when He rose from the dead (Romans 1:4).

Down through the centuries, people have continued to ask, “What is truth?” Some of their answers have found homes in popular philosophies and religions (or cults) of the world. However, none of their answers can replace the real truth in Jesus Christ. The idea has been popular for a very long time – people thinking they can believe in Jesus Christ while accepting unbiblical teaching. Although professing to have a relationship with Jesus Christ, some feel it’s okay to also follow the teachings of Buddha or other teachings other than what God’s Word says. They feel that having an additional belief is simply another step toward spiritual fulfillment. Do you remember Chuck Colson? In the year 2001 he examined this trend, and said that “instead of adhering to a specific set of doctrines, they feel free to pick and choose from all the various belief systems, or to create their own tailor-made religion.” He cites studies to show that people claiming to be followers of Jesus Christ have embraced reincarnation, astrology, and communication with the dead.

This is very dangerous ground. The true believer knows that Jesus Christ is the only way to God (Acts 4:12), and that the Bible, God’s inspired Word, is the only true source of instruction (2 Timothy 3:15-16). All belief and practices relating to spirituality must be based on biblical truth – not on how appealing they may sound. Don’t trust a homemade religion that contains a little of this and a little of that. Make your faith all about Jesus Christ, and test everything by God’s Word, which is the truth; then you can’t go wrong.

The Baptist church here in Angelica is over a hundred fifty years old. We are so very thankful for what the Lord has done during this time, having carried us through many trials and difficult times to grant to us a loving fellowship of believers in Christ Jesus. However, we can’t assume the spiritual condition of our church will always be like it is today. Things can quickly change in any church and there are numerous examples of such churches today in our area of the world and more importantly those mentioned in Scripture.

Many churches have grown spiritually and have experienced a wonderful sense of God’s blessing and Spirit at work; while other churches have drifted so far away from the truth in denying essential key areas of sound Biblical doctrine such as the Virgin Birth, Christ’s sinless life and His Bodily Resurrection. Countless churches today have embraced worldly philosophies rather than holding to the inherent, infallible, inspired and Eternal Word of God.   Paul knew that anything could happen in the church at Colossae. So, he struggled over them both in prayer and action. Our study calls for each of us to carry on this same struggle for our local church and others around us.

Are you burdened for the church? To be more exact are you burdened for your church where you attend regularly? In today’s study the apostle Paul had not physically been part of the church at Colossae because he had never been in the city as far as we know. Yet, he stated that he had “a great struggle” on behalf of the Colossae church and the others in the Lycus Valley. What caught my attention was if Paul could have such a struggle for a church, he had never been physically a part of, how much more should we be concerned for our own church, that we are a part of.

The word for struggle pictures an athletic contest wherein a person strains with his or her whole being, facing the demands of the contest with it taking a toll on their body. Paul’s struggle isn’t physical but spiritual. It brought him to prayer and action through exhortation. Why? Because the church is more than an organization, it is the body of Christ, indwelled by the Holy Spirit, purchased by the blood of Christ, and representative of Christ in a fallen world. Shouldn’t we also join the apostle in struggling for the church of Jesus Christ? Our desire should be to see the church of Christ to be unwavering, strong in Biblical truth and doctrine wherein God will be uplifted and glorified.

I submit to you there is a lack of interest in today’s society regarding the church and its membership. In many countries around the world multitudes of people are dying because they have professed faith and trust in Jesus Christ as Savior; while in our part of the world the prevailing attitude toward the church is almost nonexistent. Many are unconcerned concerning what it even means to be part of the church and more specifically a local church. They give no thought to the spiritual condition of the church as long as there are plenty of social and recreational activities or on Sunday attending some other sport events.

It is demonstrated over and over in the lack of concern about faithfulness, participation, and responsibility in the local church. None of us are apostles; however, I believe we need to join the Apostle Paul in struggling for the stability, purity, and life of the local church. We cannot be presumptuous about the church as though it will do just fine (that’s what Satan wants us to do). We need to rethink once again about what it truly means to be a believer in Jesus Christ and especially a member of a local body of believers in our church, or in any other church.

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 We Need to Focus on the Scripture 

This particular portion of Scripture in Colossians is the continued personal commentary of the Apostle Paul on the focus and goal of his ministry, beginning in Colossians 1:23, “If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister”. These verses contain Paul’s desires and goals for this church over 2,000 years ago. His goals and instructions would be the same for our church as it was for the church in Colossae and Laodicea.

Can you imagine the Apostle Paul coming to our church this Sunday to bring you instruction on how to glorify God, by living in such a way, as to exalt Jesus Christ in all that we do? To get at the heart of what Paul desires from the church at Colossae is to get at the heart of what God wants from our church in our time. When I say “church” I don’t mean the establishment that cares more about its building than it does the people in it, or the “church” that is a social club for religious hypocrites. When I speak of the “church” I mean that living organism, which is the body of Christ, comprised of Christ followers who love and follow Him and are called together to worship God with their whole life. The Apostle Paul loves this kind of “church” because this is the kind of church, he is guiding the Colossians to become and this is the kind of church that Paul beckons us to become also!

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When Pilate interrogated Jesus, he asked, “What is truth?” The answer was within his reach. Jesus, who is the Truth, stood before him. Through the centuries, people have continued to ask, “What is truth?” So, if we don’t know what truth is, then how will we know if the answer is correct or not? The atheists have concluded that there is no meaning in life, and their definition of truth is that man is the source of all truth. Truth is something that is without error. God, the Creator, states in His Word that He is the truth (John 14:6), which means that His Word also is the inerrant truth (John 17:17)! If God’s Word had error in it, then ultimately, we couldn’t trust what it states to be truth; however, this isn’t the case because God

(1)              Is infallible,

(2)              Is perfect,

(3)              Is reliable,

(4)              Is flawless (i.e., without error).

(5)              Cannot lie, and

(6)              Is trust worthy

Why then, would people rather trust fallible man over infallible God? God’s Word comes with the authority of God. We have to know that God’s Word is the truth, so we can trust it as our authority in every area of our life. Perfect means “without flaw.” God is perfect in every way. He is flawless. “He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he” (Deuteronomy 32:4).

So, when people ask questions like “what is truth” we will know where to look because God’s Word is the truth. Sadly, most people, including Christians, end up trusting fallible man and his opinions over God’s Word in order to learn “truth.” Compromising on the truth, God’s Word, by adding man’s opinions to Scripture leads people (including our children) to think that Scripture is, in fact, not the authority of truth. This allows a person to conclude that if one part of Scripture is not true, then the rest might not be true, so “let’s throw out God’s Word, because it is not inerrant and infallible after all.” This is why it is so very important to understand that God’s Word is the truth, inerrant, infallible and as the Psalmist stated, “Forever, oh LORD, thy Word is settled in Heaven”.

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I. Grasping the Truth – (2:1-3)

A. The Objects of Paul’s Concern.

(Colossians 2:1, “For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face”)

Like a parent, the apostle Paul was very concerned about his readers. He wanted only the best for them. As a matter of fact, he agonized over them. However, he was under arrest in Rome and unable to have a face-to-face chat with them. Paul specifically mentioned his concern for the Colossians and the Laodiceans.

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B. The Objectives of Paul’s Concern is found in Colossians 2:2-3

“that their hearts may be comforted or encouraged”

Paul begins by declaring that he wants believers to have their hearts encouraged. When God declared that he would write His law on the hearts of the people He was not talking about a feeling. God was talking about the law being written on every part of our being, down to the very depths of the soul. Therefore, when Paul describes his desire for us to have our hearts encouraged, he wants every aspect of our very being, to the depths of our soul, to be encouraged in the Lord. It is the strengthening of every part of our person. This is the basis of Paul’s desire and explains how we can have this deep seated encouragement, by:

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“being knit together in love”

This deep encouragement comes by being knit together in love. Love for each other is the way we can become knit together. It is important for us to understand that a church must be knit together in love or it is failing. Unfortunately, many do not see the need for gathering together. Christians do not understand the purpose of joining a local church. They do not understand why we should come together. This is one of the very important reasons that we must join ourselves together as the Lord’s body. We are to be knit together in love and this cannot happen if we show up late and leave early or race for the door after the last prayer. We identify ourselves as members of this congregation because we are making a declaration that we are going to work together toward this goal of encouraging the hearts of one another. God commands us to be knit together in love and this is not option. Get involved in your church, and

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“to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery”

When we are knit together in love, Paul tells us great things are going to happen. Not only will our hearts be encouraged, but we will reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery. We come together to attain a fuller understanding and a deeper knowledge of God. We cannot get to know God in isolation. We cannot become what God wants us to be as an individual and as a church when we are disconnected. Why? The reason you will not become what God wants you to be is because Christianity cannot be performed in isolation. (Hebrews 10:25, Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching”.

Following Jesus means serving one another, being a servant and growing together in the Lord. We cannot love our neighbor as ourselves in isolation. We cannot do unto others as we would have them do to us when we are not joining together. We are here to practice our love and devotion to Jesus on each other. We are here to strengthen and encourage the hearts of one another. That is why we sing, why we pray and why we study and preach the Word of God. These are the tools God has given us to “reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery.”

This verse also tells us that we must be a teaching church or else we are failing. The church is not about coming together, eating food, playing games, and having mere socialization. So many churches are about telling stories, showing movies, performing dramas, with a smattering of Bible verses thrown in from time to time. We are here to have our hearts encouraged by getting to know Jesus. Notice that Jesus is the mystery. Jesus is the fulfillment of how God would redeem the world from its sins. In Christ all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found. Our goal is to get to know Jesus and practice what we learn about Jesus on each other.

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“which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”

Let these words sink into our minds for a moment: In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. True wisdom and knowledge is not found in the ways of the world. The treasures of life are found in Christ. True wisdom is found in Christ. Life changing knowledge is found in Christ. These treasures are not found anywhere else. Now let us add to that thought. The knowledge and wisdom of the Almighty God are found in Christ. The mind of God is found in Jesus. Life is found in Jesus. Everything you need is found in Jesus.

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II. Guarding the Truth – (2:4-5)

A. We Need to Guard the Truth. (Colossians 2:4, “I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments”)

God’s truth is a priceless treasure. The psalmist declared, “The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver’ (Psalm 119:72). The word “delude” in this verse refers to someone using what seems to be good, rational, and even believable arguments that are not biblical to draw the Colossians and believers today away from the Truth. Does this happen often today? You better believe it does. “Plausible arguments” simply means the ability to talk someone into something even though it is based on wrong conclusions. We need to be like the Bereans and check out what we hear from the pulpit, evangelist and teachers against the immovable Word of God. As members of the Body of Christ, we have the responsibility to study the Scriptures so we can effectively discern the presence of false teaching, those who try to sell a new and improved means of salvation.

True wisdom and knowledge are found only in Christ. Jesus cannot be improved upon. He is the ultimate and perfect treasure. Even an attempt to tweak Him a little bit here or there is a failure to recognize Him for the treasure that He already is. Paul wanted those in Colosse and Laodicea to be satisfied with Jesus Christ as He was and to reject the Gnostics.

Sometimes religious deception comes packaged in persuasive, smooth talking, gentle teachers, but believers can never go wrong if they draw their wisdom and knowledge from Christ and God’s Word. Paul teaches us these truths so that we will not be deceived with persuasive, well-crafted arguments. Paul does not want us to lose sight of where the true treasure lies. Do not be deceived into believing the arguments of the world. You will hear arguments to look in many other places for the treasures of life but in Jesus. Jesus is where life is found. We have tried the futile ways of the world and we are not finding happiness in those things. Jesus is where true wisdom, true knowledge, and true life are found.

The believers in the two churches were also trying to figure out how to handle the false teachings of the Gnostics. This problem opened the door for potential disagreement among the believers. Paul wanted their hearts to be “knit together in love” (2:2). They would renew their love for one another and God, if they kept their eyes on the Christ that they knew at their salvation, rather than the watered-down Christ the Gnostics presented to them. The true treasure is in Christ (v. 3). The Gnostics boasted that they had superior knowledge, secret knowledge, accessible only to those who joined their number. They promised to teach their converts secret passwords and lead them along avenues of higher learning. However, Paul wanted his readers to understand that “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” are stored in Christ and are accessible to those who know Christ as Savior (v. 3). The mystery he mentioned in verse 2 is God’s revelation that Christ is the source of all wisdom, knowledge and truth.

He further prayed that these believers might be joined and kept together in the unity of love. Solitary believers are apt to be weak believers, for in this sphere as in all others “union is strength.” If Christian individuals are not truly knit together, the cause of Christ may suffer, for through the separation caused by division the enemy can keep thrusting his darts which must be circumvented alone. A believer or church practicing separateness and exclusiveness because of nonessential differences of opinion or policy is one of the best wedges of Satan and one of his most effective workers.

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B. Something to Rejoice Over

(Colossians :5, “For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ”)

The Colossians had received the truth, and they were living testimonials that the truth works. Although Paul was in Rome when he wrote the Colossian letter, he was with the Colossian believers ‘in the spirit” (2:5). Paul expresses that from what he had learned of the church, he could rejoice over them, in their “good order. Or it could be rendered good discipline.” The word was used in military circles and referred to “order.” It might be the condition of troops in the field being found in proper order for the battle before them. The translation helps us to grasp what Paul meant by this. We might paraphrase it, “you are living the way you are supposed to be living as Christians.” They were giving attention to their spiritual lives and the graces which are necessary for spiritual maintenance.  We might summarize some of these things in the opening greeting Paul gives in Colossians 1:3-8. These believers had a:

(1) Faith anchored in Jesus Christ alone;

(2) Vibrant love for their fellow-believers;

(3) Lively hope in Christ;

(4) Fruitfulness in their grasp and application of the Word;

(5) Consistency in growth;

(6) Teachable spirit; and

(7) Love orchestrated by the Holy Spirit.

But they had not arrived spiritually! There was much more room to increase, and there was certainly concern to maintain their spiritual maturity. Paul refers to “the stability of your faith in Christ.” Again, Paul uses a military term which points to “a solid front.” It pictures a people who were anchored in the truth of Christ and Him crucified. Though they were surrounded by false teachers trying to delude them, their ranks were unbroken. They still trusted in Christ without retreating to some claim of personal merits.

The effort on the part of all the membership in exercising spiritual disciplines to increase spiritual growth is not a luxury but a necessity. Stability through a lively faith in Christ is ongoing, not merely decisional. I think it is no accident that Paul uses military terminology at this point. Effective military units do not just happen. They work hard at their discipline and attitude to be prepared for whatever kind of battle they may face. The church must have this same posture. When it does, it is certainly something to rejoice over!  Although we may think we can succeed on our own, the New Testament teaches that we need one another.

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We Have discussed “Grasping the Truth” and “Guarding the Truth” of God’s precious Word. Now we are going to finish the study on these 7 verses with “Growing in the Truth” by “Walking in Christ” (Colossians 2:6). When you walk in Christ you will be, “Rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught and overflowing with thankfulness” (Colossians 2:7).

Colossians 2:6, “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him”

The word “walk” suggests that Christian living is a progressive process Nothing in this life catapults a Christian from spiritual infancy to spiritual maturity. We gradually become like Christ, one day at a time, and one step at a time. Our spiritual development and maturity is described as a walk, not a leap.

While studying this portion of Scripture my thoughts were of the time I lived in Washington, DC … looking at the map of the DC area, and knew it was reasonable enough to see the Capital Building. The Atlantis boarding house where I lived was centrally located in downtown DC. The Capital Building was approximately ten blocks from the boarding house. A nice walk on a sunny Saturday afternoon would be good for me. I could have taken a cab or bus, the fastest way to go, but if I really wanted to see the DC area, I knew walking was the best way. Listening to the sounds, smelling the aroma of the pastry shops and restaurants, watching the people, and the traffic, visiting the shops along the way, I really felt like a part of the city. Although, it took some time and effort to the Capital Building it was well worth both. You might be wondering what this has to do with the lstudy. As we travel this journey, we call the Christian life, we are confronted with a similar choice. We can take the easy way by:

(1)              Depending on others to give us all our instructions,

(2)              Being delinquent on attending Sunday school, church and prayer meeting,

(3)              Shortcutting our way past a good prayer-life, or s

(4)              Speed-reading a passage of Scripture and calling it “devotions.”

Or we can make the effort and take the time to get into the Word and closer to God and more Christlike. So, why not take a long walk with God today, tomorrow and the next day? As you map out your course, choose to “seek Him with your whole heart”, study His Word, and obey what He says, because such a walk through His precious Word will be a most delightful experience! For the believer in Christ, you started out with faith in Him, after recognizing your sinfulness and a need for a Savior, when you asked God to forgive your sins. You were a baby in Christ.

However, you don’t stop there! No one who has put their faith in Christ can afford to let spiritual growth and maturity start and stop with only one act of spiritual surrender. Your salvation must be followed by spiritual growth, day by day, month by month and year by year wherein you are weaned off the “milk of the Word” and start enjoying the “meat of the Word”. We must keep our heart and mind open to the Word and the leading of the Holy Spirit, be receptive and obedient to it, and above all as the Scriptures tell us, “…grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”. That is what the Apostle Paul wanted for the Colossians. It is very sad but true, I’m afraid there are too many who should be on the front lines in their spiritual growth but are still in basic training.

The Christian life should be a progressive active walk rather than an inactive one. Every believer in Christ should be growing in their faith, walking in Christ, settled in the faith, and abounding with gratitude., thankfulness and praise. The Colossian believers had received a person, Jesus Christ. It is extremely important to understand that salvation depends upon a relationship with Jesus Christ rather than upon a mere intelligent agreement to doctrinal statements about Christ. James exposed the lifelessness of invalid faith. He wrote in James 2:19 that “devils also believe, and tremble.” A person may attend Sunday school in a Bible believing church from the cradle to the grave; however, the person’s long record of perfect attendance can’t save him or her. A person may have excellent knowledge of the church constitution, including its statement of faith and covenant, but lack salvation. Correct doctrine leads us to Christ, but He does the saving.

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Colossians 2:7, “Rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught” 

Being rooted in Christ is such a great picture. Paul paints a picture of stability in lives that are built on Christ. Life brings all kinds of turmoil and problems. In Christ we are able to have a stable calm and peace through life’s difficulties. The language is similar to the words of the psalmist who described the life of the blessed person. His delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water. (Psalm 1:2–3) – Stabilize your life by turning to Jesus. Stabilize your life by following his plan for your life. We are not rooted and stable in Christ when we follow the wisdom of the world and do what we think is best. Follow God’s blueprint for a good life and you will become rooted in him.

When the Colossians trusted in Christ as Savior, the Holy Spirit planted them in Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). just like you and me They were “rooted and built up in him” (2:7). If the foundation isn’t solid, the superstructure that is built upon it, regardless of its sturdy appearance, will soon crumble and eventually come down and won’t be fit for habitation. The apostle Paul used the metaphor of a building to warn us that we who have made Jesus Christ the foundation of our faith can still build a poor superstructure. We do this when we use materials like “wood, hay, straw,” which can’t stand the fire test. These combustibles represent wrong doctrines and careless behavior; every thought and deed that is false, impure, or worthless. If we build with these qualities, our lives will accomplish little of eternal value.

The Bible speaks of our lives as buildings and describes for us the kind of foundation upon which our life must be built. Thus, our life will be different if we use gold, silver, and precious stones! These valuable elements stand for materials of a lasting quality. Our life is a process of building, and for to it to weather the storms, it must be built on a solid foundation. My friend, Jesus Christ is that solid foundation (I Corinthians 3:11). In addition to a good foundation, quality materials, ingredients, and workmanship must also go into the building.

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Colossians 2:7, and overflowing with thankfulness” 

Walking in Christ means a life that is overflowing with thankfulness. In Christ we have a family that is knit together in love so that we can be encouraged, strengthened, and grow in the knowledge of Christ who has all the treasures of life. Thank you Lord for giving us such a great blessing. May we take advantage of the blessings of being knit together in the family of Christ. As we grow in the truth, we find more and more reasons to be thankful. We abound in the faith “with thanksgiving” (v. 7). We discover in Christ all we need to be content and productive. Just as a well-fed person would reject scraps of food from a garbage can and with believers who daily feed on God’s Word find it easy to reject false doctrines.

From a full heart we give thanks to God our Creator for all that we have in Christ Jesus, which is: A love that can never be fathomed; a life that can never die; a peace that can never be understood; a rest that can never be disturbed; a joy that can never be diminished; a hope that can never be disappointed; a glory that can never be clouded; a happiness that can never be interrupted; a light that can never be extinguished; a strength that can never be overcome; a beauty that can never be marred; a purity that can never be defiled and resources that can never be exhausted.

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From the first century until now, false philosophies and religions have given their adherents only to empty promises and unfounded claims. From first-century Gnosticism (mentioned in our study) to twenty-first century New Age, every system of error has failed to give lasting peace and eternal hope. Having been rooted in Christ, the Colossians were to be “built up in him, and established in the faith” (v. 7). Just as a structurally sound building rests on a firm foundation, so the Christian life rests on Christ the Solid Rock. Having Christ as their foundation, believers build their lives on Him, layer by layer. They find that “the faith” provides all the building materials they need. The Colossians didn’t need the Gnostics’ “building materials.” Having been taught the faith, they had everything they needed.

Foundations are paramount in regards to solid growth. You wouldn’t try to build a skyscraper without first preparing the foundation and making sure you were on solid ground? And if the quality of the building is poorly constructed, the devastation is the greatest. We all know that weak buildings don’t survive very well during an earthquake, and so it is in our spiritual life. Many people do well when their life is going well; however, when the storms of difficulty crash upon them they begin to fall apart. Why? Because their life is built upon a weak foundation of their own human abilities. As long as their problems aren’t greater than their own ability to cope with them, all is well, on the surface, but when the problems grow larger than their own inner strength, they crumble. Thus, without a solid foundation they cannot cope with the seismic shocks of life.

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I will close with this story:

In our world there is far less truth and more corruption and error than ever before. Truth is essential to all our interactions whether in government, the classroom, the workplace, our neighborhood, the home and more importantly the church. Too often the guilty are acquitted and justice takes a back seat. It seems that getting to the truth is just about impossible. As believers and follows of Jesus Christ, we believe in absolute truth and base our convictions on the Bible, which says that Jesus is the truth (John 1:14-17; 14:6). I will close with this story entitled “The Church”

1 Samuel 16:7, tells us that, “The LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart”

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It was a beautiful Sunday morning. People were filling the church to its full capacity! As they entered, each was given a bulletin filled with announcements, topic of today’s sermon, what songs they would sing and who to pray for. At the end of the line stood an older man. His clothes were filthy and you could tell that he had not bathed in days. His face was covered with whiskers, for he had not shaved for a very long time. When he reached the usher, he removed his tattered old brown hat in respect. His hair was long, dirty, and a tangled mess. He had no shoes on his feet, and wore only soiled black socks to cover the sores upon his feet. The Usher looked at him turning up his nose at the old man and said, “‘m sorry sir, but I’m afraid we can’t let you in. You will distract the congregation and we don’t allow anyone to disrupt our service. I’m afraid you’ll have to leave.”

The old man looked down at himself and with a puzzled look on his face; he placed his old brown hat back upon his head and turned to leave. He was sad as he loved to hear the choir sing praises to the Lord. He loved to watch the little children get up in front of the church to sing their little songs. He carried in his pocket a small worn-out Bible and loved to see if the minister preached a passage from the Bible that he had underlined. But he was respectful, and didn’t want to cause any commotion, so he hung down his head and walked back down the steps of the big brick church. He sat down on the brick wall near the edge of the church yard and strained to listen through closed doors and windows to the singing going on in the church. Oh, how he wished he could be inside with all the others.

A few minutes had passed by when all of a sudden, a younger man came up behind him and sat down near him. He asked the old man what he was doing. He answered, “I was going to go to church today, but they thought I was too filthy, my clothes to old and worn, and they were afraid I would disrupt their service. Sorry, I didn’t introduce myself. My name is George.” The two men shook hands, and George couldn’t help but notice that this man had long hair like his. He wore a piece of cloth draped over his body tied with a royal purple sash. He had sandals on his feet, now covered with dust and dirt. The stranger touched George’s shoulder, and said: “George, don’t feel bad because they won’t let you in. My name is Jesus, and I’ve been trying to get into this same church for many years — they won’t let me in either.”

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This is just a little reminder that the church isn’t a place for only rich and well-known people. It’s a place for all, especially the less fortunate ones and serves as a hospital for the wounded souls of so many individuals today. May God’s love be seen and always be felt through this church. I have often thought what the apostle Paul would say if he were to visit our churches today or attend the one mentioned above.

What a beehive of activity! Committees, programs, entertainment without end. But worship is often downplayed, services are cut back, and prayer meetings are eliminated. Some call these improvements, but are they really changes for the better. There’s a story about a woman who became seriously ill and was taken to the hospital. In the evening her husband asked how she was doing, and he was told that she was improving. For several days her doctor gave the same report. Then one day she unexpectedly died. When the man saw the doctor, he asked, “Well, what did she die of improvements?”

Many of our church’s today have died of so called “improvements” also. They hire ministers with unbiblical ideas; prayer meeting is changed into a literary debating society, and finally, the minister stops praying from the pulpit. My beloved, those churches are now dead! We should put a tombstone in front of them with these words, “Died of Improvements.” Don’t get me wrong, there’s always room for the right kind of improvements in our churches. However, let’s make absolutely sure they are guided by the life-changing principles found in God’s Eternal Word, not the deadening philosophies of this world, which Satan controls.

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God put the church in the world; Satan tries to put the world in the church.