Let Others See God’s Truth in You

Reverend Leo H. McCrary II

God’s truth is a battleground and because Christ has made you a steward over the gospel, that makes your witness matter more than you may realize.

Introduction

We can’t be like the disciples after Jesus’ resurrection, who tried to go back to fishing, as there’s an urgent need for all of us today.  You, the child of God, have been given authority of His word – the truth – and the God’s honest truth is needed today.  God’s truth is needed today because many are fleeing from God, as the example most seen of “Christian truth” is cruel, hateful, and disgusting.  So, as a cousin of mine said to my brother and me a couple of weeks ago, we who are of true faith must show others God’s truth – we must let them see us.   

The God’s Honest Truth

God’s truth:  God created us in His image according to His likeness, but man fell to sin in the garden (Gen. 1-2).  God then gave His only begotten Son, who came to this world telling us, mankind, to repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand (Matt. 3:17).  

The God’s honest truth is that we’re all a bunch of sinners who fall short of the glory of God – none of us is perfect.  God had to give His only begotten Son to be our atonement offering because without His sacrifice, we’d all be lost to the eternal condemnation of sin.

More of God’s truth:  Because He saw that every intent of our heart was only evil (Gen. 6:5), God had to tell us what is righteous and what is unrighteous; He had to tell us what is good and what is evil.  You see, without His instructions, we would remain unholy, and once again, be unable to dwell with Him temporarily, nonetheless, for everlasting life.  

God’s instructions to live by

Now, I want to share with all of you the way of God – the instructions for how God has instructed us to live.  I want you to pay close attention so that there is no confusion.

In Matthew 5:38-45, Jesus said to the disciples, ³⁸ “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ ³⁹ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. ⁴⁰ If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. ⁴¹ And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. ⁴² Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

Jesus then said, ⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

God is not the author of confusion

May I say to you that God’s instructions are straightforward and not confusing?  God is not the author of confusion; His instructions are quite clear.

Let me ask you this:  Did you see Christ say anything about striking and destroying enemies?  Did you see Christ say anything about fighting holy wars on the Lord’s behalf?  Did you see Christ say anything about seeking vengeance on His behalf?  Did you see Christ say anything about praying or wishing ill upon anyone?  Did you see Christ say anything about mistreating those who you may not like for whatever reason you can come up with?.

God does not command us to envy, behave rudely, seek our own, nor think evil.  God does not tell us to rejoice in iniquity!  You see, as God’s children, we are to be imitators of Him and His way.  So, consider this:  Does God rejoice in iniquity?  Does the Lord behave rudely?

In scripture outside of my focus, Matthew 6:20, Christ tells us not to lay up our treasures in heaven, not on earth.  Then, in Matthew 6:24, Christ tells us not to be servants of mammon – wealth and worldliness.  Man is to put the kingdom of God first, and the rest the Lord will provide to us.

Christians Living Ignorantly in Defiance

Now, this may lead some to ask the obvious:  Why are there ‘Christians’ today who are filled with anger, hate, bitterness, and rejoice in wickedness?  One may wonder, why are there ‘Christians’ living in defiance of God’s word?”

Unfaithful to one’s profession

In 1 John 2:3-4, the apostle wrote. “By this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.  He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” 

Do you understand what John said?  You see, the truth of the matter is that there are many who profess to know Christ, but their actions say otherwise.  Many have, and still do, profess to be a Christian, a follower of Christ, but they are a Christian in name only.  

When one professes to know and to be a follower of His, they must commit themselves to keeping in His way.  Again, referencing John’s writing, in 1 John 3:7-8, John wrote, “Let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil…”

So, let’s not try to dress up this truth because that is why we are in the position we are in today.  The one you see proclaiming to be a Christian, but moves in defiance of His instructions, is not of the Lord.  Moreover, the word of God, God’s truth, does not dwell in them.

In His Parable of the Sower, found in Matthew 13, Jesus explained that He is as one who sows seed.  He ministered the gospel, but the seed was only able to take root in those whose hearts were as fertile ground, accepting of His word.  However, He pointed out that not all hearts are as fertile ground; some are as the wayside, stony, or thorny.  

Truthfully, there are many who go to church every Sunday, they open their Bible, read scripture, and the word of God doesn’t land.  Sure, this could be due to the fault of teaching and preaching.  This could also be to the fault of one being slow in understanding, for which the Holy Spirit will help.  However, the reality is that many ‘believers’ pick and choose the truths they will live by.  

The problem here is that God’s truth is not an opinion-based truth, but man thinks he can bring his opinion to the righteous and divine truth.  The Lord does not need your opinions of what is holy or unholy!  God doesn’t need you to tell Him what parts of His instructions sound fine, and what parts you won’t do because they don’t sound fine.

Listen when I say this to you:  Selective obedience, picking and choosing what you will and will not obey, with God’s truth, is sinful – it is disobedience. Do you think God will tolerate your selectiveness when He desires faithfulness to His word?

Jesus said that the day will come when not everyone who says to Him, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven. He said that many will speak of how they prophesied in His name, cast out demons in His name, and did many wonders in His name, but He won’t grant them entry.  The reason why He won’t permit them into the heavenly kingdom is because they practiced lawlessness (Matt. 7:21-23). 

One must make a choice of whether or not they will be committed to what they have said.  As Jesus taught, we believers must let our ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and our ‘No’ be ‘No’.  In other words, we must be faithful to our promise to worship (or to walk) in spirit and truth. This means that we must faithfully be committed to God’s way!

The failure of arrogance and foolish pride

Many today believe that because they joined a church, they have special privileges.  Many believe that because they were baptized, they have special privileges.  Many even believe that salvation grants them the privilege to be able to live however they want.  In such a mindset, one would sin willfully and use the name of God to justify oneself

To be clear, this is blatant sin, because as we have seen, God has not instructed such behavior of us.  I want to warn all of you that nobody should ever think that salvation gives us the special privilege to live sinfully!

Hebrews 10:26 states, “IF we sin willfully after we have received knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for us.”  In other words, one will have made Jesus’ sacrifice meaningless, useless, and to no point.  

Now, we certainly know that God did not give His only begotten Son for nothing!  We know that God gave His only begotten Son because He desires to dwell with us for everlasting life!  As John stated, sin was the purpose for which the Son of God was manifested so that He may destroy the works of the devil, and therefore, reconcile us unto the Lord.  So, for one to sin willfully, after having received the truth, would be to make a mockery out of Christ. 

Paul said to Timothy, “If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.  From such withdraw yourself (1 Tim. 6:3-5).”

You see, such foolish pride was what led the scribes and Pharisees to live in defiance.  They stood before Christ, God in the flesh, and called Him a liar, believing their way was righteous, and He was unrighteous.  Jesus warned, saying, “Do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do (Matt. 23:3).”

Such foolish pride led one to raise himself above God. Satan rebelled, and the angels who followed him in his pride were cast from heaven.  Follow a fool if you want to, but beware!  It will be foolish pride that will lead to the condemnation of many who proclaim to be of God but live in defiance (Prov. 14:12).  

The Greatest Threat We Face

The greatest threat to us today is not the bullet fired from a gun or the bomb dropped from the sky.  The greatest threat comes from liars who lie in the name of God.  They move wickedly and justify their wickedness in the name of God, while deceiving many because they say their works are done in God’s name.  There is power in God’s name!  There is power to do good in His name, but at the same time, there is power to do evil in His name!  

People have been enslaved in the name of God because of foolish know-nothing pride.  Wars have been fought in the name of God.  Bombs have been dropped in the name of God.  Innocent lives have been lost in the name of God because of foolish know-nothing pride.  

Today, people are still being oppressed in the name of God because of lying, foolish know-nothing pride.  Wars are still being fought in the name of God because of lying, foolish know-nothing pride.  Bombs are still being dropped in the name of God because of lying, foolish know-nothing pride.  Innocent lives are still being lost in the name of God because of lying, foolish know-nothing pride.

I don’t know about all of you, but again, I tell you that I am tired of lying, foolish know-nothing pride putting lies on the name of God!  I am tired of foolish know-nothing pride driving people to the gates of hell.  Do not be lost from God because of lying, foolish know-nothing pride!  As Paul said, withdraw from those whom you can recognize as liars, hypocrites, and not of God!

In This Time of Urgency

In this time of urgency, where many souls are being lost because of foolish know-nothing pride, we must show the world God’s truth.  Yes, we must show them the written word, but at the same time, we must let the world see us moving in God’s truth. Jesus tells us to let our light so shine before others.  

This must be done because we have a responsibility to the lost and confused.  We are stewards of the Lord and stand as authority over God’s truth.  Therefore, we represent the Lord, and by how we live, we can either save a soul or condemn a soul.  If we, who know what is holy and righteous, fail to offer that correction in this day of urgency, then we would be enabling the lie of those who use and move in the name of God in vain.  

Therefore, I call on us to let the world see us – let the world see God’s truth in you so that they may know what is holy and righteous!  Let us love and move with compassion!  Let us go that extra mile for others! 

Show me your faith by your love and grace.  Show me your faith by supporting and uplifting another.  Show me your faith by your mercy and forgiveness!  

To be clear, those are not my demands, but rather, those are the commands of the Lord, and that is what will be judged of us!  Did we truly move by faith in His name?

As James said, “Faith without works is dead … I will show you my faith by my works.”  We must let our faith in the truth speak through our works – how we live!