Transcript

The Whole Truth-The Absolute Truth

Acts 15:1-29
Sunday, July 22, 2001
Pastor Randy Smith

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In a world of fading dreams, the human being pursues his quest of truth. David Wells said in God in the Wasteland , "Truth is now simply a matter of etiquette: it has no authority, no sense of rightness, because it is no longer anchored in anything absolute. If it persuades, it does so only because our experience has given it its persuasive power, but tomorrow our experience might be different." On the contrary, just hours before His crucifixion, Jesus said, "For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice" (Jn. 18:37). Pilate's response nearly 2,000 years ago still echoes in the corridors of the American mind, "What is truth?"

Is truth a relative concept? Or is there an absolute truth? Does a right perception of the truth matter? Michael Novak, recipient of the 24th Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion, denounced the effects of relativism in addressing Westminster Abby: "One principle that today's intellectuals most passionately disseminate is vulgar relativism. For them it is certain that there is no truth, only opinion: my opinion, your opinion. They abandon the defense of the intellect. Those who surrender the domain of the intellect make straight the road to fascism. Totalitarianism is the will-to-power unchecked by any regard for truth. To surrender the claims of truth upon humans is to surrender Earth to thugs. Vulgar relativism is an invisible gas, odorless, deadly, that is now polluting every free society on earth. It is a gas that attacks the central nervous system of moral striving. 'There is no such thing as truth,' they teach even the little ones. 'Truth is bondage. Believe what seems right to you. There are many truths as there are (many) individuals. Follow your feelings. Do as you please. Get in touch with yourself.' Those who speak in this way prepare the jail of the twenty-first century. They do the work of tyrants."

The most identifying characteristic of the postmodern society in which we dwell is the absence of absolute truth. John Piper once said, "It's unpopular to take a strong stand on anything (these days) except tolerance." Postmodernists say truth is relative; it's based on one's own feelings, opinions and experiences. Your truth may not necessarily be my truth, but nevertheless both are truth even if they contradict. And to deny human beings this fundamental right of subjectivism is the epitome of exclusivism, bigotry and arrogance.

What is truth? Can it be found? Is there an absolute standard? The answer is definitely, yes ! According to the Scriptures, Jesus Christ is the Truth (Jn. 14:6), who abides in us through the Spirit of Truth (1 Jn. 5:7), who speaks to us through the Word of Truth (Jn. 17:17). Regardless of what the world might think, there is an absolute truth and it is found in the embodiment of the Living God, as He has chosen to reveal Himself in both Jesus Christ and the Holy Scriptures. Our goal this morning is to discover how truth is an imperative to initiate salvation and then further cultivate our walk with God.

The world is God's playing field. He sets the rules, and it is our responsibility to follow His standards for life, joy and obedience. With that said, let's examine the 7th characteristic of a New Testament church, the church that obeys and delights in God's truth as it is revealed through biblical revelation in the Scriptures.

By way of review, you know we've been studying "Distinctives of a New Testament Church." This 12-part series is designed for both personal (that's you) and corporate (that's the church) examination. There's no doubt that God expects His church to act and believe in a prescribed fashion as it is found in His Word. We can call ourselves a church and believe with all our heart that we are a church, but if we fail to follow God's blueprint, we are living a fantasy. We are not a church in the true biblical sense. Remember, a church is not the building; it's the people. Therefore to build this church I speak not to the talents of the electricians, plumbers and carpenters, but rather to the hearts of the men, women and children.

In a brief re-cap of our first six lessons we learned that the New Testament church: rejoices in the things of God, understands God-given age and gender roles, seeks to adorn the gospel of Jesus Christ, trusts God's sovereignty during times of affliction, suffers for righteousness, follows the example of our Lord Jesus Christ, serves the body through the Spirit with their gifts, perceives the absurdity and dangers of backsliding, holds others accountable for righteous conduct, and pursues personal growth in Christlikeness. Let's begin the next distinctive of a New Testament church, a church that sees the importance for teaching, upholding and preserving true biblical doctrine.

1. STARTING

The first point is appropriately entitled "Starting." The issue here is the beginning of our Christian life, salvation. How important is biblical doctrine to bring someone to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ? In other words, what must a person know and understand in order to be saved? What do we think about people who claim to be saved and cannot articulate the gospel? Or people who attend cults, with different doctrines, but profess to love Jesus?

Sure, salvation is a conversion of the heart, but biblical truths must first influence the mind in order for one to make an intellectual, emotional and volitional decision to follow Christ. J. I. Packer said in Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God , "The message must first be learned before it can be lived and understood before it can be applied." Now, the postmodern world would say that anybody with a legitimate belief in a higher being has enough to effect salvation (emotionalism takes precedence over intellectualism). You may have heard the pluralistic slogan, "There is one God, but many paths to that God." Are there really? We live in a day and age when everything is acceptable and it's taboo to tell someone they're wrong. Worshipping the tree in my backyard will never get me to God regardless of the sincerity of my faith, because effectiveness of my faith is only as strong as the object I put my faith in. Worshipping a tree will not get me to God. If anything it will draw me away from God because worshipping the tree, or a star or an animal for that matter, is the essence of idolatry. A tree won't get me to heaven. What I need as a human being is the forgiveness for my sins. Why worship the created when you can worship the Creator through a personal relationship with the One who died for our sins, Jesus Christ?

Salvation must begin with a right understanding of biblical doctrine! Yet, oh how the church has miserably failed. In our desire for a kinder, gentler theology, we've allowed almost everything as a permissible and valid doctrine for salvation. Can it be boiled down any less than today's lowest common denominator of raising a hand, praying a prayer or getting baptized to achieve salvation? Do we really think God should find us acceptable on our terms? What permission do we have to alter His divine plan for redemption? It's almost as if the clay is giving the potter instructions. In speaking today's gospel, what ever happened to the doctrines of sin, repentance, depravity, lordship, holiness, reverence and wrath? These are all necessary ingredients of the gospel to achieve salvation, because salvation is not wrought on man's humanistic beliefs, man's illogical theological concoctions or man's relative opinions. Those speculations uplift man and dethrone God in the process. Rather, salvation is wrought when God reveals to us in the Scriptures the gospel (His plan!) and through the Spirit enables us to understand it and embrace it for eternal life.

Paul knew this and he proclaimed it! In the account that begins in Acts 20:17, Paul was given one final opportunity to instruct the elders of the Ephesian church in Miletus. Verse 18, "And when they had come to him, he said to them, 'You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time.'" During those three years Paul says in verse 20, "(That) I did not shrink from declaring…anything that was profitable." We're forced to ask the question, "Paul, what's profitable? What does a person need to know in order to be saved?" Elsewhere Paul tells us, "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." (2 Ti. 3:16-17). What's profitable? Scripture! Paul proclaimed the truth and sound doctrine from the Scripture. That's why he concludes as he does in verse 26, "Therefore I testify to you this day, that I am innocent of the blood of all men." Does that mean he didn't hurt anyone or his motives were pure? That's not what the text says. Verse 27 explains his innocence, "For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God."

John Stott said, "He shared all possible truth with all possible people in all possible ways." The man who viewed himself as God's herald, steward and ambassador got out of the way and spoke God's words, not his own, despite what others may have said, thought, or felt. Since God uses the truth in the Scriptures to achieve salvation, Paul proclaimed the Word. Elsewhere Paul stated, "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom. 10:17).

But does Paul fail if people refuse to accept the truth to be saved? Absolutely not! He was only a messenger who proclaimed the truth. Whether or not people accept the truth was beyond his control. The results are left in the hands of God. Just as the glory will not be his if the truth is accepted, the responsibility will not be his if the truth is rejected. Paul was innocent of the blood of all men; the people heard what they needed to know in order to be saved. They were without excuse.

We have a responsibility, a stewardship, to both understand and proclaim the truthful message of salvation to those whom God puts in our life. For salvation is only achieved through the message of the gospel delivered by Jesus Christ once and for all for the saints. Why else would Paul insist that Timothy, "Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching ; persevere in these things; for as you do this you will insure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you" (1 Ti. 4:16). And to the Thessalonian believers he said, "For (they) perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved " (2 Thes. 2:10).

There is no doubt that salvation is an encounter with the living and loving God, but that encounter is only possible on His terms through His revealed truth in the Scriptures.

2. MOVING

Once a person is saved, is there any further need for the truth? After salvation, the believer is still dependent on the Scriptures for spiritual growth, decision-making and overcoming error.

Spiritual Growth

Just as the truth revealed in biblical doctrine is important in one's salvation, it is equally as important for a believer's spiritual growth. Remember, we must intellectually understand the message before we can apply the message. Along these lines, R.C. Sproul said, "I believe we are living in the most anti-intellectual era of Christian history ever known. We live in a period allergic to rationality. The influence of existential philosophy has been massive. Even our language reveals it… to most there is no difference between feeling and thinking." How true! How many times have you asked a person why God should allow him or her into His kingdom and the response is, "I believe…" or "I feel…" Everybody believes and feels what is true, but how seldom does one's truth even reveal the smallest strands of intellectual logic and biblical doctrine.

Now, there is no doubt that with regards to Christianity, the heart comes first. And we all would agree that intellectual head knowledge in and of itself is useless or the source of spiritual pride (1 Cor. 8:1). However, I stress, for my heart to be right and spiritually mature, there is a primacy of the intellect. In other words, nothing can penetrate into my heart unless it is first received and worked out in my mind. Paul said in Philippians 2:12-13, " Work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." Likewise in 2 Peter 1:2, "Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord." Sproul again said, "For the soul of a person to be inflamed with passion for the living God, that person's mind must first be informed about the character and will of God. An intellectual understanding of doctrine is a necessary condition for spiritual growth." Even Paul, in his epistles, continually confronts failure to do what is right with failure to know what is right with expressions such as, "Have you not heard?" and "Do you not know?"

Therefore, if we are really seeking to grow spiritually, our quest must begin with a proper understanding of biblical doctrine. Apart from the intellectual understanding of the Word, growth is impossible. If growth is fueled by the Holy Spirit and the only doctrine that the Holy Spirit will use is that which He wrote, we can't expect Him to use any whim of doctrine we may choose to concoct. The Spirit of truth will only use the Word of truth that He inspired to mature the saints.

The Word of God is necessary to increase the depth of the church. The Word of God is also necessary to increase the breadth of the church as well. Today, we hear so many programs about church growth, which implement the latest fads of pop-psychology. Yet the best growth the church ever witnessed was long before the advent of PhD's and the World-Wide-Web. It was early in the church's existence when thousands of disciples were added daily.

In Acts we read of remarkable church growth. "So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and there were added that day about three thousand souls" (Ac. 2:41). "But many of those who had heard the message believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand." (Ac. 4:4). How was it done?

Also in Acts we read, "And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit" (Ac. 4:31a). What does one do when they are filled by the Holy Spirit? Let's continue the verse, "And began to speak the word of God with boldness " (Ac. 4:31b). The Spirit uses the Word. Other accounts in Acts say, "And the word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem" (Ac. 6:7). "But the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied" (Ac. 12:24). "So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing" (Ac. 19:20).

The Word of God, biblical doctrine, truth, is the only means to affect the growth of a church either in personal depth or numerical breadth. God only works through the power of the Word. Apart from the Word, any growth is manufactured by the flesh and is thereby artificial and temporary.

Decision Making

Let's now take decision-making. Daily, we're all faced with decisions. Is there a need for the Word, biblical doctrine, to make a decision?

Let me begin by asking this question. Who would you like to believe could make the wisest decision on the planet? How about the Supreme Court? In a 1992 decision in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the Supreme Court reaffirmed a woman's right to have an abortion any time before the baby is born. They released the following statement: "At the heart of liberty is the right to define one's own concept of meaning, of the universe, and of the mystery of human life." So basically, the highest court in the nation reaffirmed rhetoric relativism.

Now this methodology advocated by the highest court in the land should concern us. What happens when my truth conflicts with another's truth? For instance, a husband believes it's right to divorce, but a wife believes it's best to stay married for the sake of the kids, who wins? How can I make an important decision when my truth may not harmonize with others'? Is it automatically acceptable because it is my truth? How can I be certain that my truth will not change as I get older, receive more information or begin to view a situation from a different perspective? Decision making based on a relative truth is puzzling. Where do I begin, with my unstable feelings?

However, according to the Bible, the truth lies outside of us. The truth is not within us according to what we personally may think is best. It is because God is truth (Jn. 14:6). He showed us the truth (Himself) by sending us His Son (John 1:14) into the world. He has given us truth by giving us His Word (2 Timothy 3:16). In decision-making, our role is simply to receive the truth as it comes from God in full submission. Our role is never to invent the truth.

Take the Apostles in Acts 15. They had a very important decision to make regarding the means of salvation for the Gentiles. Many were of the opinion that the Gentiles first needed to become Jews to find favor with God. Many Jews were baffled at the thought that pagan Gentiles could enter the church and immediately be on the same basis with Jewish believers. In verse 1 Luke said, "And some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, 'Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.'" Verse 5, "But certain ones of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed, stood up, saying, 'It is necessary to circumcise them, and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.'" What decision should be made? Should the apostles buckle in to the popular belief of the day? After all, the Apostles were Jewish too? Should they take a vote based on their opinions and award the decision to will of the majority? Or should they seek to determine the will of God through the careful examination of Scripture?

Peter gets the first opportunity to speak: "And the apostles and the elders came together to look into this matter. And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, 'Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe'" (Ac. 15:6-7).

What Peter is referring to was his experience with Cornelius. Let me read that account. "While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. And all the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles also. For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, 'Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?'" (Ac. 10:44-47). God in His sovereignty enabled Peter, through the experience with Cornelius (probably a decade earlier), to be a driving force for the gospel at the council.

At the council, Peter continues to speak. "And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are" (Ac. 15:8-11). Peter testified that God knew the sincerity of the Gentile's hearts. God gave them the same gift of the Holy Spirit (prior to any circumcision) in the same way He did the Jews at Pentecost. The Gentiles therefore may be saved solely on the basis of faith. Because the matter was already divinely settled, all are saved on the basis of grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Anything further, is simply putting the testimony of God to the test.

James, the leader of the Jerusalem church, also sought to answer the dilemma based upon God's truth. Since God's truth is found in the Scriptures, James proceeds to quote the Old Testament, namely Amos 9. Look at 15:13. "And after they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, 'Brethren, listen to me. Simeon (Peter) has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name. And with this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, 'After these things I will return, And I will rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen, And I will rebuild its ruins, And I will restore it, In order that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, And all the Gentiles who are called by My name, Says the Lord, who makes these things' known from of old" (Ac. 15:13-18).

Inclusion of the Gentiles in God's plan of salvation was not a divine afterthought; it was the fulfillment of prophecy. Even long before the writing of Amos, God exclaimed in Genesis 17:5, "No longer shall your name be called Abram, But your name shall be Abraham; for I will make you the father of a multitude of nations." The leader of the church reached his verdict in verse 19. "Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles." Aren't we glad as a predominately Gentile audience, that truth is determined from the Word and not man's subjective feelings? I know our early Gentile forefathers in the faith were!

Look at Acts 15:22 (this is interesting), "Then it seemed good (their decision) to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church." Verse 25, "It seemed good to us, having become of one mind." What seemed good? The unanimity of their minds based upon a decision discerned from the Scriptures. They were confident that their collective decision also found agreement with the Holy Spirit. Why? Because their decision was from Scripture and the Holy Spirit is the author of Scripture. Look at verse 28. "For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us." Circumstances may be understood in a variety of directions, but truth as it is revealed in the Word, biblical doctrine, is the only means to determine the will of God when we are forced to make decisions. A far cry from the methods advocated by the Supreme Court.

Overcoming error

Doctrine is also essential to overcome error. We rarely think of it this way, but heretics often provided a great service to the early church. For example, Marcion rejected the Old Testament and accepted only the Gospel of Luke, thus forcing the church to define the New Testament canon. Arius , in denying the deity of Christ, made the church articulate the doctrine that became the most crucial to Christianity. Through the aid of heresy, the church has been enabled to establish the boundaries of orthodox doctrine essential to define true Christianity. With the aid of these parameters as they are revealed in the Scriptures, the church is enabled to define the core tenants which must be accepted by the New Testament church. These doctrines must be taught, these doctrines must be preserved, and these doctrines must not be contradicted. Stepping outside of these parameters intentionally therefore, labels one a false teacher, a heretic, a wolf amongst God's spiritual sheep.

Look at Acts 20:28-30: "Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock , among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock ; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them." How will these savage wolves destroy God's flock of sheep? Verse 30, they will "(speak) perverse things." They will in effect be a mouthpiece for Satan. Through their error, the wolves (or false teachers) will do what they do best. They will distort and twist Scripture to their own personal desires. They will go outside the parameters of truthful doctrine and (according to the text), draw away the disciples after themselves. Naturally, if there were no such thing as truthful biblical doctrine, there would be no way to identify false teachers. Yet Jesus said of these ravenous wolves in sheep's clothing, "You will know them by their fruits" (Mt. 7:20). In other words their character and doctrine will give them away, not a label on their forehead!

Just as Paul admonished the Ephesian elders to beware of these wolves, he had the same concern for the elders in Crete. "(The elders must) hold fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching , that he may be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict. For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach" (Tit. 1:9-11). In turn, the elders are instructed to " speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine." (Tit. 2:1).

But even beyond the elders, all believers must have the ability and practice the responsibility to discern sound doctrine for their personal spiritual protection. Ephesians says this duty occurs "until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man , to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result , we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming " (Eph. 4:13-14). In 2 Timothy Paul proclaimed, "For the time will come when they (professing believers) will not endure sound doctrine ; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths" (2 Ti. 4:3-4). The solution was the same then as it is today, "Preach the Word" (2 Ti. 4:2)! The only remedy to error is truth!

3. YIELDING

In consideration of all we've discussed thus far, allow me briefly to mention a few words of caution. There is no doubt that truth is important. But, I can recall the 288 Protestant Reformers who were burned at the stake during the English reformation. The flames were ignited by "Christians" solely for the purpose of biblical doctrine.

We still need to remember that the truth is not an end in itself. Truth is a means toward the goal of glorifying God. Let's pretend I wanted to drive to Denver for a vacation. One of my first steps would be to navigate a directional course by the aid of a map. Though Denver is on the map, simply looking at the map does not satisfy my vacation. The map is only a tool to get me to the real place. What I really want is to enjoy the town of Denver.

Likewise, the Bible is a tool that leads us to God. Nobody was ever saved simply because they believed orthodox doctrine. Spurgeon said it well; "True salvation is not to be found through the mere reception of any creed, however true or scriptural. Mere 'head notion' is not the road to heaven. 'You must be born again,' means a great deal more than that you must believe certain dogmas. The study of the Bible cannot save you! You must press beyond this; you must come to the living, personal Christ, or else your acceptance of the soundest creed cannot avail for the salvation of your soul. Salvation lies in Jesus only!"

Doctrine is also a means to the end in glorifying God through holy living. Again Spurgeon, "So my theological friend over there, who knows so much that he can split hairs over doctrines-it does not matter what you think, or what you know, unless it leads you to glorify God, and to be thankful. By all means let us have doctrine, but by all means let us have precept too. By all means let us have inward experience, but by all means let us also have outward 'holiness, without which no man can see the Lord.'" Remember James 2, "Even the demons believe and shudder!" JC Ryle adds, "Doctrine is useless if it is not accompanied by a holy life. It is worse than useless; it does positive harm. Something of 'the image of Christ' must be seen and observed by others in our private life, and habits, and character, and doings." May our love for doctrine at The Grace Tabernacle never be an end to itself, but rather a necessary conduit in our primary pursuit of glorifying the Lord.

One final point of yielding. May we never elevate personal convictions to the point of cardinal doctrine. That's legalism! He who adds to Scripture is just as guilty as he who takes away from Scripture. Rather may we stand firm in what the Word of God has clearly revealed by speaking the truth in love.

A George Barna report quoted in "Christianity Today" revealed a great deal of discrepancy among Americans with regard to their beliefs. Sixty-two percent of the respondents said they have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ. However, sixty-five percent of those said the term "born again" does not apply to them; and fewer than fifty percent strongly agreed that the Bible is the written Word of God and is totally accurate in all it teaches. Is there an objective standard to define what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ? The answer is yes. It is found in the authoritative, infallible and inerrant Word of God. Anything less is error. Anything less is an affront to the living God. That's why we must emulate the first New Testament church and "devote ourselves to the apostle's teaching" (Ac. 2:42).

May God help us believe, proclaim, and contend for the truth delivered once and for all to the saints! May we know the truth, knowing that the truth will set us free!