A Daily Devotional

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How to Know the Truth

"If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." (John 7:17)

The apostle Paul, in his last epistle, wrote about certain philosophers who would be "ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (2 Timothy 3:7). In the next verse, Paul makes it clear why such people, no matter how scholarly or well educated they seem to be, are still incapable of accepting real truth. "So do these also resist the truth," he says (v. . They could not learn the truth because they were not willing to believe or obey the truth when they learned it. For example, a very vexing controversy among modern Christians is whether or not the Genesis account of six-day creation can be so interpreted as to accommodate the billion-year, geological-age system of earth history.

Perhaps the difficulty, in this as well as in other such doctrinal controversies, is a basic unwillingness to believe doctrines plainly revealed in God's Word when they conflict with doctrines based solely on human reasoning. When the Lord Jesus spoke the words of our text, He was speaking to arrogant religionists who regarded Him as nothing but an itinerant preacher, rejecting His teachings, even though they knew these teachings were fully biblical.

His rebuke of these hypocrites is truly a timeless criterion for recognizing God's truth and knowing His will. Such a heart does not try to twist God's Word to accommodate a human philosophy, nor does it try to accommodate one's personal will by persuading himself that it is God's will. God's will is always consistent with God's Word, which is written to be easily understood by anyone who is willing to believe His Word and do His will.

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The First Sacrifice

"Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them." (Genesis 3:21)

This action by the Lord is very significant. God Himself apparently sacrificed some of His animal creation (possibly two innocent and blemish-free sheep) in order to provide clothing for the first man and woman. In the first place, this tells us that clothing is important in God's plan for human beings; nudity became shameful once sin entered the world.

In the second place, we learn that symbolically speaking, clothing must be provided by God Himself. Man-made "aprons" of fig leaves will not suffice, as they represent human works of righteousness which can never make us presentable to God: ". . . we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6). However, God has sacrificed His own "Lamb of God" (John 1:29), pure and spotless, yet also willing to die for us. Thereby ". . . he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness" (Isaiah 61:10), fashioned from the perfect righteousness of the Lamb.

But in order to do this, the innocent blood of the sacrifice must be shed, for "the life of the flesh is in the blood" (Leviticus 17:11). When sin entered the world, there also came "death by sin" (Romans 5:12), and "without shedding of |innocent| blood is no remission |of sin|" (Hebrews 9:22).

How much of this could have been comprehended by Adam and Eve as they watched God slay their animal friends so that they once again could walk with God we do not know, but it changed their lives. Just so, when we really see "the precious blood of Christ" (1 Peter 1:19) spilled in sacrifice for our redemption, our lives also are forever changed. He hath covered me with the righteousness of Christ.

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A Certain Young Man

"And they all forsook him, and fled. And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked." (Mark 14:50-52)

This "certain young man" is mentioned only in Mark's Gospel and was almost certainly John Mark himself. A rather obscure character in the New Testament--yet the Lord chose him to write what is probably the earliest of the gospel records of the life of Christ. If so, his account of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ is the first record we have of the most important events in all history.

Mark's family (Acts 12:12) apparently was prosperous enough to own a home in Jerusalem with a large upper room where the disciples (even 120 of them, Acts 1:14-15) could meet for prayer after the resurrection. This was possibly the same "large upper room furnished and prepared" (Mark 14:15) where the Lord's last supper took place. Note that Mark's account says: "And in the evening he cometh |not 'goeth'| with the twelve" (v. 17). Thus Mark--probably as a teenager--was very likely an intensely interested observer of all the moving events that took place in the upper room, both before and after the crucifixion and resurrection.

He may well have overheard the conversation with and about Judas, and then watched as the disciples went out to Gethsemane. Perhaps Judas returned with the soldiers, and Mark, already in bed, grabbed a "linen cloth" and rushed out to warn Jesus. The soldiers found Jesus first, however, and Mark had to watch the disciples flee, and then finally had to flee himself.

In any case, this close proximity to these great events made such a profound impression on him that he was later led to write about them, very probably working closely with Peter (1 Peter 5:13), and Mark's Gospel was the result.

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Adding to God's Word

"For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book." (Revelation 22:18)

This very sober warning right at the end of the Bible was given by Christ Himself (note verse 20) to indicate that the written Scriptures were now complete, and it would be a serious sin for some pseudo-prophet to come along presenting some alleged new revelation from God. That this warning applies to the entire Bible, not just to the Book of Revelation, should be obvious, but is made especially clear when it is remembered that Jesus promised His chosen disciples that the Holy Spirit "shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance," and furthermore, that "he will guide you into all truth: . . . and he will shew you things to come" (John 14:26; 16:13).

This special revelation to the "apostles and prophets" of the New Testament would constitute the "foundation" of the church, and would be complete when the last of these "holy apostles and prophets" were gone (study carefully Ephesians 2:19-3:11). When John completed the Apocalypse, he was very old; all the other apostles and prophets of the New Testament had already died (all by martyrdom), so God's written Word was now complete. No new revelation would be needed before Christ returns. We shall do well if we just learn what we already have received from His holy apostles and prophets.

Note also the emphasis on "the words," not just the concepts. God was able to say what He meant and we are wise if we take His words literally. Jesus warned about "false prophets" who would come after He left (Matthew 24:24), and there have been many of these through the centuries. The Bible as we now have it is sufficient for every need.

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The Mind of Christ

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 2:5)

Although salvation is free, it is not cheap, since it required the Creator Himself to become man and submit to an agonizing death on the cross. This was the mind of Christ!

And, by the same token, although our salvation is not conditioned on any meritorious acts of our own, the standard by which we must measure our lives is nothing less than the perfect life of Jesus Christ. In the first place, our words and deeds are to be compared to His: "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps" (1 Peter 2:21). Our standard of holiness is to be His life of holiness. "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation |meaning 'behavior'|" (1 Peter 1:15).

If we truly follow His steps, they may well lead to suffering and persecution, but "he that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked" (1 John 2:6), and this involves a willingness to be "crucified with Christ" (Galatians 2:20). The Christian life is pre-eminently to be characterized by unselfish love, but again the standard of that love is nothing less than the love of Christ Himself. "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another" (John 13:34).

To love as He loved; to walk where He walked; to be holy as He is holy; to follow His example in word and deed--all this requires that we think as He thought, that the very attitude of our soul be like His. In position, we do "have the mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:16), but in practice, we still come far short. May God help us to cast down "imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God," and bring "into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5).

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Our Adversary, the Devil

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." (1 Peter 5:

This grave warning concerning the devil was given not only to young Christians, easily subject to temptations, but also to "the elders which are among you" (v. 1). It often seems, in fact, that Satan's greatest victories are won when he can cause the fall of a Christian leader, thereby not only destroying that leader's influence for Christ, but also giving "great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme" (2 Samuel 12:14). The devil is a roaring lion, but he doesn't come as such. If he did, the intended victim would flee.

He is, above all, the one "which deceiveth the whole world" (Revelation 12:9), "transformed into an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14). As he did with Mother Eve, the "subtle" one will insidiously appeal to our pride, or our aesthetic sense, or our appetite, or our desire for material things.

Peter could speak from bitter experience. Satan had desired to "sift you as wheat," Jesus had told him, but he foolishly boasted that he would stand true (Luke 22:31-34).

No wonder Peter could warn with such urgency: "Be sober, be vigilant." Note particularly that, in the context, he is especially warning against greed (1 Peter 5:2) and pride (vv. 5-6). We must not allow Satan to "get an advantage of us," Paul says, "for we are not ignorant of his devices" (2 Corinthians 2:11). Though Satan is deceptive and powerful, we need never fall to his tempting if we simply--along with staying sober and vigilant--"Submit |ourselves| therefore to God."

"Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7).

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Overcome Them

"Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." (1 John 4:4)

This is one of the most reassuring promises in the Bible for the believer. Because "we are of God" and because He is in us (as the Holy Spirit, 1 Corinthians 3:16) and is "greater . . . than he that is in the world," we have already overcome!

I firmly believe that there are no empty promises in the Bible, and I know that this passage is true. But there are times when I do not feel like I am over anything. Just what does this promise promise? And who are "them" that I have to overcome?

To begin with, the Greek word means to conquer, overcome, prevail, or get the victory. It is translated similarly in speaking of the Lord’s ultimate victory as He assumes the throne in heaven to bring about the end of the age (Revelation 5:5). And in the same way, we are to conquer as we "reign in life" (Romans 5:17), because we are "born of God" (1 John 5:4). The Lord Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33), and since we believe that Jesus is the Son of God, we too will get the victory over the world (1 John 5:5; Romans 12:2).

The "them" are those who are driven to embrace ungodly antichrist doctrines (1 Timothy 4:1) and worldly philosophies (James 4:4). They are those who "love the world" (1 John 2:15-17) and seek to spoil (plunder and/or take captive) the people of God (Colossians 2:. We, on the other hand, are to prevail over evil with good (Romans 12:21) and take them captive with the mighty "weapons of our warfare" (2 Corinthians 10:3-5), which are the Word of God and prayer (Ephesians 6:13-18).

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No King in Israel

"In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes." (Judges 17:6)

Four times in the Book of Judges we are told that "there was no king in Israel in those days" (Judges 17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25), indicating that the book must have been compiled either by Samuel (the last judge) or someone else of his or a later generation. The first and last of these (which is the final verse in the book) add that "every man did that which was right in his own eyes." With no centralized government, there were only tribal leaders. Occasionally, one of these would acquire followers from other tribes; these were the "judges" whom God raised up to lead the people out of bondage on the occasions of widespread repentance and prayer.

The intervening periods were times of oppression by enemies, and moral and spiritual chaos among the people. They did have a King, of course, but they refused Him, as did the men in the parable who "sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us" (Luke 19:14). When they finally requested a human king, Samuel rebuked them for saying, "Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the LORD your God was your king" (1 Samuel 12:12).

Lest we be too critical of the ancient Israelites for rejecting God as their king and going each his own way, that is essentially what people are doing today. "There is no fear of God before their eyes," and they are "lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God" (Romans 3:18; 2 Timothy 3:4). When every man believes what is comfortable and does as he pleases, he in effect becomes his own god, and this is nothing but humanism. But just as this ancient humanism was empty, and the people soon desired a human king, so modern atheistic humanism will also revert to pantheism, and the world will then yield to a humanistic king to lead them on to a final deadly confrontation with the true King of kings.

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Evolution and the Woman

"For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man." (1 Corinthians 11:8-9)

In spite of the overwhelming scientific evidence against evolution, "Christian evolutionists" still argue (or, at least, allow) that evolution could be God's method of creation.

Such a fence-straddling position is logically untenable, however, and gravely dangerous spiritually. There are numerous biblical and theological reasons why evolution, under any guise, must be unequivocally repudiated by Bible-believing Christians, and one of the most obvious is the unique biblical account of the formation of the body of the first woman. By no stretch of the imagination or device of spiritualizing exposition can this account be harmonized with the assumed evolution of human beings from some earlier group of hominids.

God "formed man of the dust of the ground" (Genesis 2:7). Many theistic evolutionists have asserted that this phrase could be applied to the long process of evolution, as imagined by modern paleoanthropologists. This, of course, is fantasy, not exegesis. But whatever argument might be made for this strange interpretation, there is simply no way at all for the record of Eve's subsequent formation out of Adam's side (Genesis 2:21-22) to be so interpreted. All they can do with this passage is ignore it, trying to pass it by with some comment about woman being close to man's heart or something. It is not only clearly spelled out in Genesis, but is confirmed by the apostle Paul, both here and in 1 Timothy 2:13. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself quoted from the Genesis account of the creation of man and woman (Matthew 19:4-6) as literal history. Both man and woman are special creations of God, with no evolutionary connection whatsoever to any kind of animal ancestry.

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Building on the Foundation

"Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins. . ." (Romans 3:24-25)

"According to his abundant mercy |God| hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you" (1 Peter 1:3-4).

A "hope" in Scripture is much more than a "wish" for the future. It is absolute certainty, since it is based on absolute facts of the past. The Christian's hope is based on the finished work of Christ on the cross and His resurrection from the dead. Those who are born again are "kept by the power of God" (v. 5). Thus our "inheritance" is "reserved in heaven."

The first verse of the beautiful old hymn "The Solid Rock" speaks of this hope and the foundation upon which it is built.

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus' name.

We do not base our hope on "works of righteousness which we have done, but . . . His mercy . . . regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:5). Nor do we "trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God" (1 Timothy 6:17). Because of our sin, we have "the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead" (2 Corinthians 1:9).

Our confidence, our "hope" is well-founded only when we wholly lean on Jesus' name, for we are all sinners but now are "washed, . . . sanctified, . . . |and| justified in the name of the Lord Jesus" (1 Corinthians 6:11).

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Song of the Rock

"And David spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul." (2 Samuel 22:1)

This is the first verse of a remarkable poem inserted here near the end of 2 Samuel. With certain significant exceptions, it is the same as the 18th Psalm. David wrote many wonderful psalms, but this is the only one also found in the historical books, and so must have special significance. In view of 2 Samuel 23:1-2 ("these be the last words of David"), it may even be David's last psalm, as slightly modified by him from Psalm 18, just before his death.

In 2 Samuel 22:2-3, he ascribed nine wonderful names to God: rock; fortress; deliverer; God of my rock; shield; horn of my salvation; high tower; refuge; Savior. In the midst of this unique list of metaphors appears his statement of faith: "in him will I trust." Although this psalm flows from David's personal experiences, these words are quoted in Hebrews 2:13 as coming from the lips of Christ in His human incarnation. Thus the song is actually also a Messianic psalm. Its testimonies go far beyond the experiences of David, reflecting the mighty events of Christ in creation, at the judgment of the great Flood, and His work as our Redeemer. It is significant that the concluding name in David's list is Savior, which is the Hebrew yasha--essentially the same as "Jesus."

Two of the names (Hebrew, cela and tsur) are translated "rock," but refer to different kinds of rock. They are the same words as used for the rocks from which God provided water for His people in the wilderness (Exodus 17:6; Numbers 20:11), except that the order is reversed. One is the great rock of provision, the other the smitten rock of judgment. Our God of creation, Jesus Christ, is our daily sustenance, but first must also be our sin-bearing Savior.

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Diligent Search

"I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search." (Psalm 77:6)

Christopher Columbus is recognized in this country for his bold search across the Atlantic, resulting in the major exploration and colonization of North America. As with many great men, variations abound of his character, but he is widely recognized as a Bible-quoting religious man.

Motivation seems to be the key behind the success of history’s "great" men. Some inner drive captivated the heart of those explorers, inventors, statesmen, generals, and leaders. And so it is with the prophets, priests, and kings of the Kingdom--they were driven by a "burning fire" in their "bones" (Jeremiah 20:9).

Solomon, granted wisdom by God, nonetheless gave his "heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven" (Ecclesiastes 1:13). Excellence does not just happen!

Those Berean Christians who were cited as being more "noble" than the Thessalonians were recognized because they "received the word with all readiness of mind, and |emphasis added| searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so" (Acts 17:11). They listened (passive), but they also searched (active).

Spiritual maturity does not come by mere chronological survival! "Strong meat," the Scripture notes, "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" (Hebrews 5:14).

Careful attention to the instructions in the Word and careful observance to follow those instructions, is the only formula for God’s blessing of prosperity and "good success" (Joshua 1:.

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The Importance of Reading

"Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine." (1 Timothy 4:13)

In this video age, Christians are in grave danger of forgetting the importance of reading. The word translated "reading" in this verse is the Greek anagnosis, a compound word meaning essentially "renewed knowledge." A sermon or lecture is knowledge heard; an educational film or video is knowledge seen; but reading is knowledge that can be read, rehearsed, reviewed, and renewed again and again, until fully and securely learned. In fact, it is necessary for students to take notes, even when hearing a sermon or seeing a film, if they expect to retain any knowledge received by such means.

The importance of reading is also pointed out by the verb used in the verse. "Give attendance" means, literally, "continue steadfastly." It is so translated in Acts 2:42: "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine."

Reading and studying the Scriptures are especially necessary for a fruitful Christian ministry, but even this is not really enough. The Bible also commands us always to be ready to give an "answer" (Greek apologia, a systematic defense) to everyone who asks a "reason" (Greek logos, a logical explanation) for our Christian hope (1 Peter 3:15). To do this requires steadfast continuance in the study, not only of the Bible, but also of other sound literature as well. A truly effective and influential Christian is an informed Christian, armed with facts and sound counsel, prepared and capable both in his own professional field of practice and in his spiritual service as a Christian witness.

It is significant that Paul, just before his martyrdom and while imprisoned in a damp, cold, Roman dungeon, still desired his books to read (1 Timothy 4:13). The conscientious Christian must never cease to study and to grow in grace and knowledge (2 Peter 3:18).

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Destroy Them, O God

"Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee." (Psalm 5:10)

No less than 20 of the psalms contain what are known as "imprecations"--that is, prayers to God to judge and destroy the wicked--and this verse is the first of them. As such, it sets the pattern, helping us to understand why the Lord would include such vindictive prayers in His inspired Word. At first, they seem incongruous with a God of love and mercy who has told us to love our enemies, but they help us to understand that God also must judge sin--especially the sin of rebellion. In them, we are taught to see the sin of rebellion in its true light--through the eyes of a loving Creator who has been rejected to the point of no return.

It is one thing to commit an act of wickedness when overcome by temptation; it is quite another thing for men to deliberately rebel against God, Himself, seeking by their "counsels" to turn others against Him, and even, if it were possible, to destroy Him and His Word altogether.

This is the age-long sin of Satan, as well as that of the leaders of both ancient paganism and modern evolutionary humanism. Like the psalmist David, we must pray for God to defeat them and their counsels, for otherwise they will continue to lead multitudes of others into their own transgression. There is still room for forgiveness of individual sinners, of course--even among such as these--if they come in true repentance, but most such rebels are already irrevocably hardened against God and His Word. The appropriate prayer in such a case is (as David prayed in another of the imprecatory psalms): "scatter them by thy power; and bring them down, O Lord our shield. . . . let them even be taken in their pride" (Psalm 59:11-12).

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The Incarnate Wisdom

"The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was." (Proverbs 8:22-23)

The Book of Proverbs repeatedly extols the virtues of true wisdom, founded on the fear of the Lord. In the eighth chapter, however, beginning at verse 22, the theme changes, retreating far back in time to creation itself, and even before. The statements in the next ten verses, especially, must be of an actual divine Person. From the New Testament perspective, especially with John 1:1-14 as the definitive exposition, it becomes clear that the divine wisdom of Proverbs 8:22-31 is none other than the incarnate Word of John's prologue.

The Lord Jesus Christ, indeed, fits perfectly all the statements in this particular section of Proverbs, which then gives marvelous new insight into the events of creation and the divine fellowship in the Godhead before the creation. Note that in these first two verses, the Lord's "ways" were prior to His "works," and that He "possessed" His Son "from everlasting." This is the profound doctrine of "eternal generations," whereby the Son is "brought forth" continually from the Father, forever manifesting Him in His creation.

The New Testament makes it plain that Jesus Christ is, indeed, the incarnate wisdom of God. He is the "Word" by whom all things were made (John 1:1-3). He is "the truth" (John 14:6) and "the light" (John 8:12) by whom alone men can come to God and follow Him. He is called "the power of God, and the wisdom of God" in 1 Corinthians 1:24, and He called Himself "the wisdom of God" in Luke 11:49.

All of the vaunted knowledge of the world's thinkers and scientists is empty and futile apart from the Lord Jesus Christ, the living Word of God, for in Him alone are found "all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:3).