“For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth“
in the present truth
“In the present truth” is the truth present within us through instruction from our pastors and teachers. This is not truth at present under consideration.
“Truth” is the reality behind the appearance; the manifested, veritable essence of the matter (Romans 9:1; 2 Corinthians 11:10; Galatians 2:5).
“O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?” (Galatians 3:1).
“Truth” here is the deposit of faith (Jude 3).
“Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).
Truth is something we can always possess and never lose. Truth goes with us everywhere we go. Moreover, we spend time with what we love. If we love the truth, we will spend time with the Word.
Stability here is not strong character or human security. The stabilizer is the Word of God. Some people try to find stability in a bank account. But we can have a lot of money and still be unstable. Success is not the stabilizer of life either. Friends or a wonderful social life will not give us stability. Neither will health, sex, material things, or status symbols stabilize us. Only the Bible gives us that stability (Matthew 4:4).
If you depend on a loved one to give you stability, you make a major mistake. You may think that you have the most wonderful romance in the world. You have the love of the century. But people can change every hour, on the hour. We kid ourselves if we think that people can give us stability. We will wind up unhappy.
Some people think that “all I have to do is get married and my troubles will be over.” No, that is when your troubles begin! That is when you start to find out what adult troubles are like. If you want perpetual youth, don’t get married!! This is not to say that marriage is a horrible institution. It is not. I am not as cynical as that. No, the point is that stability comes from the Word of God and not from people. Why? Stability comes from the Author of the Word of God. He designed everything. He designed you. He designed your marriage.
Instability is the norm in our day. The things of life are here today and gone tomorrow. Our relationships are here one day and gone another. We laugh one moment and cry the next.
Principle:
There is no way to live the Christian life apart from Scripture.
Application:
The means to effect confirmation in our souls is the Word of God.
We cannot live the Christian life without the Bible. The Word of God is our chart, our compass, our bill of rights and our only infallible rule of faith and practice.
Just any kind of life that is gentle, kind and even loving is not the Christian life. Any thing less that what the Bible describes as the Christian life is not Christian. We may have a good life, a nice life or even a beautiful life but it may not be the Christian life. The Christian life begins with Christ. When Christ comes into our lives, we become Christians. There is no Christian life without Christ. He lives His life within us.
The difference between Christians is the extent to which they yield control of their lives to Christ. Some of us are very stubborn. We do not give up easily. We want to handle our lives and not allow Him to control us. Some things are beneath the dignity of the child of God although they may not be sinful.
Life is mutable. Immutability only comes from the immutable One. God’s Word gives stability in an unstable world. Only truth is eternal and only truth can sanctify.
“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:17).
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