John 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
This passage of scripture teaches us the sacred truth that sanctification can only take place when we have The Living Word, and the written word of truth abiding in our hearts. What we are most in need of today is the plain utterances of the word of God, without the many additions and subtractions that have been attached to it of the years, in an effort to be politically correct, or to make allowances for private interpretations. The written word of truth tells us of The Living Word of truth, and therefore if the written road map that leads us to Christ is not presented and understood correctly, then we will harbor warped concepts of who God is, and this incorrect knowledge could then lead us to make unnecessary blunders in our relationship with Christ.
Furthermore, a person cannot be set free whilst imbibing error, for only the truth can set us free, according to the Bible. The scriptures teach us that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life, and therefore the written word of truth which explains much about Christ, must be accepted and clearly understood if we are to have a good balanced understanding of the God whom we serve. Let's read:
John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Key West is located in the southernmost tip of Florida, and it is a well known, and much sought after tourist destination, being visited by hundreds of thousands of people from all around the world each year. When a tourist wishes to visit this vacation resort, they would usually use a road map or a GPS device that will tell them to head south in order to reach their desired destination. But if for some reason they were to take the I 95 heading north, they will never reach Key West, even though they may be sincere in their efforts to do so, for the simple reason that Key West is not located in that direction.
Similarly, if in our search for The Living word, we were to adopt and believe teachings that are not certified by the scriptural road map, which is the written word, then we will not arrive at our desired destination, which is heaven. One of the erroneous teachings that have seeped into modern Christianity, is the belief that the commandments of God were only for the Hebrews of old, and therefore are now irrelevant to the contemporary Christian. This false doctrine will ultimately take us far from our destination, to another undesirable place, for the kingdom of God is founded upon eternal laws, statutes, principles, and truths which must be acknowledged, adopted, and practiced by all who are in search of God's haven of rest.
One day whilst Christ was teaching the people and blessing the children, a young man came to Him and asked the most important question that anyone can ask, and the answer that Christ gave is worthy of our utmost consideration. Let's read:
Matthew 19:16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? 17 "And he said unto him, ...... if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments".
The young man then asked which laws The Lord was referring to, and Christ then listed several of the commandments written in the Decalogue. The written word the young man knew, but he was unfamiliar with The Living Word, and that's why Christ extended the invitation to him to become acquainted God, so that the truths of His word might become a living reality in his life.
The same is true in our day, in that we are in dire need of both The Living and the written word of truth, so that the salvation that was purchased for us on Calvary might become a living reality in our day to day experiences. When any sermon or teaching is presented, it is our sacred duty to verify that this is what the word of God actually says on the subject presented, so that we will not build our expectations and hopes on a false premise which was never intended by God, nor written in His word.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to study the sacred truths of the Bible, with the intention of doing God's will, and the enabling power of the Holy Spirit will strengthen and energize us to put into practice those truths we have learned. Let's read:
2nd Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
May the experience and study of the truth bear fruit in our lives, to the honor and glory of God, for He is able to make His grace abound unto all those who trust in His every word. God bless!