"Truths That Last"

 

“Truths That Last”

 

In a conversation with another pastor about twenty years ago I said that sometimes biblical principles are more important than specific facts. When he questioned my statement I assured him that many facts are crucial to our faith (e.g. Christ’s virgin birth, sinless life, death on the cross and resurrection) while some no longer are but give us lasting and timeless truths to guide us. Two illustrations come to mind. The Old Testament sacrifices of perfect animals are no longer necessary because “…(Christ) offered for all time one sacrifice for sins….” (Hebrews 10:12) but we learn that God rightly expects the best we can bring to Him (“…I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind He will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?” (Romans 12:1, NLT, emphasis added). Another example has to do with whether or not Christians should eat meat which had been sold in ancient marketplaces after being offered to pagan gods (1 Corinthians 8). Obviously this isn’t an issue in our culture but it shows how we can determine what we should do about circumstances in our lives when Scripture doesn’t directly address them by applying the principles of love (v.1-3), liberty (4-6) and limitation (7-13).

In 2 Corinthians 4:18 Paul says, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” The facts are seen but the principles are largely unseen and work in any time and culture. Since they come from God Who is eternal (“Your name, O Lord, endures forever, your renown, O Lord, through all generations.”—Psalm 135:13) so are His words and works (“Your word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.”—Psalm 119:89).

In a world in which “truth” is in the mind of the beholder the end result is that each one becomes the determiner of what it is for him or her—in other words, there are no universal absolutes. But without a final authority chaos is the outcome. Twice in Judges (17:6; 21:25) it’s stated, “In those days Israel had no king; so the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.” (NLT). The conclusion: the only truths that last come from God (“He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.”—Deuteronomy 32:4). Amen!

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan