A Battle For The Truth

Whether you are aware of it or not, there’s a battle going on. The truth that God has made known has been concealed, leading others to muddle their way through life.  God has planted eternity in your heart (Ecclesiastes 3:11) but there is an enemy that tries to keep you away from living in this truth.

The quest and battle for this truth affects all of us. Those of us who are still in this world are a part of this. However you live your life, it speaks out about what you believe. Your voice contributes to the battle that is going on. What most people aren’t aware of is that so much is at stake. The consequences are high–your side in the battle will dictate where you will spend your eternity. The battle begins and is centered on the truth.

In this world that we live in, so many things set themselves up as “truth.” The barrage of information, the influence of the media, the voices and opinions of other people, along with personal experiences can lead us to formulate our own kind of truth. At some point, we are the ones who formulate what is real even when we are tempted by our own minds.

 

Follow the Truth 

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. John 14:6

For those of us who have had an encounter with God, we realize that Jesus is indeed who He says He is in the gospel. He is our only way to the Father and that eternal life is received through Him. But let us remember that Jesus is the embodiment of truth. We gain an understanding of this when we accept the salvation He offers us and make our way towards repentance. To know Jesus as truth is to see Him—in His love and holiness. A believer will realize that this character of our Savior is far from how we are, inspiring us all the more to follow Him.

How then can we begin to follow the truth? We do this when we love God and follow His instructions. John 5:1-3 says, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments.  Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome.

To believe in Jesus as the truth means to believe that He is also love—that God is love. Because of the kind of love He has shown us from His life, death, and resurrection, we have an example that we can follow. Loving God and His children go together. In this fallen world, this love sets us apart from those who have yet to experience the saving grace of our Lord Jesus.

 

Victory not Surrender

Now that we have found the way and have chosen our side in the battle, we have the victory. Though it seems that we are sometimes outnumbered, surrendering is not an option. We as children of God have the power to triumph over the evil in this world through our faith. And this victory is only for those who believe that Jesus is the son of God (see 1 John 5:4-5).

So many things in this world seem to lead us astray from the truth. Even if we claim to be in Christ, we must be vigilant to protect what we have received. What we now know has already given us freedom and has enabled us to live a life of love and faith. Though we are in the midst of a battle where eternity is on the line, we must remember Jesus’ words:

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Let us continue to hold on to the truth. We already have our peace in Jesus. Despite all the challenges and heartaches we have yet to face, victory is already ours. God is with us.