The Attributes of God Steve Lawson
Trinity Bible Church, Men's study, 4/28/22
LESSON 10. The TRUTHFULNESS/VERACITY of God
DEFINITION
Wayne Grudem: Gods truthfulness means that He is the true God, and that all His knowledge and words are both true and the final standard of truth.
MESSAGE INTRODUCTION
In an age when truth is often seen as entirely subjective, the Bible's presentation of a God whose truthfulness is absolute and objective, stands in stark contrast. Moreover, the claim that this God has spoken truth in sacred Scripture stands the wisdom of this world on its head. In this lesson, Lawson examines several aspects of the truthfulness of God, showing why it is such a radical and counter-cultural view to hold in today's world.
TEACHING OBJECTIVES
1. To explain the multifaceted richness of God's truthfulness
2. To instill trust in the truthfulness of God and His Word
3. To contrast the Christian and secular views of truth
God's truthfulness is revealed in His Word:
All of His doctrines are true.
All of His precepts are true.
All of His promises are true.
All of His prophecies are true.
All of His threatenings are true.
All of His judgements are true.
Brad Klassen: Truth is what corresponds to the mind, character, or glory of God. A sentence is "true" if what it communicates corresponds to the way something really is according to how God sees it. Truth is neither subjective or relative. Truth has nothing to do with the majority opinion, or our own opinions and preferences. Truth is always absolute and objective. God is the source and standard of all truth.
TRUTH AND THE TRINITY
God the Father is truth. Jeremiah 10:10, John 3:33, 17:3, 1 Thessalonians 1:9, 1 John 5:20a, Revelation 6:10, 15:3
God the Son is truth. Matthew 22:16, John 1:17, 14:6, Ephesians 4:21, 1 John 5:20b, Revelation 3:7,14, 19:11
God the Holy Spirit is truth. John 5:32, 14:17, 15:26, 16:13; 1 John 5:6
LECTURE OUTLINE
I. Scripture Truth is DIVINE
A. All truth has its origin in God.
1. Truth is defined by God's very nature.
2. Humanity has access to truth only through God's revelation in His Word.
B. God not only speaks truth; He is truth.
C. Though God appoints human teachers for His people, it is ultimately the Spirit of truth who instructs the people of God.
II. Scripture Truth is ABSOLUTE
A. Truth makes exclusive claims about reality.
B. Though the Bible at times speaks of a truth, it nevertheless also speaks of the truth. 2 Timothy 2:15
C. Truth establishes a firm boundary between right and wrong, factual and fabricated. Romans 3:4
III. Scripture Truth is OBJECTIVE
A. Truth presents specific propositions and claims.
B. God's Word is true even down to its most minute details. It is inerrant and infallible. Matthew 5:18
1. Certain statements in Scripture are of greater importance than others.
2. Yet, all of Scripture's claims are true, regardless of the subject matter.
C. God's words are inherently true and do not depend on human understanding or feelings.
IV. Scripture Truth is SINGULAR
A. Truth stands as a single body. Jude 3
1. Truth does not compete with itself or contradict itself.
2. God exists in complete harmony with Himself.
3. Scripture expresses a unified system of reality.
B. God's revelation to humanity is consistent.
1. God does not say something to one group and something else to another group.
2. God does not have different ways of salvation for different people or classes of people. There is only one gospel! There is no other way of salvation. Any time, any where, any one that has ever been saved, they are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
3. God's Word communicates a unified message that applies to all people, in all places, at all times.
V. Scripture Truth is IMMUTABLE
A. Just as God does not change, His truth does not change.
B. No part of Scripture will ever be annulled or removed. Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8, Luke 16:17
C. God's Word is always relevant and up to date.
VI. Scripture Truth is UNIVERSAL
A. Truth transcends cultures, centuries, and continents.
B. Truth does not change to accommodate one's worldview, surroundings, or social norms.
C. All people need to hear, believe and obey God's truth.
VII. Scripture Truth is ILLUMINATING
A. Truth enables us to understand the world around us and perceive things as they actually are.
Psalm 119:105
B. Apart from God's Word, humanity remains in darkness and in a state of spiritual blindness.
VIII. Scripture Truth is TRUSTWORTHY
A. God's words are utterly reliable and dependable.
B. God does not mislead people or lead them down the path of falsehood.
C. Those who believe and live according to the truth of God's Word base their lives on a firm foundation.
IX. Scripture Truth is AUTHORITATIVE
A. Because God is the source of truth, He has the power to assert claims and make demands upon human beings.
1. Truth is never merely a collection of interesting information.
2. Rather, it requires a human response of obedience.
B. We are to be doers of God's Word.
John 13:17 "Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."
John 15:14 "You are my friends if you do what I command."
James 1:22 "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says!"
C. Truth is essential.
1. In order to live well as God's people in the world, we must understand things as they truly are.
2. Our salvation involves hearing and responding to the truth of Scripture. Romans 10:13–17
Ephesians 1:13 "When you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed in Him, you were also sealed with the promised Holy Spirit."
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Since Satan is the antithesis of truth, it can be said that he never utters true statements. a. True b. false
2. Since truth is absolute, all of the following are true except______________.
a. One truth cannot be more important than another
b. Truth cannot contradict itself
c. Scripture will never become untrue
d. The gospel message must be the same to every culture
3. Because the Bible is trustworthy, all of the following are true except ______________.
a. Its truth will never be overturned
b. Its truth depends on proper interpretation
c. It is true for all people and for all time
d. It makes scientific inquiry pointless
4. Those who don't have access to Scripture cannot be held responsible for acting contrary to Scripture, because they don't know of its authoritative status.
a. True b. false
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Why do most people reject God's truths?
John 3:19-20
2. What would be the implications for us, if God and His Word were not absolutely true? 1 Cor. 15:13-17
3. Consider Lawson's point that truth is singular, forming "one perfect tapestry of truth." How should this affect one's interpretation of difficult passages in Scripture?
4. In a time when the Bible is often attacked as containing mythology and contradictions, how can you help fellow believers to hold fast to its trustworthiness? How can you challenge unbelievers in this respect?
5. If someone were to tell you that they respect your religious beliefs but that those beliefs are not true for them, how would you respond?
Brad Klassen: The truthfulness of God has definite implications for our lives today.
1. Sin must be defined as rebellion against truth. Romans 1:18,25 "For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. . . . For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever."
2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 Speaking of unbelievers, Paul states that "They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness."
2 Timothy 3:8 "Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith."
2 Timothy 4:3-4 "The time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."
Lost sinners follow the example set by their spiritual father, Satan, who represents the exact antithesis of truth—and of God Himself. John 8:44-47
2. The God of truth must be the object of our unwavering faith.
Simply stated, faith is believing that what God has revealed is true. To have biblical faith is to believe as true, what God has revealed about Himself and His promises. Ultimately, truth demands assent. There is no virtue in displaying skepticism towards what is true. Rather, it is the epitome of foolishness to deny truth (e.g., Psalm 14:1).
QUOTATIONS
Thomas Watson: The truth of God is a great pillar for our faith. Were He not a God of truth, how could we believe in Him? But He is truth itself, and not a word which He has spoken shall fall to the ground.
John MacArthur: Truth cannot be subjective; there is no such thing as your truth or my truth. Truth is forever fixed. Authentic Christianity has always held that Scripture is absolute, objective truth. The Bible is God's truth regardless of whether a person believes it, understands it, or likes it. It is a permanent and universal truth, and therefore, is the same for everyone.
John Owen: Without absolutes revealed by God Himself, we are left rudderless in a sea of conflicting ideas about matters, justice and right and wrong, issuing from a multitude of self-opinionated thinkers.
OUR RESPONSE TO THE TRUTHFULNESS OF GOD
Psalm 25:4-5 "Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths; guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long."
Psalm 26:3 "Your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in Your truth."
Psalm 51:6 "Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being"
Psalm 86:11 "Teach me Your way, O Lord, and I will walk in Your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name."
Psalm 119:30 "I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on Your laws."
Proverbs 3:3 "Do not let kindness and truth leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart."
Proverbs 12:22 "Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord"
Proverbs 13:5 "A righteous man hates falsehood"
Proverbs 23:23 "Buy truth, and do not sell it"
Ephesians 4:15 "Speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, Christ."
Ephesians 4:25 "Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body."
Ephesians 6:14 "Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place"
Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things."
Perhaps nothing makes us so like the Devil as lying, deceit and hypocrisy!
Perhaps nothing makes us so like God as truthfulness, honesty and sincerity.
Thomas Watson: Oh! I beseech you, labor to be like God. He is a God of truth. He can as well part with His Deity, as His verity. Be like God: be true in your thoughts, be true in your words, be true in your profession. When God sees "truth in the inward parts," and "lips in which is no deceit," He sees His own image—which draws His heart towards us.
SUMMARY of the last three lessons:
Lesson 8: God is our Omnipotent friend!
Lesson 9: God is our Immutable friend!
Lesson 10: God is our True and Faithful friend!