Jesus said, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32). Truth is certainly important to our physical well-being. A proper diagnosis and treatment are key to freeing someone from the debilitating effects of a disease. However, spiritual truth is far more important. The physical body is temporary (Ecclesiastes 12:1-7) and some diseases which threaten it cannot be cured; death is eventually inevitable (Ecclesiastes 9:1-7; Hebrews 9:27). But the soul is eternal; each individual’s soul will either experience eternal prosperity or eternal ruin (Matthew 25:46). Unlike some physical ailments, the diagnosis of the cause of spiritual death is clear and the cure is available: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
God’s word is spiritual truth (John 17:17). Jesus came to this earth and called men to follow Him, saying, “I am the way, the truth, and the life…” (John 14:6). The Holy Spirit has revealed His law in God’s word; after Paul mentioned how sin brings death in Romans 6:23, by inspiration of God he wrote, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2). That God loves us so much to give His Son to die to free us from sin (Romans 5:8-9; 2 Corinthians 5:21), is a love-producing truth (1 John 4:9). It can cure us from the love of sin, which threatens our souls, and leads us to love God in return (1 John 2:15-17).
However, Satan wants to obscure the truth. He lied to Eve in the garden of Eden, deceiving her in thinking that God really did not tell her the whole truth, but was actually holding something back from her (Genesis 3:1-5). Satan’s lies continue today, subtly blinding men from seeing the shining truth of the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:3-4; 11:3; cf. John 8:44). Evil thoughts and habits do not come from the truth of God’s word, but are deceitful lures of the devil leading to death. “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death” (James 1:13-15). We certainly would not want to follow the wrong medical advice because of what it could do to our physical health. How much more should we seek to avoid unsound spiritual advice that could cost us our eternal souls? “Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding” (Proverbs 23:23).
Do you want freedom from sin? Then know the truth and let it dwell in you (2 John 1-2), love the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:10), obey the truth (1 Peter 1:22), and walk in the truth (2 John 4; 3 John 3). Defend the truth so that others are warned about following lies to their own ruin (1 Peter 3:15; Jude 3-4).
–Mark Day
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