OceanSide church of Christ

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RESPONSIBILITIES TOWARD TRUTH

 

Enjoy the Truth

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    During the course of this year, we have looked at the topic, “Responsibilities toward the Truth,” from time to time.

1.      Truth is to be heard.

2.      Truth is to be believed.

3.      Truth is to be loved.

4.      Truth is to be obeyed.

5.      Truth is to be defended.

 

B.      This morning, I want to discuss a responsibility that I have never heard discussed.  We are to “Enjoy the Truth.”

 

I.                   TWO OLD TESTAMENT WORDS

 

A.    In the Old Testament, the psalmist often speaks about delighting in the law of the Lord.

 

B.      Two different Hebrews words are translated “delight” in association with God’s Word.

1.      Psalm 1:2 – the blessed man

 

But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

 

a.      Strong (2656):  pleasure

b.      BDB:  delight, pleasure, that in which one takes delight

2.      Psalm 119:16

 

I will delight in thy statutes:  I will not forget thy word.

 

a.      Strong (8173):  please, amuse

b.      BDB:  to sport, take delight in

 

C.     There was something in the law of God that caused the psalmist to find pleasure and enjoyment in it (Ps. 119:47).

 

I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.

 

II.                WHY THE TRUTH BRINGS ENJOYMENT

 

A.    No Harm to Health (Profit)

1.      The things that God command us to do in His Word will not bring harm to one’s health.

2.      Such cannot be said of sin (See Proverbs 23:29-30).

 

Who hath woe?  Who hath sorrow?  Who hath contentions?  Who hath babbling?  Who hath wounds without cause?  Who hath redness of eyes?  They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixt wine.

 

 

B.      No Stain from Sin (Purity)

1.      Sin stains and soils the soul of man (Isa. 1:16).

2.      Following the Word of God keeps us pure and holy (Ps. 119:9).

 

Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?  By taking heed according to thy word.

 

C.     No Trifling of Time (Production)

1.      There are many things that we do in this life that waste time.  There is very little productivity involve in the large amounts of time spend therein.

2.      Doing God’s will is always productive.  It always yields fruit.

a.      Additions to character (II Pet. 1:5-8)

b.      Additions to the body of Christ (Rom. 1:13)

c.       Service rendered to others (Gal. 5:13)

d.      Works of the church being accomplished (Tit. 2:14).

 

D.    No Deviation from Destination (Path)

1.      The psalmist’s words (Ps. 119:105)

 

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

 

a.      God’s Word shows us the way.

b.      As long as we keep what is found therein, we will always make it to our destination.

2.      NOTE:  We definitely do not want to wind up at the wrong destination on the Last Day.

 

E.      No Regret of Rebellion (Pleasure)

1.      Doing what is right never brings regret.  Instead, there is a sense of pleasure.

2.      Regret comes to the rebellious and disobedient.

a.      This is that inner plague of mind that says:  “I should not have done that, but I did.”

b.      Many within the Scriptures had to ultimately bow their heads in shame, and, say:  “I have sinned” (ex., Achan, David, Judas).

 

F.      No Conflict of Conscience (Peace)

1.      The conscience is a feeling that originates in the mind that either approves or condemns our actions based upon our training.

2.      When a person does evil, he will experience a feeling of guilt and shame (See Ps. 32:3-4).

 

When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.   For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me:  my moisture is turned into drought of summer.

 

3.      When we abide by the teachings of God’s Word, there is no sting of conscience.  In fact, there is a feeling of approval, knowing we have done God’s will.

 

G.     No Fear of the Father (Protected)

1.      The heavenly Father loves us, but He will also hold us accountable for our deeds (Eccl. 12:14).

 

For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

2.      If we violate the will of God, fear should swell within us, knowing that we have to deal with God (ex., Adam in the Garden of Eden, Gen. 3:10).

3.      When we do God’s will, there is no fear.  We know that we have been pleasing to the Father.

 

H.    No Scare about My Soul (Persuasion)

1.      Disobedience puts the soul of man in serious jeopardy (Heb. 10:26-27).

 

For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

 

2.      A person who complies with God’s Word has no fear about his soul.  His is fully persuaded that he is pleasing to God and will be saved.

 

I.        No Horror of the Hereafter (Paradise)

1.      Hell awaits those who have not done the will of God.

2.      Heaven awaits those who have been obedient (Rev. 22:14).

 

Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they might have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

 

III.             A CONTRAST BETWEEN DELIGHT VS DISPLEASURE

 

A.    Joy versus A Sense of Dread

 

B.      Gratitude versus Constant Complaining

 

C.     Willingness versus A Sheer Sense of Duty

 

D.    Excellence versus Meager Performance

 

E.      Concern versus A Don’t Care Attitude

 

F.      Invested versus Just Going through the Motions

 

IV.             WHY PEOPLE DO NOT ENJOY THE TRUTH

 

A.    Selfishness

1.      Man’s will often runs counter to the will of God.

2.      Many people do not want to dispose of their will to do God’s will.

3.      Example:  The rich man (Matt. 19:22)

 

But when the young man heard that saying, he want away sorrowful:  for he had great possessions.

 

B.      Unbelief

1.      Man often thinks that he knows more than God does.

2.      When God confronts his thinking, man chooses to disbelieve God.  Sometimes, he even gets angry with God (Heb. 4:2).

 

For unto us was the gospel preached as well as unto them:  but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

C.     Love for other things

1.      Satan and the world offer many things in lieu of spiritual things.

2.      Some people love the things of the world, and will put them before the truth.

3.      Matthew 6:24

 

No man can serve two masters:  for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.  Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

 

D.    Truth is dull and plain and boring and irrelevant.

1.      The Word of God is alive and active (Heb. 4:12).  It is the hearts of the individual that has grown dull and hard.

2.      People tend to enjoy fluff and excitement rather than the words of truth and soberness (Acts 26:25).

 

E.      Truth has a tendency to remove man from his positions of pride and power.

1.      Truth comes from God.

2.      If it is the truth, man must submit.

3.      Man does not want to submit to anyone but self.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    As Christians, we are disciples.  As disciples, we are learners.  As learners, we learn from the words of Jesus.

 

B.      These words ought to excite and empower every one of us.

 

C.     The hearing and doing of these words ought to bring us more joy than any earthly pleasure.

 

D.    If you are a Christian and do not enjoy the truth, it is time to take a deep look within.

 

E.      All of us should be able to echo the words of the psalmist (Ps. 40:8).

 

I delight to do thy will, O my God:  yea, thy law is within my heart.