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JESUS CHRIST: GOD-MAN - Vital Christianity

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23<br />

THE CALL TO SEEK AND BATTLE FOR THE TRUTH<br />

In this desperate spiritual warfare against the powers of darkness it is imperative that we<br />

arm ourselves for the battle. The apostle Paul warns us:<br />

"But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your<br />

minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to<br />

Christ" (2 Co 11:3).<br />

With spiritual confusion as the norm of the day, we Christians must rise above the<br />

relativistic, humanistic philosophies and outlandish cults that permeate society with the voice of<br />

absolute truth. Jesus offered such:<br />

"You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free" (Jn 8:32).<br />

Many Christians have come to believe that it is wrong to judge. For many this is based on<br />

Jesus' warning:<br />

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others,<br />

you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."<br />

(Mt 7:1-2)<br />

This, however, does not mean that it is always wrong to judge people under any<br />

circumstances. If so, then why did Jesus tell us five verses later not to give sacred things to dogs<br />

and pearls to swine? How can you decide who is a dog or who is a swine unless you judge?<br />

What Jesus is saying is that when you judge others—as everyone must—be aware that<br />

the same measuring stick you use for others will be used for you.<br />

So it is not wrong to listen carefully to what is being said behind the pulpit. Paul<br />

encouraged this:<br />

"Two or three prophets should speak and others should weigh carefully what<br />

is said" (1 Co 14:29).<br />

To those who would argue that this only applies in the case of prophecy, Luke replies:<br />

"Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they<br />

received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every<br />

day to see if what Paul said was true" (Ac 17:11).<br />

God loves truth seekers--people who so love the truth that they will not automatically<br />

receive something as truth just because someone said it, no matter what reputation the person had<br />

(by this time Paul was considered a solid leader and teacher).

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