In a recent article, “Truth is a Hijacked Word”, we are told that “truth does not bind”, and that brethren have basically “hijacked” this word and forced a new meaning upon the word. In the effort to cast suspicion upon brethren for “hijacking” and therefore misusing this word, the author actually unwittingly casts suspicion upon his own thinking. He says:
Truth brings liberty; it does not bind. Whatever truth is, it is for our good. –Unquote! http://www.mandevillechurch.org/?p=1624
Let us test this position (1 Thess.5:21) and if it proves good, hold to it, but if it proves to be wrong, then let us reject it and expose it (Eph.5:11). Jesus said “Thy word is truth”(John 17:17). So, does God’s word “bind” anything upon us? If the word of God binds things upon us, then our brother has ”hijacked” the word “truth” and tried to give it a meaning that does not include any binding law. Yet, he quoted some verses that mentions “obeying the truth” which shoots his argument that “truth does not bind” in the foot. Even when he tries to tell what the true meaning of “obey the truth” is, he still contradicts himself. He explains that “obeying the truth” actually means: “coming to Him and being like Him. It is being who God intends us to be.” Well, then truth BINDS that we “come to Him” and that we “be like Him” and that we “be who God intends us to be”. Our brother’s goal was to make us think that brethren have hijacked and misused this word, but he actually accomplished making it suspect that he is the one who hijacked the word and got himself tangled in the mess of error one gets in when he says “truth does not bind”.
One of the basic things about “truth” in the Bible is that it includes the truth of God’s law and how to properly “handle the word of truth”(2 Tim.2:16). Improper handling of the word of truth is what is causing our brother to try to cast suspicion on his brethren’s use of words like “pattern” and “truth” and “sound doctrine”. He wants people to think that truth does not “bind” and that brethren are “hijacking” the word “truth” and making it “bind”.
This reminds me of Satans’ discussion with Eve. He cast suspicion upon God and His word, the truth that God had bound upon the first couple in the Garden not to eat of the tree in the midst of the Garden. She knew the truth about what God’s word had bound upon her, and she knew the liberty she had to eat of all the other trees, but Satan tried to get her to cast off the part of truth that bound and restricted her. Even so, we find Peter talking about the false teacher and how he “allures through the lust of the flesh” and “promises liberty” that the truth does not give (2 Pet.2:18f). This is the way of error used by Satan, and you can see that it is very often characteristic of the false teacher.
The Way of Truth includes God’s Ordinances
Ps 119:30-31
I have chosen the way of truth and faithfulness; Your ordinances have I set before me.
I cleave to Your testimonies; O Lord, put me not to shame! AMP
Ps 119:43-45 -And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for I hope in Your ordinances.
I will keep Your law continually, forever and ever [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying it]. And I will walk at liberty and at ease, for I have sought and inquired for [and desperately required] Your precepts. AMP
God’s LAW is Truth
Ps 119:142 -Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your law is truth. [Ps 19:9; John 17:17.] AMP
Ps 119:151 -You are near, O Lord [nearer to me than my foes], and all Your commandments are truth. AMP
The Total Word of God is Truth
Ps 119:160 -The sum of Your word is truth [the total of the full meaning of all Your individual precepts]; and every one of Your righteous decrees endures forever. AMP
John 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth.ASV
To teach that “truth” does not bind is to teach that God’s law is not truth that binds. Surely, it is our brother who has hijacked the word “truth” and tried to give it a different meaning.
Handling the word of God deceitfully is not handling the word of God truthfully
2 Cor 4:2 but we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. ASV
Truth Binds us to Walk Uprightly
Gal 2:14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Cephas before (them) all, If thou, being a Jew, livest as do the Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, how compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? ASV
Truth Binds that You Not Go Back to Practicing the Law of Moses
Gal 4:16 -So then am I become your enemy, by telling you the truth? ASV Paul had exposed the false teachers there for trying to bind part of the Law of Moses, and he ask if his doing so had now made him their enemy? The insincere would count him as their enemy, but the sincere would appreciate his effort of love to correct them. So it is today!
Truth Binds that you believe and obey Jesus
Eph 1:13 -in whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation, — ASV
Truth Binds that You Live Righteously and Holy
Eph 4:24 -and put on the new man, that after God hath been created in righteousness and holiness of truth. ASV
Truth Binds that you handle the word aright
2 Tim 2:15 - Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth. ASV
Truth Binds that you do not stray from God’s word and turn to fables
2 Tim 4:4 -and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside unto fables. ASV
Truth Binds that One Be Born Again and Bring forth Fruit
James 1:18 -Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. ASV
Truth Binds and Restricts While Giving Liberty within Limits
James 5:19 -My brethren, if any among you err from the truth, and one convert him;ASV . One can err from the truth and need converting. But, one can restrict the actual freedom in Christ (Gal.5:16) by binding the thing Jesus loosed people from, namely the Law of Moses.
Truth Binds us to Obedience to God’s word
1 Peter 1:22 -Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another from the heart fervently:ASV
False Teachers Will Speak Evil of the Way of Truth
2 Peter 2:2 -And many shall follow their lascivious doings; by reason of whom the way of the truth shall be evil spoken of. ASV
Truth Is Connected to Keeping God’s Commandments, and Commandments Bind us
1 John 2:4-5 -He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoso keepeth his word, in him verily hath the love of God been perfected. Hereby we know that we are in him: ASV
Truth Binds Us to Walk a Certain Way
2 John 4 - I rejoice greatly that I have found (certain) of thy children walking in truth, even as we received commandment from the Father. ASV
3 John 4 -Greater joy have I none than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth. ASV
Clearly, truth restrains us from going beyond the boundaries of God’s revealed word. Truth demands that we not pervert the gospel (Gal.1:6-10). Truth demands that we seek to “prove what is acceptable to the Lord”(Rom.12:1-4), and it compels us to “test all things, hold fast what is good”(1 Thess.5:21). Truth compels us to “test the spirits because many false prophets have gone out into the world”(1 John 4:1-3). Truth sets us free from sin and false doctrine and error of all sorts. Don’t let any man hijack the word and tell you that truth does not bind or that it does not include God’s law or living within the restrictions of Jesus’ authority. Beware when brethren “despise authority”(2 Pet.2:10) and “speak great swelling words of emptiness”(2 Pet.2:18), alluring people through “licentiousness” and promises of liberty (2:18). Remember that these brethren are inside the church “carousing in their own deception while they feast with you”(2:13), “beguiling unstable souls”(2:14). Beware of people inside the congregation “secretly bringing in destructive heresies”(2:1). Of these John said:
1 John 2:19 (NKJV)- They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.
The false teacher is trying to do as much damage as he can before he actually leaves. His heart is already gone from us before he can get his bodily presence out. He would prefer to change whole congregations to his way of thinking, but he knows he must be subtle in order to accomplish such a mission. The warnings against false teachers in the first century are written for our own learning and for our protection. Brethren need to be wise and beware!
Terry W. Benton
