We Must Believe the Truth, That Is, the Word of Jesus

 

“Unrighteousness” means that which is contrary to righteousness, morality, and justice; in other words, it refers to that which is not the truth. Then what is “truth”?

 

Truth is “that which is true,” and Jesus said, “Thy word is truth.”

 

John 17:17 “Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth.”

 

This word of the Father, which is truth, was in the beginning; this Word was God; and all things were created through this Word.

 

John 1:1-3 “1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2The same was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made.”

 

And this Word became flesh and came to this earth. That One is “Jesus.”

 

John 1:14-15 “14And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth. 15John beareth witness of him, and crieth, saying, This was he of whom I said, He that cometh after me is become before me: for he was before me.”

 

John 1:29-30 “29On the morrow he seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world! 30This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man who is become before me: for he was before me.”

 

Jesus also said of Himself, “I am the truth.”

 

John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

 

Therefore, the word in 2 Thessalonians 2:12 above means that if a person does not believe in Jesus, who is the Truth, but instead loves unrighteousness—that is, things that are not the word of Jesus—then that person will ultimately be judged. Therefore, if a person is to escape the judgment of God, he must believe the word of Jesus.

 

John 3:18 “He that believeth on him is not judged: he that believeth not hath been judged already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

 

Romans 8:1-2 “1There is therefore now no condemnation(judgment) to them that are in Christ Jesus. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.”

 

As I have already mentioned in another writing, sadly, attending church and believing in Jesus can be two different things. This is because a person can attend church faithfully without believing the word of Jesus, and can also work diligently in church activities. Even leaders such as pastors may not believe the word of Jesus. It is good if everything is done by faith, but we must know that what is done without faith is in fact meaningless, and may even become sin.

 

Isaiah 1:11-12 “11What unto me is the multitude of your sacrifices? saith Jehovah: I have had enough of the burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goats. 12When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to trample my courts?”

 

Malachi 1:6 “A son honoreth his father, and a servant his master: if then I am a father, where is mine honor? and if I am a master, where is my fear? saith Jehovah of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?”

 

Romans 14:23 “But he that doubteth is condemned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith; and whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”

 

As this passage says, since whatever is not of faith becomes sin, believing and following the word of Jesus is more important than attending church, serving in church activities, holding a position in church, or obeying the words of pastors or other leaders.

 

Romans 4:18-24 “18Who in hope believed against hope... 20yet, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God, 21and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22Wherefore also it was reckoned unto him for righteousness. 23Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was reckoned unto him; 24but for our sake also, unto whom it shall be reckoned, who believe on him that raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.”

 

Thus, just as Abraham, the father of our faith, believed the promise of God and was reckoned righteous before God, we today also can be reckoned righteous before God by believing the word of Jesus. Therefore, we must no longer love unrighteousness, but love the truth and rejoice with the truth, so that we may escape the judgment of God that will come in the last days.

 

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 “4Love... 6rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth; 7beareth all things, believeth all things...”

 

Acts 17:30-31 “30The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now he commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent: 31inasmuch as he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.”

 

Amen.