Would you turn with me to 1 Timothy
chapter 4? I've entitled this evening's
message, Believing and Knowing the Truth. Believing and Knowing
the Truth. I'd like to read the first five
verses of 1 Timothy chapter 4. Now, the Spirit speaketh expressly
that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith,
giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, speaking
lies in hypocrisy having their conscience seared with a hot
iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats
which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of
them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of
God is good, and nothing to be refused if it be received with
thanksgiving, for it is sanctified. by the Word of God and prayer. Verse 1, Now the Spirit speaketh
expressly. Now that ought to get our attention. The Spirit Himself speaketh expressly
in very clear terms. And that ought to cause us to
listen carefully, that in the latter times, some should depart
from the faith. Now, the latter times. from the time of the ascension
of our Lord Jesus Christ into the time of his second advent
when he returns are called the last days. We read about that
in Hebrews chapter 1-3, that verse I just read. God hath in
these last days spoken to us by his Son. But I believe that
Paul is referring to the last of the last days, the time shortly
before the return of Christ. At that time, according to the
scriptures, things will be bad. The Lord said, when the Son of
Man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? That's a scripture
that has always just hit me. When he returns, will he even
find any true, real, vital, living faith in himself upon the earth? Now, God's people have always
been a remnant on the earth, but the end times will be the
worst of times. Look in 2 Thessalonians chapter
2. Now we beseech you, brethren,
by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering
together unto Him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be
troubled neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letters from
us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive
you by any means for that day, the day of Christ, when he returns,
shall not come, except there come a falling away first. And that man of sin be revealed,
the son of perdition. Look in 2 Timothy chapter 3. This know also that in the last
days, and he's talking about the last of the last days, perilous
times shall come. And the people he's getting ready
to describe are people who profess to know God. Look in verse 5,
it says that these people have a form of godliness, but they
deny the power thereof. Now these men shall be, in verse
2, lovers of their own selves. Covetous, boasters, proud. blasphemers, disobedient to parents,
unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false
accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than
lovers of God, having a form of godliness, having a form of
our religion, but denying the power thereof from such turn
away, for of this order they would creep into houses and leave
captive silly women laden with sins, led away with diverse lusts,
ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the
truth." Now he's talking about preachers when he's describing
these people of the last days. Now Paul tells us in our text
that during that time some shall depart. from the faith. Now these are not people who
just quit being religious. They were Arminians and all of
a sudden they quit being religious. These are people who profess
to believe the gospel of God's grace. They believe sovereign
grace. And the last days, these people
will depart from the faith. Now Paul called the gospel in
Titus 1-1, the faith of God's elect, the acknowledging of the
truth. which is after godliness. Now there will be people who
profess to believe and love the truth that will depart and apostatize
from the faith. And that's scary. I know that
the Bible teaches the eternal security of God's elect. We know
that. The Lord said, My sheep shall
never perish. All of God's elect, all of God's
sheep, all for whom Christ died, are eternally secure. And the Bible also warns us about
falling away. In Hebrews chapter 3, verse 12,
the writer to the Hebrews said, Take heed, brethren. He's talking to believers. Take
heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of
unbelief in departing from the living God. but exhort one another
daily while it's called today, lest any of you be hardened through
the deceitfulness of sin." Now when the Lord said to his disciples,
one of you shall betray me, what was their response? Every one of them said, Lord,
is it I? Am I the one that's going to
do it? Now here's how this will happen
in our text in 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 1. Now the Spirit speaketh
expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from
the faith. And here's what they'll do, they'll
give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. Now that's very strong language
regarding these people giving heed to these seducing spirits,
false prophets, preachers is who this is talking about. Preachers.
Seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. Now, the false prophet
is a deceiver who seeks to deceive. and to seduce. Does he know what
he's doing? I don't believe so. I believe
that he really thinks that he's serving God. But he is a seducer
and he has two ways of seducing. By what he says or by what he
doesn't say. Look in Romans chapter 16 for
a moment. Romans chapter 16. By what he says. That which is
contrary to the gospel. Verse 17, Now I beseech you,
brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary
to the doctrine which you've learned. Mark them and avoid
them. For they that are such serve
not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly and by good words. Scriptural words. Words like
faith. Words like grace. Words like
blood. Words like election. Good words. Scripture words. By good words
and fair speeches. That means plausible arguments.
Things that seem to make sense. They deceive the hearts of the
sinful. Mark them and avoid them. And turn to 1 John chapter 4.
By what they do not say. 1 John chapter 4. Beloved, believe not every spirit,
but try, test the spirits, whether they are of God. And I beseech
you to test me. Test me. Don't listen to me just
because I say it. Test me according to the Word
of God. Because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
Hereby know ye the Spirit of God, every spirit that confesseth. This is a public declaration
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God. Now this
is a public confession. Jesus Christ was before He came.
He came in the flesh, and He did what He came to do. That's
what every believer confesses. He was before He came. He's the
eternal Son of God. He came in the flesh, and He
did what He came to do. He came to save His people from
their sins, and He did it. Now, every true prophet will
confess that, and verse 3, every spirit that confesseth not, that
Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. This is
that spirit of Antichrist which you've heard that it should come
and even now already it's in the world. He's identified by
what he does not confess. Not by what he says, but by what
he doesn't say. And he's warning us about giving
heed to these seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. And anything that's contrary
to the doctrine of Christ is the doctrine of devils. It starts
by simply taking heed. By listening. Now the Lord said,
take heed what you hear. Take heed what you hear. And
he also said, take heed how you hear. Take heed of your attitude
in hearing. Now, what do these fellows do?
Turn back to our text in 1 Timothy chapter 4. He says in verse 2, speaking
lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot
iron. They speak lies in hypocrisy.
Now, the Scripture that I obviously thought of was there in 1 John
1 verse 6 where John said, if a man say, if we say we have
fellowship with God, I pray, I have fellowship with God. I
speak to Him, He speaks to me. I walk with Him, He walks with
me. I'm a servant of God. I'm seeking
His glory. I'm seeking to serve Him. I'm
a Christian. I believe on Christ. If we say
we have fellowship, communion with Him, I'm His servant. I
know Him and He knows me. If we say we have fellowship
with God and walk in darkness, The darkness of salvation by
works. Anything contrary to the gospel
of God's grace. John says, we lie. We lie. And we do not the truth. Speaking hypocrisy with a seared
conscience. Their conscience has been seared
with a hard iron so they really do not see the wickedness of
their doctrine or their actions. They think they're good. Speaking
lies and hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hard
iron. And here's what they do. forbidding to marry and commanding
to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with
thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. Now they
always make up laws and rules. They forbid to marry. God will
be more pleased with you if you live the life of a celibate.
God will be more pleased with that. If you devote yourself
to God and never get married, God will be more pleased with
you. What are the two things that people in the flesh desire,
a relationship with somebody and good food. That's what people
desire. And what does the false prophet
say? Don't get married and abstain
from meat. Deny yourself these things. This
is what will be pleasing to God. They forbid to marry, you're
more pleasing to God in a life of celibacy, and you're more
pleasing to God by abstaining from these things. Now Paul calls
this the doctrine of devils. He calls it the doctrine of devils. Men by nature are inclined to
self-righteousness and fleshly worship and are adverse toward
true spiritual worship and dependence on Christ only. It's just not
their way. And Satan takes advantage of
this and through his ministers he gives men something to do
or to give up for salvation. And all that is, is salvation
by works. It's called the doctrine of devils.
Turn with me for a moment to Colossians chapter 2. Colossians chapter 2, beginning
in verse 4. And this I say, lest any man
should beguile you, deceive you with enticing words. For though I be absent in the
flesh, yet am I with you in the Spirit, joying and beholding
your order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. As you
therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him." How
did you receive Him? as an empty-handed sinner needing His mercy, having
nothing but Him, so walk ye in Him, rooted and built up in Him,
and established in the faith as you've been taught, abounding
therein with thanksgiving. Beware, lest any man spoil you
through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men,
after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." Look in
verse 18 of this same chapter. Let no man beguile you of your
reward in a voluntary humility. You don't need to time someone
volunteers to be humble to the proudest devil, aren't they?
A voluntary humility. Worshipping of angels, intruding
into those things which they've not seen, vainly puffed up by
his fleshly mind and not holding the head, from which all the
body, by joints and bands, have nourished but ministered knit
together, increaseth with the increase of God. Wherefore, if
ye be dead with Christ, from the rudiments, the elements,
the ways of this world, Why, as though living in the world,
are you subject to ordinances, man-made rules, touch not, taste
not, handle not, which all are to perish with the using. If
that's what my religion's about, I'm going to perish in that.
After the commandments and doctrines of men, which things indeed have
a show of wisdom in will-worship and humility and neglecting of
the body, but not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh.
Now this is man's religion. Touch not, taste not, and handle
not, and whoever practices that will perish with the using."
Now back to our text in 1 Timothy chapter 4. He said, these meats that they
command you to abstain from are the meats which, verse 3, which
God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which
believe and know. the truth. We're gonna come back
to that. For every creature of God is
good. Sin is not in things. Every creature of God is good,
and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving.
For it's sanctified, it's set apart by the Word of God. What
God has cleansed, don't call common. It's sanctified, it's
set apart by God, and it's to be received with thanksgiving.
It's sanctified by the Word of God and by prayer. Now back to this phrase, them
which believe and know the truth. Note the order, and this is very
important. Those that believe and know the
truth. Not everybody does. Those that
believe and know the truth. Now there's three words I want
us to consider. The truth, believing, and knowing. And you can't know
something until you believe it. And you will not believe. It's
only in believing that you know. And I hope we'll understand this.
This is a very important concept. Those that believe and know the
truth. Now first, the truth. The truth. Whenever I think of
the word the truth, I always think of Pilate's response to
when the Lord said in John chapter 18, I came to bear witness to
the truth. He said, what is truth? Now what I think is very interesting
when he made that statement, what is truth? He didn't stick
around for an answer. He wasn't really looking for
an answer when he said, what is truth? He said, truth. Is there such a thing? Is there such a thing as absolute
truth? Let's say there is. Can we know
it? Can we actually know the truth? Here's what I think he really
meant. Truth! You're willing to go through
this for the truth? Is it worth this? Is it worth dying for? Truth! What is truth? Is it worth
all of this? Well, the answer is yes. There
is such a thing as the truth. And yes, we can know the truth. The Lord said, you shall know
the truth, and the truth shall make you free. And yes, the truth
is worth dying for. What is truth? And in Von's Greek
Dictionary, he defines the truth as the reality lying at the basis
of an appearance. I like that definition. The reality
lying at the basis of an appearance. The essence of the matter. Christ said, I am the truth. He is the reality. He is the Alpha and the Omega. Whatever you see, Christ is in
control. Whatever you see, whatever you
hear, if you hear the truth, it spells Christ. He said, I'm
the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first
and the last. The Word was made flesh and dwelt
among us, and we beheld His glory. The glory as of the only begotten
of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1.17 says the
law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Now that tells me The truth has
something to do with the person of Christ, and the truth has
something to do with grace. The law was given by Moses, but
grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Now, these scriptures... Tell us that Christ Himself is
the truth. We read of the truth of the Gospel.
The Lord said in John 17, 17, Sanctify them through Thy truth.
Thy Word is truth. James 1.18 says, Of His own will
begat He us. through the Word of Truth. 2
Thessalonians 2.13 says, we're bound to thank God always for
you, brethren, the love of the Lord, because God has from the
beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the
Spirit and belief of the truth. You can't separate the sanctifying
work of the Spirit and the belief of the truth. 2 Thessalonians
2.10 warns us of those who receive not the love of the truth, and
for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they
should believe a lie. The Lord said in John 4.24, God
is spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit
and in truth. The faith of God's elect, the
acknowledging of the truth, which is after godliness. Now, the truth. Them that believe
and know the truth. I've said this many times. And that doesn't in any way take
away from the power of it. The cross is the truth. The cross of the Lord Jesus Christ
is the truth. It's the truth concerning who
men really are. Now here's the truth about me
and you. If God took the restraint away, and left us to ourselves
and let us do what we wanted to do, we would nail Him to a
cross. We'd put Him out of business.
We'd take over His job thinking we're the ones that ought to
be ruling. Now that's the truth regarding men. If left to themselves,
if left to their own will and their own ways, we would murder
God. Now that's the truth about me
and that's the truth about you. The cross tells the truth concerning
the true character of God Almighty. Everything that God is pleased
to make known about Himself is revealed in the cross. We see
every attribute of God revealed. And the cross tells the truth
regarding salvation. Christ Jesus is salvation. Now just think about the truth.
Abraham believed God. Here's what comes first. When
you hear the truth, you believe it. The truth recommends itself
as the truth. And if you're of the truth, you
recognize it. Now what do I mean by that? The
Lord said, I came to bear witness of the truth. And everyone that's
of the truth, heareth My voice. When you hear the truth, if you're
of the truth, you know it's the truth. It recommends itself as
the truth. It doesn't have to be proved
to you. You hear it and you know it. It's the truth. It's the
truth. You know it. Now here's a perfect
example of what I'm talking about. The Word of God, the Bible. The
Lord said, Thy Word is truth. The Bible is the infallible,
inspired Word of God. I'm so thankful for that. Now,
I believe that. I didn't come to believe it by
putting it to the test. And then I heard about all these
prophecies that were in fact fulfilled. And I believe these
miracles perhaps did take place. And I believe the Lord really
was raised from the dead because the evidence points to that fact.
Therefore, I conclude that the Bible must really be the Word
of God because the evidence points to that. No! That's not why I
believe the Bible is the Word of God. I believe the Bible is
the Word of God because of what it says. It's evidently God's
Word. Men couldn't come up with this.
Men couldn't write it. Men couldn't come up with the
Gospel. It's so altogether glorious. It's so altogether otherworldly.
It's the truth. I know it is. Now, I believe
it. and believing it, I know it. And I don't know it till I first
believe it. If I first have to try to weigh
the evidences to figure out whether or not I believe it or not, that's
not faith. When you hear the truth, if you're
of the truth, the Lord said, everyone that's of the truth,
heareth by voice. When you're of the truth, When
you hear the truth, you know it's the truth. And if you don't
hear it as the truth, it's because you're immersed in lies. That's
a scary proposition, isn't it? Here's the truth. God is God. He controls everything. Everything. He's the first cause
behind all things. He's God. Here's the truth. God chose who would be saved. That's just the truth. Christ
is the Son of God. That's the truth. You know it.
You believe it. You know it. And you know when
you know something. That's not just talking about a cognizance
of something or a correct, accurate data. When you know something,
you love what you know. The word here has more to do
with the relationship with the truth. It's not just, yeah, I
agree with that. I give assent to that. Yeah,
I believe that too. No. No. You believe, you know,
and you love. You can't believe something.
You can't know something without loving that which you believe
and that which you know. I believe that Christ is the
Son of God. I know He is and I love that
He is. I believe salvation is by grace. I know it is. I know it's all together by grace.
I know that from the Word of God. I know it from my experience.
I believe that I'm a sinner. I believe that because the Word
of God says it, and I know it. I know it. I know it from the
Word of God. I know it from my experience. And I love it, not
in the sense that I love sin. I hate sin, and I can't wait
to be rid of sin. But I love being a sinner in this sense.
Christ came to save sinners. And I love that. Don't you love
the fact that He came to save sinners? Oh, I rejoice in that. We believe. And we know. I think of these scriptures,
Colossians 3.11, Christ is all. No, I really believe that. I believe that
He's all that God is. In Him dwelleth all the fullness
of the Godhead bodily. I believe He's all to God. Oh,
He's so altogether lovely to God. I believe He's all in the
Scriptures. I know He is. I love that He
is. Colossians 2, 9 and 10 says,
In Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead in a body, and
you are complete in Him. You know, I believe that. I believe
all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Not only do I believe it, I know it so. He's God manifested in
the flesh. I said with Thomas, my Lord and
my God, and I love it. And I believe that we're complete
in Him. You know what that means? Plumb full, nothing lacking. All that God requires of me,
I have in the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm complete in Him. I believe
that. I really do. I believe it. I
believe that everything God requires of me right now, I've got. I'm
accepted in the Beloved. It can't get any better for me.
I can't get any more loved. I can't get any more accepted.
I can't get any more holy. I can't get any more justified.
I can't get any more sanctified. I'm complete in the Lord Jesus
Christ. I believe that. And I know it's
so. But not only do I know it, I
love it. Romans 10 verse 4 says, is the
end of the law for righteousness. I believe that. Do you? He's
the end of the law, the purpose, the goal of the law for righteousness.
Christ Himself. I really believe that His righteousness
is my personal righteousness before God. I really believe
that. I believe that when God sees me, He sees the righteousness
of His dear Son. He doesn't see me as if I was
in Christ. He sees me in Christ. He doesn't see me as if I was
righteous. He sees me altogether righteous in the Lord Jesus Christ.
I believe that. That's what the Bible says. I
know it. Now, I don't know it until I
first believe. You see, faith, faith, faith
is the evidence of things not seen. And when you believe, you
know. And when you know, you love. Now, in the context, turn back
to 1 Timothy chapter 3, verse 15. believing and knowing the truth.
But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest
to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of
the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." That's
what the church is. That's what we are. The pillar
and the ground of the truth. Well, here's what that truth
that the church is the pillar and the ground of, verse 16,
and without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. Well, I love the way the truth
is mysterious. It's a great mystery. Something
that could not be known, couldn't even be imagined, unless God
was pleased to make it. Oh, the mystery of godliness. Oh, great is this mystery of
godliness. And here's the first thing He
mentions. God was manifest in the flesh. I believe that. I believe the
eternal God was manifest in the flesh. I believe He was before
He was in the flesh. He's the eternal God. He came
in the flesh and He did what He came to do. I believe that.
And not only do I believe it, I know it. I know there's a man
in glory right now in the flesh, Jesus Christ who is God, seated
at the right hand of the Father, representing me. Now, you don't
know that until you believe it. When you believe it, You know. And when you know it, you love
it. God was manifest in the flesh
and next He said He was justified in the Spirit. Now, the Lord
came for this purpose. He came to justify His people. He was enabled to do so by the
Spirit of God. He had the Spirit without measure.
He completely depended upon God the Holy Spirit, the third person
of the Blessed Trinity, and in the flesh He perfectly kept God's
law. He was justified in the Spirit.
I believe that He is my justification before God. I believe that. I
believe He was justified in the Spirit. I know it. And I love
it. Next it says, He was seen of
angels. I love thinking about that. Seen
of angels. That's just sweet to think about
that. Angels, all the stuff that's going on that men are excited
about, impressed with, angels aren't interested in. But I'll
tell you one thing they were interested in. They were interested when
God became flesh. What is going on here? What is
He doing? They were interested as they
saw Him walk through this life without breaking the law once. Perfectly righteous in God's
sight. Oh, how they were interested! ready to smile, ready to obey
God if He called them to, when our Lord was being crucified.
Why is this happening? I don't think they understood
at this time, but oh, they were interested. How interested they
were, angels hovering around the grave while He's dead, and
when He's raised from the dead. He was seen of angels. I believe
that, and I know it, and I love it. And then it says, In verse
16, that he was preached unto the Gentiles. This is part of
the great mystery of godliness. He was preached to the Gentiles.
Now, I think it's almost numerous, I guess it's because we're Americans,
we think we got everything coming to us. Sure, he's preached to
us. Gentiles, but this ought to be,
oh, every one of us should be so amazed that the Gospel is
preached to us. Gentile dogs, people who don't
deserve to hear the glories of the Gospel, yet what an act of
grace that He's preached to the Gentiles. And then it says next,
He was believed on in the world. No, I'm amazed by the fact that
I believe what I believe. I believe the Bible is the Word
of God. I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I believe
that He actually put away my sin. I believe that even right
now, He's seated at the right hand of the Father, ruling and
reigning, controlling everybody and everything, and everyone
is in His hands. I believe that. I believe He's
returning again. I believe that when I stand before
God in judgment, He'll answer for me and I'll be accepted.
I believe it. I know it. Then to believe and
know the truth. And received up into glory. He was received up into the glory. I believe that. God accepted
what He did. He ascended back to glory. We believe that and
we know it and we love it. Now do you see that this is an
important distinction? It's not you know something,
you get figured out and you prove it to someone and then you believe
it. No. When you hear the truth, you know it's the truth and believe
it. And in believing, you know it. And those who know, love the
truth. Now this is who I want to be.
I want to be one of these people. What a description. This is the
description I want to be of me. Someone who believes. and someone
who knows the truth. And I love to think of this.
Our Lord said, you shall know the truth and the truth shall
make you free. It's not your knowledge of the
truth that makes you free. Now, I know the truth, but you
know, I got a million other things about me that militates against
that. It's not my knowledge of the truth that makes me free.
It's the truth himself, the Lord Jesus Christ, who makes me free. Let's pray together.