Searching For Truth
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks received, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8)
Jesus promises that if we sincerely look for truth, He will provide it. Jesus is the source of truth (John 1:17; 14:6), but He requires that we make the effort to find it. We have to ask, seek, and knock.
"...for He who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6).
Searching isn't always easy since many religious groups claim to speak truth but teach different doctrines.
Jesus cannot be happy with the existence of all these denominations. He prayed that all believers "may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me, and the glory which You gave Me I have given to them, that they may be one just as We are one." (John 17:21-22).
In that prayer Jesus identified the only thing that could unite believers: the truth. "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth." (John 17:17).
Praying for the apostles, Jesus said, "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they may be one..." (John 17:20-21)
Jesus is clear: the truth is found in God's word. Only by reading the Bible will we find it (2 Timothy 3:13-17; 1 Peter 1:22-25). Unity among believers comes from believing and obeying the same truth. Substituting our own traditions and beliefs in place of God's word brings division (1 Corinthians 1:10-13) and condemnation (Matthew 15:1-20; Galatians 1:6-10).
Truth doesn't originate from man-made religious organizations. The only person who has authority to tell us what to believe and do is Jesus Christ. He said to His apostles, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you..." (Matthew 28:18-20).
“Jesus is clear: the truth is found in God's word.'”
Since Jesus has all authority in matters of religion, we have none. He has the right to command and make laws; we do not. We must simply submit and humbly follow Him every step of the way (Matthew 7:21; Galatians 3:20).
Jesus wants His word taught to everyone in the world. Why? Only His truth can save us from sin. He has the words of eternal life (John 6:68; 1 John 5:11-13).
"For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:3-4).
What has He told us to do?
(1) Believe in Jesus as the Son of God.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16).
(2) Confess our faith in Him.
"For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:10). See also Acts 8:36-37.
(3) Repent of our sins.
"I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish." (Luke 13:3,5). See also Acts 2:38; 17:30-31.
(4) Be baptized in water to wash away our sins.
"Repent, and let everyone of of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins..." (Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (NKJV)">Acts 2:38). See also Matthew 28:19; Acts 22:16; Romans 6:3-7.
Then we are simply Christians (Acts 11:26), added by the Lord to His church (Acts 2:47), to live in righteousness and hope (1 Peter 1:13-21).
Let's embrace the truth Jesus provides for us in His word and obey Him. Eternal life awaits us.
Article Navigation:
Answering The Atheist
The Atheist's Complaint:
How long did Jotham reign? 2 Kings 15:30 says at least 20 years, but 2 Kings 15:32-33 says 16 years. Is there a contradiction?
Response:
Jotham reigned 16 years. That is what 2 Kings 15:32-33 and also 2 Chronicles 27:1 reveals. But what are we to make of the statement in 2 Kings 15:30, where the writer says that Hoshea killed Pekah and "...reigned in his place in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah"? There was no twentieth year in Jotham's reign.
Though the writer speaks of the "twentieth year of Jotham" (15:30), he knew that Jotham's reign was only sixteen years long (15:32-33). The writer is faced with the challenge of giving a record of both the kings in Judah and Israel, and yet maintaining a reasonable flow and chronology. 2 Kings 15 begins with the reign of Azariah, king of Judah, and then makes mention of his son, Jotham (v 7). Then, he turns his attention to the kings of Israel, Zechariah (v 8), Shallum (v 10, 13), Menahem (v 14, 17), Pekahiah (v 22-23), Pekah (v 25, 27), and then Hoshea (v 30).
After giving this long run of Israel kings, the writer now turns his attention back to Judah. Hoshea became king in Israel during the time of Ahaz in Judah, but the writer has yet to tell of the reign of Ahaz' father, Jotham. Rather than introduce Ahaz at this point, he picks up with Jotham, whom he'd already mentioned.
The writer did not identify Hoshea's reign as beginning in the twentieth year of Jotham's reign, but in the twentieth year of Jotham. The sense is that it was twenty years after Jotham's reign began. It is not an inference that he was still reigning, but simply a stamp of time, to give the appropriate year for the beginning of Hoshea's reign.
There is no contradiction.
This article is in response to Skeptic's Annotated Bible.