Have you ever asked someone for advice about a specific situation only to receive the cliché response: “Just pray and the Lord will give you a “peace” about what you should do.” Is that really a Biblical response? How does that fit in with Romans 12:2 which says that we are supposed to have our “minds” engaged in what we are doing? In this sermon, Pastor Voddie exposits this text and gives the church the implications behind this line of reasoning.
Observe: “Ye shall know the truth”-not a truth; but the truth; the saving, purifying, glorifying truth. Keep on believing, and Jesus will teach you that great truth which is above all other truth-essential, quickening, cleansing, divine. You shall know the truth. You may be charged dogmatism, but you will not flinch from the assurance that you know the truth. You no longer guess at truth, nor hit on a sliding scale of probabilities; but you know it assuredly. You will grow familiar with it; truth will be to you a well-known friend. You will discriminate so as to know the truth when you see it, and detect it at once from the deceptive falsehood. You will know the truth, and you will not be led away by the flattering voice of error. You will have the touchstone with you, and will not be deceived by base metals. You will so know the truth as to be influenced by it, actuated by it, filled by it, strengthened by it, comforted by it, and by its power you will yourself be made true. Surely this is a good reason for abiding Christ’s Words! ~ C.H. Spurgeon
Error is like leaven of which we read, “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump” (Galatians 5:9). Truth mixed with error is equivalent to all error, except that it is more innocent looking and, therefore, more dangerous. God hates such a mixture! Any error, or any truth-and-error mixture, calls for definite exposure and repudiation. To condone such is to be unfaithful to God and His Word and treacherous to imperiled souls for whom Christ died. (source)
Of what nature, then, was the observation which Paul reproves? It was that which would bind the conscience, by religious considerations, as if it were necessary to the worship of God, and which, as he expresses it in the Epistle to the Romans, would make a distinction between one day and another. (Romans 14:5.)
Let not the church suffer dishonor at any time; but may her garments be always white. Let not such as come in among her, that are not of her, utterly despoil her. Oh Christ, as you groaned concerning Judas, so may your children cry to you concerning any that have fallen aside into crooked ways, lest the cause of Christ in the earth should be dishonored.
Oh God, we beseech you, cover with your feathers all the people of Christ; and keep your church, even until he shall come who, having loved his own that were in the world, loved them even to the end.
We do feel that we have so much superficial religion, so much profession without true possession to back it up. Oh, Lord, may our churches be built with precious stones, and not with wood, hay, and stubble.
May we ourselves so know the gospel that no one can beat us out of it; may we so hold it, that our faces shall be like flints against the errors of the age; so practice it, that our lives shall be an argument that none can answer, for the power of the gospel of Jesus.
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