“Truth is the best flower in the church’s crown. We do not have a richer jewel to trust God with than our souls, nor He a richer jewel to trust us with than His truths. Truth is a sign of honor; it distinguishes us from the false church as chastity distinguishes a virtuous woman from a harlot… Truth is the best militia of a kingdom; once we part with truth and espouse popery, the lock is cut where our strength lies. What then should we be violent for if not for truth?” Tomas Watson, Heaven Taken by Storm, [first published in 1669, quote from Northampton Press edition: Orlando, Fl], p.8-9 I often wonder deeply at the state of affairs of the church at large. The church, the bride of Christ, has sunk so low in an effort to win the world that the bayonets of truth have fallen with a loud noise in the trenches of compromise. Compromise is all around us. The culture pressures us into not “political correctness” but “truth correctness!” We (the church) devise a new way of disguising truth in a way that it is not offensive to the masses of “false brethren” in the church. In an effort to retain the superficial followers, we mask the truth in pop-psychology, and many other forms of pseudo-truths. Of course these are no truths at all! A half-truth certainly sounds, smells, and looks like truth, but when placed under the microscope of God’s Word, the amoeba-like half-truths scurry to hide away from the light. Beloved, truth is the marquise of the church! It should reign supreme! It should decorate the halls of our hearts. It should never be shoved into a corner where no one can see. As our dear Puritan writer, Thomas Watson said above, “truth is the best flower in the church’s crown.” Without truth the church cannot survive long. It must strengthen itself in it, and it must go to battle with it. Paul tells us that the church is “the pillar and support of the truth” (1 Tim 3:15). John tells us that truth “abides in us and will be with us forever” (2 John 2). John was also very delighted to see his disciples “walking in the truth” (2 John 4, 3 John 4). Jesus tells us that the Word is truth, and it sanctifies us (John 17:17). In John 1:14 it tells us that Jesus incarnate was full of grace and truth.  One of Jesus’ peculiar messianic purposes was to testify to the truth (John 18:37). And, in the same verse, Jesus declares that “everyone who is of the truth hears my voice” (John 18:37). Therefore, the question that lies before the church is, are we “of the truth” and are “we hearing His voice”? The right answer must be before us if we are to be distinguished from the false church. Are we willing to pick up once again the bayonets of truth and thrust them deep into the gut of the enemy? Are we willing to die for truth? Are we willing to sacrifice image and décor for the sake of truth? Charge! Charge! Ahead is the battle for truth! Beloved, are you “of the truth”?   

Pastor Jim Cater