what is truth?

Years ago I wondered whether it were possible to formulate a meaningful definition of the word "truth" -- apart from any reference to God.  I found that to be a far more difficult task than I could have imagined.  After three days of thinking about nothing else but to resolve that difficult question, I arrived in my mind at a definition of truth, which definition I still believe it to be valid and therefore useful.  Here, then, is my "secular" definition of truth:

ignorance

The above image conveys three exceedingly important ideas, namely:

1. IGNORANCE -- is a fact of life.  What does God have to say about that?
2. Do we have a "right" to remain ignorant?
3. Ignorance is not always due to lack of opportunity to learn but, oftentimes, it is the result of willful choice.

NEEDED: Revival of Biblical preaching

The above quote is from one of the most famous sermons in history, titled, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," by Jonathan Edwards.  God powerfully used Edwards to bring Revival to America in the mid- to late-17oos.  But the words of Edwards's sermon doubtless seem harsh and even un-Scriptural, to most modern-day church-goers and even to most professing Christians.

forgiveness

A young man recently sat for about an hour amongst a group of people who had gathered in a church for Bible study--before he then pulled out a gun and murdered nine of those peaceful souls.

The very next day family members of the slain came forward, one by one, and publicly "forgave" the murderer. Funny thing is, the gunman didn't ask anyone to forgive him.  He did allow, though, that they all seemed like "really nice people".

remodel, replace - or remove? (part III)

Notice, in the above image, the first step down from the topmost level.  The first step downward away from true -- that is to say, Biblical Christianity, begins with abandonment of faith in the infallible (without error) character of the Bible itself.  Tragically, the vast majority of professing Christians, today, believe not only that the Bible does contain errors but, furthermore, that the Bible MUST contain error.  That statement is very easily proved, by reason of the ongoing proliferation and pervasive use of multifarious so-called Bible "versions" -- no two of which, versions, agree with each other.  How can they all be the pure Word of God?  For, it is demonstrably true that they do not all "say the same thing" (as many naively and wrongly claim).  Deuteronomy 32:4 says, of God:

"He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he".

If there exists (and there does exist) a pure and true record of Scripture, then the Church does not need any other text; most certainly the true Church does not need any fabricated imitation of God's Word.  Faith in the infallibility (without error) of the true Word of God is the bedrock of genuine Christianity.  Conversely, belief in the fallibility (with errors) of the Bible is the bedrock of the modern Apostasy.

joy cometh - in the 'morning'

"...the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;

a day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds

and of thick darkness,

as the morning spread upon the mountains:

a great people

and a strong;

there hath not been ever the like,

neither shall be any more after it,

even to the years of many generations.

A fire devoureth before them;

and behind them

a flame burneth...."

The above passage is from Joel chapter 2, verses 1a thru 3a (without any omissions).  I stylized the text in the fashion shown, in order to make the reading - and thus the meaning - of the passage clear.  It is best thought of as though there were two different voices: one speaking the words in the left-justified margin, and the other speaking the words which are right-justified (and less visible).  An analysis follows: