Tag Archives: truth

A French View of Scripture

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I’m not very familiar with the French Confession of Faith, and I suspect I’m not alone.  Nonetheless, it apparently has some real gems within it.  For example:

We believe that the Word contained in these books [viz., the Bible] has proceeded from God, and receives its authority from Him alone, and not from men. And inasmuch as it is the rule of all truth, containing all that is necessary for the service of God and for our salvation, it is not lawful for men, nor even for angels, to add to it, to take away from it, or to change it. Whence it follows that no authority, whether of antiquity, or custom, or numbers, or human wisdom, or judgments, or proclamations, or edicts, or decrees, or councils, or visions, or miracles, should be opposed to these Holy Scriptures, but on the contrary, all things should be examined, regulated, and reformed according to them.”

… The French Confession of Faith, article V. [1559]

This was quoted in The Christian Quotation of the Day, which I invite you to check out for yourself.

Grace Full, Truth Full, Joy Full

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The glory of God is revealed to us in Jesus.  How can we describe it?  John was one of those who beheld it, and he put it like this:

And the Word became 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 1:14 (NKJV)

He is full of grace and truth.  This is how Charles Spurgeon summed it up: “Jesus is to me all grace and no wrath, all truth and no falsehood: and of truth and grace he is full, infinitely full.” There is so much grace and truth within Him, it’s as if grace and truth were never seen on earth before Jesus showed up.

For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” – John 1:17 (NKJV)

The blessing is multiplied when we realize that He has shared this fullness with us, His followers.

And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.” – John 1:16 (NKJV)

This is no dry, distant fact.  It’s something tangible and to be experienced.  Having received from Him, it is now our great privilege and pleasure to enjoy all that we have in the way of fellowship with God and one another.

That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.” – 1 John 1:3-4 (NKJV)

True Worshipers

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It’s far less important where we worship than that we worship – and it’s also important how.  A Samaritan woman once brought up to Jesus the issue of location.  Christ responded as follows, de-emphasizing place altogether:

Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father … But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth‘” – John 4:21, 23-24 (NKJV)

The fact that worship may be valid in all places at all times does not automatically mean that we can worship in any old way we want.  God gives us two prerequisites:

  1. The first is worship in spirit:  This excludes all worship in the flesh.  Every church musician knows what it’s like to focus more on his music than on his Maker, more on the sound than on the Savior.  Examples like these touching all of us could be multiplied.  It’s really rather easy to focus on the creature more than the Creator during praise, but this we should never do.
  2. There’s also worship in truth:  This implies that there is such a thing as false worship – worship that is fake, make-believe, hypocritical.  And since Jesus is “truth personified” (John 14:6), true worship also excludes all worship that excludes Him. 

Worship the Lord often today, wherever and whenever you can.  And may the Father find a true worshiper when He looks at you.