Triangular Facets of the Christian Life: Truth

As Christians we have the highest regard for Scripture. This was handed to us from the biblical writers themselves (all Scripture is inspired of God), was reestablished by the voices of the Reformation (sola scriptura) and continues to find lodging among many Christians in contemporary society.

Through the truths of Scripture we come to really know God. We learn of His infinity, love and holiness, the fellowship of the Trinity, the origin of evil and the sin-laced fall of mankind. We explore mind boggling concepts like redemption, substitution and eternal life; adoption, reconciliation and indwelling. A cross, a burial and a resurrection give us lessons to ponder and unlimited ramifications to consider. These doctrines are marvelous. They not only inform but excite our minds at their greatness.

It’s only natural then that we would become students of God’s Word…reading, studying, examining. And that we would value the teachers, apologists and theologians among us who help expand our understanding. They unearth minute details, amplify the Greek, unravel perplexing questions, answer skeptical objections, cast light on cultural meanings and explain difficult passages.

Our challenge is to not reduce such great truth to academic information, debating points, trivia facts and a list of proof texts. When that happens we easily overlook the One to whom it is all pointing in the first place. Biblical knowledge is an invitation into the Truth. It is not life…it is what leads us to Life.

Worship and community move knowledge into the realm of the personal. Worship provides an avenue to move from facts into a response to God. Theology is explosive material that does its best work when it brings us into intimate personal worship. Community provides the atmosphere for personal interaction with others. It is the place where truths are lived out.

What an advantage for us to have God’s revelation in our hands. In it we have a much needed foundation and a lens. It grounds us in eternal reality, and it provides us with a way to see things as they really are.