All That Is True

8 From now on, brothers and sisters, if anything is excellent and if anything is admirable, focus your thoughts on these things: all that is true, all that is holy, all that is just, all that is pure, all that is lovely, and all that is worthy of praise. 9 Practice these things: whatever you learned, received, heard, or saw in us. The God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4, CEB)

This is a beautiful passage. 

However, how do we know? Where do we turn for what is true? The world we live in seems to define truth in so many ways. Truth seems to depend on where you get your news from, or who makes up your circle of friends. I’m sure I’m not the only one who sees Christians look at the events of the day and come away with entirely different understandings.

Jesus shares these words with His disciples, words that I find relevant for today.

“Don’t be troubled. Trust in God. Trust also in me. 2 My Father’s house has room to spare. If that weren’t the case, would I have told you that I’m going to prepare a place for you? 3 When I go to prepare a place for you, I will return and take you to be with me so that where I am you will be too. 4 You know the way to the place I’m going.” (John 14, CEB)

We may even be a little like Thomas, “How Jesus? How are we to know?”

5 Thomas asked, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going. How can we know the way?”

6 Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you have really known me, you will also know the Father. From now on you know him and have seen him.” (John 14, CEB)

Jesus really does provide the way for us to know, to know Him and to be reconciled with the Father. He even promises to send the Holy Spirit.

15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 I will ask the Father, and he will send another Companion, who will be with you forever. 17 This Companion is the Spirit of Truth, whom the world can’t receive because it neither sees him nor recognizes him. You know him, because he lives with you and will be with you. (John 14, CEB)

Through His work we are changed. The fruit of this change is to be evidenced in how we live.  

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against things like this. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the self with its passions and its desires.

25 If we live by the Spirit, let’s follow the Spirit. 26 Let’s not become arrogant, make each other angry, or be jealous of each other. (Galatians 5, CEB)

Our lives, and the lives of the people we see at work, on social media, and in the news gives evidence of what they believe.  

How do we discern the truth? We look at the fruit.

Blessings,

Pastor Matt