Seeking and Knowing the Truth

The voice of Jesus is truth, Heb. 1:2; Jno. 8:31-32; 13:20 Jesus was rejected for speaking truth, Jno. 8:45-47; 15:20 (Gal. 4:16) “You shall know the truth”, Jno. 8:32 2

Seeking, Finding and Applying Truth “On the other hand, the clashes on divorce and remarriage and fellowship illustrated the continued dissonance between the underlying themes in restoration thought. Some of the early critics of institutionalism had been driven largely by a propositional understanding of the concept of restoration that, rooted firmly in a Baconian, common-sense hermeneutic, tended toward a sectarian view of the church. 3

“Others were motivated by a more general commitment to the principle of restoration, remaining open to change and acknowledging the ongoing nature of the search for the ancient order. The divorce and remarriage debate highlighted once again a tension between these fundamental motifs in restoration thought. Every person in noninstitutional churches of Christ was a distinctive personal mix of both concepts, but Seeking, Finding and Applying Truth 4

“some defined their religious identity more narrowly and propositionally, while others had a higher tolerance for dissent and uncertainty.” (emphasis, mine) -David Edwin Harrell, Jr. The Churches of Christ in the 20 th Century, 361 Seeking, Finding and Applying Truth 5

Unity: In Truth or in Seeking Truth? “Biblical unity is not a goal achieved and placed on our trophy shelf, but is an open-ended way of life.... It cannot be bottled and capped by any human level of understanding but must remain a challenging mountain upon which all truth-seekers climb. We have the Biblical unity available to fallible creatures, in the process of seeking it.” (emphasis, mine) -Robert Turner, “Unity,” Focus Magazine, Jan. 1998, pp , emp. his, cited by Harrell op cit.,

Restoration of NT Christianity: Dynamic? “The restoration of New Testament Christianity will always be a goal to be sought and never an accomplishment to be applauded and defended.” -Rubel Shelly, “A Passion for Nonsectarian Faith,” Wineskins, January/February 1993, pp. 4-6 cited by Harrell, op cit., 216 7

…always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2 Tim. 3:7) But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them… (2 Tim. 3:14) 8

These were more fair- minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men. 9

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T HE S OURCE OF T RUTH 11

God is the Source of Truth Revealed in Jesus, Heb. 1:1-2; Jno. 1:14, 17 – Truth expressed by word of Jesus, Jno. 8:26-28 – His word contains eternal life, Jno. 12:49-50 Question: Can we seek, find and know the truth of God, or do we achieve unity and restore the ancient order by the process of searching for the truth? 12

Jesus is the Revelation and Embodiment of Truth Jesus is the full scope and perfect expression of truth, Jno. 14:6 We learn Christ by hearing and being taught His word of truth, Eph. 4:20-21 Question: Can we seek, find and know Christ in truth, and be united in His truth? Or, is our unity determined and defined by the process of searching for the truth of Christ? 13

T HE M ISSION OF T RUTH 14

To Save Sinners Draws sinners to Jesus, Jno. 6:44-47 – Taught by God: Hear and learn -- Come to Christ – By the gospel, Jno. 8:26; Mk. 16:15; 2 Ths. 2:14; Rom. 1:16; 10:17 Question: Is eternal life found in the learning process itself, or in the faithful life that learning produces (coupled with faith)? Jno. 8:31-32; Jas. 1:21, 23, 25 15

To Make Disciples Word of Christ makes a disciple when one decides to learn and follow His truth, Luke 6:40 – If His word abides in us, then we abide in the Father and the Son, Jno. 15:7-8; 1 Jno. 2:14, 24; 3:24 – Question: Is genuine discipleship (being like our Master) attainable? May we learn and live the Master’s teachings with the confidence that we are in Him? Or, is our confidence measured and attained only to the degree that we are seeking to be a disciple? 1 Jno. 2:3-6 16

Fully able to know the truth and be freed from sin, Jno. 8:32 – Sanctified by truth, Jno. 17:17 – God’s judgment is according to truth, Rom. 2:2 (Jno. 8:26) It is in knowing and obeying truth – not merely the search for truth – that salvation and Biblical unity is found, Jno. 17: 20-21; Eph. 4:13 Demands that we seek truth, find it and obey it, Acts 17: