April 12

Surely you heard of Him and were taught in Him—in keeping with the truth that is in Jesus— — Eph 4:21 BSB

Without truth, there is no regeneration, for it is by “the word of truth” that we are begotten and born again (James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23). Without truth, there is no justification, for we are justified by faith, and faith rests on believing God’s truth, which brings peace with God. Without truth, there is no sanctification, for the Lord Himself says, “Sanctify them through your truth—your word is truth.” And without truth, there is no salvation, for “God has chosen us to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.”

As the truth is the instrumental cause of all these blessings, the divinely appointed means by which they are manifested to us, so truth is involved in all the graces of the Spirit as they are exercised in the believer. Without truth, there is no faith, for faith’s work is to believe the truth. The difference between faith and delusion is that faith believes God’s truth, while delusion believes Satan’s lies. “For this reason, God will send them a powerful delusion so that they will believe a lie and be condemned—those who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.”

Without truth, there is no hope, for hope is anchored in the truth. “By two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we have strong consolation, those who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us; this hope is an anchor for the soul, firm and secure, and it enters the inner sanctuary behind the veil.” These two immutable things are God’s word and God’s truth—His unbreakable faithfulness. This is why David said, “I have hoped in your word.” Hezekiah also said, “Those who go down to the pit cannot hope for your truth.” No, “the living, the living praise you,” as do those who find comfort and hope through the truth of the Scriptures.

Without truth, there is no love, for it is through “the love of the truth” that the saved are distinguished from the lost. “They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.” Only when we speak “the truth in love” do we grow into Christ, who is the head. “The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth,” as seen in the Person of the Son of God, for “grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”