April 18

He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation. — Jas 1:18 BSB

If we examine the work of the Spirit on the heart, we see that in all His sacred dealings, He always uses truth as His primary instrument. Does He pierce and wound? It is through the truth, for the “sword of the Spirit is the word of God,” which is “the word of truth.” If He heals or blesses, it is still through truth. The promise is, “When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth.” When the Spirit comes, He acts as the Comforter, as Jesus said: “When the Comforter has come, whom I will send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.”

The new man of grace, created by the Spirit in the heart, is designed to receive and respond to truth. Just as the eye is made to receive light, the ear to hear sound, the lungs to breathe air, and the heart to pump blood, the new man of grace is made to receive the truth of God. These vital organs only function when they respond to the external forces that act on them, and in the same way, the organs of the new man of grace only act when truth is impressed upon them by the Holy Spirit.

Does the new man of grace have eyes? They are made to see the truth (Ephesians 1:18-19). Does he have ears? They are made to hear the truth (Isaiah 55:3; Luke 9:44). Does he have hands? They are made to grasp and hold onto the truth (Proverbs 4:13; Isaiah 27:5; Hebrews 6:18). Does he have feet? They are made to walk in the truth (Psalm 119:45; Luke 1:6; 3 John 4). Does he have a mouth? “Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.” It is made to feed on the truth—on Christ, who is the truth (John 6:35, 14:6).