Knowledge of the Truth

1 Timothy 2:3-4 “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” 

Continuing in the exciting study of biblical words and phrases, we come to the term: “The Truth”. The phrase “the truth,” referring to a certain vital body of doctrine, is found often in the New Testament, and the passage quoted above is one of the most important, indicating as it does that fully understanding “the truth” is equivalent to being saved. 

1 Timothy 2:5-7 “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle—I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.”

In 1 Timothy 3:15, the Apostle Paul explains: “I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” Did you catch that? The church body of Believers is called “the pillar and ground of the truth”.

1 Timothy 4:1-3 says: “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.” So, an attitude of thanksgiving is proper for those who “believe and know the truth”. On the other hand, in 1 Timothy 6:3-5 Paul teaches that “some people may contradict our teaching, but these are the wholesome teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. These teachings promote a godly life. Anyone who teaches something different is arrogant and lacks understanding. Such a person has an unhealthy desire to quibble over the meaning of words. This stirs up arguments ending in jealousy, division, slander, and evil suspicions. These people always cause trouble. Their minds are corrupt, and they have turned their backs on the truth. To them, a show of godliness is just a way to become wealthy. Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth.” So, those false teachers who teach with selfish motives are “destitute of the truth”.

2 Timothy 2:15 “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

In the second epistle, Paul urges believers to be diligent in studying the Scriptures, because they constitute “the word of truth” -2 Timothy 2:15. I sure agree with that! Then he warns of teachers “who concerning the truth have erred,” teaching false doctrine and destroying the faith of some). Those who are faithful teachers, however, are exhorted to help the unsaved come to “repentance to the acknowledging of the truth” (v. 25). Then, in his prophetic description of the humanist teachers of the last days, Paul says they will be “ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth”. This is because they “resist the truth” and “turn away their ears from the truth”. Thus, “the truth” always emphasizes its vital importance in salvation and the Christian life. Most of all, the Lord Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” This is the true knowledge of "the truth".

John 8:31-32 Then Jesus said to those who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

In Christ, Brian