“for the sake of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever:”

 

We have been looking at some of the evidences of the abiding work of the truth, from this passage, that will be evident in the lives of those who belong to the LORD.  Those whom He has chosen and called to Himself.  

 

We’ve talked about the ability to love in truth and our unity in truth. 

We’ve already touched on verse two a bit at the start as we noted that the truth is the reason behind all of this.  It’s what makes all of this possible – It is for “the sake of the truth”. By reason of, or on the grounds of the truth that abides in us.

 

I want to consider the latter half of this verse –

 

“…and will be with us forever.”

 

Again, we’ve already talked about this in passing.  About the permanence of the truth abiding – but I think this warrants some deeper consideration.

 

There are SO many evidences of the truth in the lives of believers.  So many blessings.  We haven’t even scratched the surface… 

 

Anything good and profitable – anything that has given glory to God in our lives is a result of the truth.  The result of its ever present and abiding work.  When the Holy Spirit works, sanctifies and convicts it is done according to the truth and through the truth.  Whether it be while we are in God’s word or time in prayer or fellowship with other believers – the truth is the tool that God, through His Spirit wields in our hearts.  And by God’s grace we respond to it, because we have come to know it.

 

Have you ever thought of where we would be without the truth?

 

What would life be like if we didn’t know the truth?    

 

It wouldn’t be worth living.  We’d be lost in the tangled web of lies and deception that is continuously spun by the evil one. 

 

The truth grants us the ability to see through all of that.  To see through the lies.

 

If it was gone, even for a minute – what would happen?  

 

Thanks be to God that we will never find out.  

 

Because of this simple and abiding promise that the truth will be with us forever.

 

FOREVER – an unbroken age.  

 

 

How can we be sure of this promise?

 

First – we have to consider where this promise comes from.

 

Verse three continues and explains the thought – 

 

V. 2 -- for the sake of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever: 

 

V. 3 -- Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

 

Grace, mercy and peace are merely another way of describing the truth.  (A description we will LORD willing start to take a look at next time.) This verse is emphatic.  He’s saying – for the sake of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever: and truth will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

 

Truth is made up of: grace, mercy, and peace, it comes from God and the Son, and it’s revealed in truth and love

 

All this to say – This promise that truth will be with us forever, is clearly stated here as coming from God.

 

This is where our surety lies.  

 

If this promise comes from God we can be sure of its eternality – 

 

Because God is eternal.

 

No one else can make such a statement.  

 

No lesser being can carry such a weighty promise. 

 

Some verses to consider in relation to this –

 

Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.

Before the mountains were born

Or You gave birth to the earth and the world,

Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. – Ps 90:1-2

 

Your throne is established from of old;

You are from everlasting. – Ps 93:2

 

The LORD sat as King at the flood;

Yes, the LORD sits as King forever. – Ps 29:10

 

But the LORD is the true God;

He is the living God and the everlasting King.

At His wrath the earth quakes,

And the nations cannot endure His indignation. – Jer 10:10

 

“Praise the LORD, all nations;

Laud Him, all peoples!

For His lovingkindness is great toward us,

And the truth of the LORD is everlasting.

Praise the LORD!” – Ps 117

 

This promise holds no doubt, because there is no question of who God is.

 

He is eternal.  The all-existing one.  He has no beginning and no end.  His promises are based on and backed up by His character. You cannot separate who He is from what He says.  

 

When we are tempted to doubt the promises in God’s word, we need to go back and consider where they come from.

 

When the truth seems distant and things around us grow dark, let us echo the prophet:

 

“Are You not from everlasting,

O LORD, my God, my Holy One?...” Hab 1:12a

 

How can we doubt Yahweh?

 

Because Christ is eternal.

 

“Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father…”

 

As if swearing by Himself wasn’t enough, we have the promise from Christ – the Truth itself. 

 

The truth is not some nebulous term, an elusive concept or ideal -- It’s a Person.  It’s something we can come to know and know personally -- It’s Christ. 

 

“Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me”. – John 14:6

 

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God….

 

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father full of grace and truth.” – John 1:1, 14

 

Christ is the Truth – God made flesh.  And as such, He holds the same eternality. 

 

“…and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. And there will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom to establish is and to uphold it in justice and righteousness from then and forever more…”

 

“that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He will bring about at the proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.” 1 Tim 6:14-16

 

“Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” – John 8:58

 

The Truth is eternal because Christ is Eternal.

 

Because the Holy Spirit is eternal

 

“Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.”

 

To complete this triune promise, it is pledged by the Holy Spirit through whom it is revealed. 

 

“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.” – John 14:16-17

 

“Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.” – 2 Cor 1:21-22

 

God leaves no room for doubt when it comes to His promises. 

 

 God swears by His whole being – the three persons of the Godhead are in agreement. The fulfillment of this promise is a joint operation (if you could say it that way). They are collectively committed to seeing it through.  

 

The Truth is with us forever – Our constant companion for an unbroken age. 

 

 

 

-Augusta