The Impact of Truth

Prone to Wander

2 Peter 1:12–15 NIV

So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.

In the love and care that Peter has for the flock that the Lord has given him charge over, Peter sees the need to continually remind them of the truth. The truth is the foundation upon which we stand that will allow to keep from stumbling and keep us effective in the work that the Lord has for us (v.10-11). Without the truth, we are left to ebb and flow like the tides.

Peter sees though in his flock that there is a tendency to divert from the truth. We have an enemy who is actively seeking to lead us astray. The enemy does not have to cause us to completely turn away from our faith in order to be successful in his cause. He just needs to slightly divert our focus from the Lord.

Especially in times of trial, panic, fear, anxiety, depression, hardship, social injustice, etc, we find ourselves running back to church and turning to God, but we came running not seeking the Lord, we came seeking what the Lor could offer us. If you are here for safety, blessings, deliverance from substance abuse, financial gain, marital bliss, etc, you are going to leave sadly disappointed. The truth is those things are not God, they are byproducts of God working in the areas of our life that we have given over and surrendered to Him. They are the consequences of trusting God with the most vulnerable areas of our life.

Fetter Ourselves to Christ

2 Peter 1:16–18 NIV

For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.

This is the truth that we cling to, Jesus Christ took on flesh and came to earth for the purpose of pointing us toward the Father. Jesus pursued us in our brokenness, muck and mire for the sake of saving our very souls.

This is the truth that we must tie ourselves to. Christ is the prize. He is the tie that binds. He is our hope.

When we settle for things other than Christ, we place our hope ad desire in things that do not have the power, care or love to truly meet our needs. God’s stuff can not satisfy because it is deficient to meet our ever changing needs.

For many of us, this pandemic has revealed our brokenness because it has made evident the areas of our life that Christ has yet to rule and reign. We had built a facade as a nation, church and people. We thought we were a nation under God until worshipping God jeopardized our health. We were a church who loved the Lord and loved one another until the decisions of others jeopardized our life or until it was seen that ones ancestors oppressed another's. We were people, individuals reliant upon the Lord until toilet paper was no longer available and our own stores would be all that we had.

God Alone is Our Hope

2 Peter 1:19–21 NIV

We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Our message, Christ alone, is the truth to which we must cling and the hope to which we must share. The hope for how we will move forward has nothing to do with the latest scientific development or the newly formatted graphic of the statistics. Our hope does not lie either governmental party. Our hope lies in the Lord and the Lord alone.

So our response needs to be to share Him with those around us. Let the Lord win your neighbor over to live with less fear, anxiety and worry. Let the Lord heal the brokenness left by a long series of decisions that have oppressed others, led to ruin, and have destroyed the most valued relationships in our lives.

Our aim as followers of Christ, holders of the truth is to hold steadfast to Christ and grab others as we do so. If you have found yourself wandering to the left or the right during this season, it is time to cling even more to the Lord and to actively share His truth with those around us. If anxiety has gotten the best of you in this season, start investing in others and encourage them to trust in God. It will take you trusting in the Lord even more to have anything to give them.