In an earlier article (June, 1997), it was demonstrated that the uniqueness of Christadelphian teaching puts a great chasm between what we believe and the rest of Christendom We Chnstadelphians often call this body of teaching “the Truth” and are frequently heard to say “we have the Truth”
We have the Truth
When we say “we have the Truth,” we realize we don’t possess or own it It is God’s Truth which we have been blessed to understand and are honored to proclaim Our job is to “keep (guard) the truth that has been entrusted to us” (II Tim 1:14)
Neither do we think “we have the Truth,” suggesting that Christadelphians are the only people on earth who have a correct understanding of fundamental Bible teaching There are numerous instances where people not bearing the label “Christadelphian” have been encountered and found to be on the same path of understanding as ourselves To our knowledge, examples have occurred in the States, Jamaica, Germany, Korea, Burma and Brazil Others are, no doubt, aware of additional examples Because there is only one “Truth,” we find all who hold it dear to be on our side of the great chasm that exists between us and the rest of Christendom Inevitably, we are drawn to such persons to share in preaching, fellowship and worship
Thirdly, we do not think “we have the Truth” in the sense of knowing everything God has revealed We use the term only m regard to the basic first principles, knowing full well each of us has much to learn m many areas of scripture In fact, we don’t even think the fundamentals can only be set forth in Just one form of words Christadelphian first-principle booklets abound, each intending to present Bible truth in a clear and right way, yet not one of them claims to be the definitive booklet on a basic teaching Different people present the same fundamental teaching of the gospel m different ways which is particularly useful in addressing the needs of other cultures This approach is fully in harmony with scripture, which presents the same doctrine in a variety of manners It is both inevitable and invaluable to communicate God’s “Truth” in multiple ways.
Finally, in saying “we have the Truth,” we are declaring there is only one set of right facts about God’s creation, plan and revelation This is the case because there is only one God With multiple deities, there would be multiple plans of salvation But with only one God, there is only one set of promises and only one standard of right approach to Him Given these facts, all who believe these first principles are drawn to each other into one community of worshippers of the one God, all believing the one faith.
Let’s recap When saying “we (Christadelphians) have the Truth,” we realize that we do not own it, we are not the only people who believe it, there are many ways it can be expressed but, because there is one God, there is only set of right facts
Truth as a divine attribute
So far, the word “Truth” has been used m reference to the fundamental right facts about God, Jesus, the plan of redemption and the promises of God — the first principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ In scripture, “the truth” begins as an attribute of God Himself Interestingly, this attribute is rooted in the fact there is one God Consider the following.
Scripture reveals “the faithful God” (Deut 7:9, Psa 31:5, Isa 25:19) who is always there and declares that “God is faithful” (I Cor 1:9, 10:13,II Cor 1:18), i.e He is totally trustworthy Isaiah speaks of “the God of truth” (65 16) Jeremiah describes “the true God” as being “the living God and the everlasting King” (Jer 10 10) Thus “Truth” is an essential attribute of God’s moral attributes and describes His inherent integrity It is why many passages link “the faithful God” with His “steadfast love” (e g Deut 7:9,12, I Kgs 8:23, II Chr 6:14) It is why the glory of God is described as “abounding m steadfast love and faithfulness” (Ex 34 6) God is not only right in every way, He is utterly reliable
As with the fact there is only one set of right first principles, God’s “Truth” characteristic is an outgrowth of the fact that there is one God Isaiah 45 5,6,14,18,21 and 22 all drive home this point “I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God By myself I have sworn, from my mouth has gone forth in righteousness, a word that shall not return” Two points emerge from this passage.
- God swears by the absolute certainty of His own existence He alone is God Therefore, what He says will happen.
- Nothing can thwart God’s word There are no other deities, so there is no conflict with other wills or purposes Therefore, what He says will be fulfilled.
Same point in New Testament
New Testament teaching builds on these same points “When God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself So when God desired to show more convincingly the heirs of the unchangeable character of his purpose, he interposed with an oath, so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible that God should prove false ” (Heb 6:13,17-18)
These facts of God’s “oneness” and “truth” are reflected m there be-mg only one hope, one faith, one baptism, etc , and in their being only one set of heirs to the one set of promises made by the one God These heirs are also termed “one body” (Eph 4:4- 5, I Cor 12:12-13, 10:17)
The principles seen in Christ
God’s word was fulfilled in a unique way by Jesus “And the word became flesh, and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth, we have beheld His glory, the glory as of the only Son from the Father” (John 1:14 RSV)
Jesus was sent to represent his Father’s “oneness” and “truth” (John 10 30, 17 11,21, 14 6, 1837) Like the Father, the Son “is faithful” (Heb 1023, II Tim 2 13) so is termed “the truth” (John 14 6, Eph 4 21) Further he “is one” with his disciples (John 17:21-23) So God’s “Truth” is manifest in Himself, His Son, His plan and purpose and His sons and daughters (the ecclesia).
Exhorting ourselves
When we say, “we have the Truth,” we are thus linking ourselves to the great fundamental reality that there is ONE God Because of this fact, we are linked to “the” Truth, not “a” truth We are associated with “truth,” not something which may or may not be correct and which may or may not come to pass It is this essential oneness that gives one set of promises based on one plan of redemption to one body of believers.
It is the oneness of God that makes understandable His hatred of “a man who sows discord among brothers” (Prov 19 6) The same point is restated by Zechariah “Do not devise evil in your hearts against one another” (Zech 7 10, 8 17) The one God abhors division in His family Schism is never the work of the one God, it is always the work of the flesh “Now the works of the flesh are plain enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit ” (Gal 5 19-20 RSV) While we cringe at the assessment, some of our critics have a point when they declare our divisive history proves we could not possibly be God’s true family Such a people, they say, must not be of God but of the Devil (or, in scripture terms, of the flesh).
We need to remember and seriously consider that the teaching of the unity of the body derives directly from the unity of God The two great commandments — love the Lord your God and your neighbor as yourself—are based explicitly on the declaration that “the Lord is one” (Mark 12:29-30 NKJV) There can be little doubt that every schism m the ecclesia is cause for grief in heaven Christ is the head of the body, his church, and “when one member suffers, all suffer together” (I Cor 12 26 NKJV).
Conclusion
When properly understood, “we have the Truth” is an accurate statement It is not an occasion of pride but of great thanksgiving at the mercy of God toward us The phrase is a powerful reminder of the integrity and “truth” of the one true God Further, the phrase should exhort us to practice (in our communal lives) the unity that should be an integral part of the practice of those who have the one Truth.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One