Truth Makes For Enemies

“Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” (Galatians 4:16).

The truth is offensive to the world. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Jesus is truth. He also said, “…ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake” (Matthew 10:22) and, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18).

The world doesn’t understand the truth or even recognize it. When Pilate looked Jesus Christ directly in the face he asked, “What is truth?”

The world is blind to the truth. When the light of the truth does shine on it, the world becomes offended. Speaking the truth and living a life in pursuit of it will offend the world and create enemies. Jesus warned us that this would happen.

Jesus said, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

The truth, which is precious and dear and of God, will reveal and convict. It is the hardened heart that refuses the revelation truth brings. And what is this revelation? That God is, the pathway is righteousness, Jesus Christ is salvation and the Holy Ghost, which is the Spirit of Truth is our help and guide.

The world refuses these things for it deviates away from self. The epitome of sin is self. Self is only concerned with its own interests and lusts. Self consumes and doesn’t contribute. Sin and the world is self-love and self-gratification.

God is the exact opposite. God gives and we as children of God are to give. We give of our love to God and we give of our love to our fellow man.

Our love and faith is manifested by our works towards God and our fellow man. James said, “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” (James 2:18).

The world is sinful, it consumes and its only concern is self. God is righteous and loves. This love is manifested by faith in its relationships with God and man.

“Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” The answer to that is yes. But as children of God we will love our enemy.

Jesus said, “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:44-48)

Bill Hitchcock

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