There are two ways to approach the truth…
The Word of God is truth (Psalm 119:160; John 17:17); “And the Word became flesh” (John 1:14). There are two ways to approach the Truth, namely, the Lord Jesus Christ: humbly or arrogantly. In both cases, there is a fixed result. As I wrote in my last blog, Grace, Works, and Indifference, the truth never leaves a person unchanged, especially when it concerns the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus said:
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
— Luke 14:11
I tell you, this [humble] man went to his house justified rather than the [arrogant] other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.
— Luke 18:14
Jesus clearly explained the “fixed results” I mentioned above. All would be well and good if man inherently agreed with Jesus. But he doesn’t, at least not in his flesh. Man presumes his self-righteousness is something the whole world should appreciate. The Lord says it’s disgusting, however, like a filthy menstrual rag (Isaiah 64:6). To an arrogant person, this is jolting news (think of the Scribes and the Pharisees in Jesus’ day). To a humble person, this is the best possible news because it relieves them from trying to work for their own salvation.
Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
— 1 Peter 5:6-7
God’s not looking for our abilities; He’s looking for our attitude. If we approach His holiness believing we might earn His approval on the basis of our self-righteousness, we end up walking away with our tail between our legs. If we approach Him naked, conceding our wretchedness, He exalts us. These are the two fixed results I write about here.
King David had the right attitude. His humility was foundational to his motivation, as revealed in the four “I wills” in the following passage:
I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart;
I will tell of all Your wonders.
I will be glad and exult in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.
— Psalm 9:1-2
The Apostle Paul shared this same attitude with David. He knew that God’s grace alone was the source of all righteousness in him.
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.
— 1 Corinthians 15:10
David and Paul are perfect examples of how to rightly approach the Word of Truth, namely our Lord. Satan, on the other hand, revealed his evil attitude through five abominable “I wills”:
But you [Satan] said in your heart,
“I will ascend to heaven;
I will raise my throne above the stars of God,
And I will sit on the mount of assembly
In the recesses of the north.
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.”
— Isaiah 14:13-14
The Bible teaches us how this will end for Satan and anyone else who attempts to usurp God’s holiness. “Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol, to the recesses of the pit” (Isaiah 14:15). Death awaits those who mimic Satan’s folly.
So there you have it, the two approaches and the two fixed results. Approach the truth in humility and God exalts you; approach it in arrogance and He strikes you down. It’s that simple. If you read your Bible through this simple lens, what you recognize is story after story of individuals facing the Word of Truth and falling to one side or the other. It’s worth noting also that there’s no in-between. If you’re wishy-washy, the Lord counts you among the transgressors and you ought to expect to receive nothing from Him (James 1:7-8; 4:8). This means that no one will be able to say at the Judgement Seat of Christ that they are “undecided.” The Gospel is designed to force a decision.
In America we are prosperous. While being born into wealth has its advantages, it also implies a host of challenges. Material prosperity is so powerful that it becomes the demise of many, as Jesus taught His disciples.
And Jesus, looking around, said to His disciples, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!” The disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus *answered again and *said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
They were even more astonished and said to Him, “Then who can be saved?” Looking at them, Jesus *said, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”
Peter began to say to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You.” Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last, first.”
— Mark 10:23-31
Jesus characterized the “rich man” as someone with a considerable problem. This is the exact opposite of American cultural ethos. Little do most Americans, even Christians, realize the quandary they are in. If they do like their neighbors and swim in the love of money, they are cursed (1 Timothy 6:10). If Jesus had any insight into this plight (He did, of course), then being an American has serious stumbling blocks when it comes to salvation, proper! In other words, being an American actually works against the spreading of the Gospel. Why? Because the average citizen is arrogant and puffed up due to the so-called advantages of wealth. The Lord had something to say about this to the church at Laodicea.
Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.
Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.”
— Revelation 3:17-20
So, again, there are only two options to choose from when facing the truth and their outcomes are predetermined by God. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the tip of the spear, leaving no one uncut, not a single person remains unaffected. “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). Man’s response to the Holy God of the Universe decides his own fate. Will we sing the praise of a repentant sinner or dance to the tune of our own self-righteousness? Hear now the Word of Truth from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt:
“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’
I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Luke 18:9-14
Love in Christ,
Ed Collins