Who Will You Believe?
There's a tree known as the Tree of Death, found in Florida and parts of Central and South America. It is the Machinel Tree. It bears fruit that resembles a crab apple. Its sap is toxic, and in Florida, they put danger signs on them. It looks like any other fruit-bearing tree, but it is deadly. When it comes to preaching and teaching, there can be messengers who deliver messages that appear to be true but are out of context and misapplied, and thus dangerous due to sowing doubt and unbelief and encouraging confidence in the wrong source.
When a truth is misapplied in both context and purpose, it is a lie because it is a falsehood that is misleading. Satan is an expert at this practice. He used that tactic with Jesus when trying to tempt Him in the desert.
When anyone speaks as though the Old Covenant is how God relates to His children, they are ministering a falsehood. Let me say that again. It is out of context and misplaced, even if it is well-intentioned. Many wish to bring you before the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and tempt you to make up your mind based on your ability, strength, and wisdom as opposed to what God has spoken through His Son in these last days. Every truth now has to pass through the filter of the New Covenant Jesus established by His blood.
IF YOU KNEW SOMEONE WHO COULD NOT LIE NO MATTER WHAT, WOULD YOU TRUST THEM?
As an apostle of Jesus, Paul understood something about the truth and the God of truth,
Titus 1:1 Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, 2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, 3 but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;
Have you ever read this and wondered, WHAT DOES PAUL MEAN BY TRUTH THAT ACCORDS WITH GODLINESS?
Godliness comes from the Greek word that involves the whole gospel scheme: Although that Greek word comes from a root word meaning devout, well-reverent, or pious, it is taking these traits and applying them to the gospel as the means as opposed to self-righteousness. Godliness means one belongs to God and is submitted to His way of relating. Ungodliness is anytime someone attempts to establish a relationship with God in their own way or chooses to have nothing to do with God.
This is why Paul said, “an acknowledgement of the truth which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised from before time began.” God cannot lie, and did not lie about how we are made righteous, and how we have become His children. Nor has He lied to us regarding His promises. But His promises encounter roadblocks of doubt when we get caught up in Old Covenant thinking. You see, Old Covenant thinking subtly says that we must do ...... in order to receive ...... It is not according to New Covenant thinking that understands everything is ours now in Christ and because of Christ alone. Old covenant thinking makes every good and perfect gift conditional upon our performance as opposed to freely offered through Jesus Christ according to His obedience. Because of the New Covenant, all the promises of God are yes and amen in Christ Jesus. That is what the Scripture testifies to us boldly and loudly. Never forget, God cannot lie!
Something God cannot do is lie! Since that’s true, WILL YOU TRUST WHATEVER HE SAYS IS TRUE ABOUT YOU?
