Truth In The Inward Parts

by Jarvie, G. | Category: For Young Believers | Feb 1955

"Behold, Thou desirest truth in the inward parts:

And in the hidden part Thou shalt

make me to know wisdom" (Psalm 51.6).

"Speak ye truth each one with his neighbour: for we are members

one of another" (Ephesians 4.25).

"Speaking truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him, which is the Head, even Christ" (Ephesians 4.15).

There is nothing more common in the world than lies. Deception, in many forms, is practised everywhere. In the beginning, the fall of man began with a lie. In Revelation 21.8 we read that all liars will be cast into the Lake of Fire. God will make a final end of all lies.

The Lord Jesus spoke of the devil as the father of lies, and out from him has gone a stream which has permeated the whole human race. The testimony of God's word concerning the human heart is that it "is deceitful above all things, and it is desperately sick" (Jeremiah 17.9). Even we, who have experienced the new birth and have the new life, sometimes find in ourselves a tendency to deception and distortion of the truth. Yet we thank God, though we are sometimes tempted in this, we have no pleasure in it, because we have come to know Him who is the Truth, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Isaiah wrote concerning the Lord Jesus, "neither was any deceit in His mouth " (Isaiah 53.9). How different He ever was from us! At 1)0 time and in no way, did He ever use deceit. Now, as our High Priest above, it is written of Him, that He is guileless (Hebrews 7.26). Cunningness and deceit, so common among men, are unknown by Him. In His majesty He rides on prosperously because of truth and meekness arid righteousness (Psalm 45.4). Not only is He utterly and absolutely true, He is The Truth-He is the faithful and true Witness. Before Pilate He said, "To this end am I come into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth" (John 18.37). Faithful Witness indeed, in this dark world of lies and deception! To Pilate absolute truth was a strange thing! and he asked, "What is truth?

The disciple who has learned of the Lord Jesus will be like Him; he will love the truth in all its aspects, and he will hate every form of deception, and all flattery and guile. He will not only love to speak the truth and to obey the truth, but he Will love truth in the inward parts. Deep in his heart the Lord's disciple will love truth and hate lies.

Then in our dealings one with another we must have truth. "Speaking truth in love." What a delightful combination! Let us remember that we have an old nature that is prone to lies and deception; and first of all we need to be true and faithful with ourselves. Then also we need the Lord to search us, and to try our hearts (Psalm 139.23-24). Let us be quick to confess before the Lord any sin in this matter. The beginning of all sin is in wrong thoughts. Let us also be quick to confess to others if we have sinned against them. Time will not blot out deception even though we try to keep quiet about it. It needs confession and the blood of Jesus to cleanse us from this, and every other, sin.

Let us be faithful with each other, and let us deal in love. It is often easier to cover over the sins of others than to correct them, when correction is needed. If they do us wrong, it is sometimes easier to bear a grudge, than to tell them, faithfully and in love, where they have erred. But fellowship is broken, for fellowship depends on truth. Speak it in love. If we err and others speak to us truth in love, let us be thankful. It is our old deceitful nature that hates reproof, not the new nature. "He that hateth reproof shall die" (Proverbs 15.10). Let us say as David did "Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness;

"And let him reprove me, it shall be as oil upon the head" (Psalm 141. 5). When we speak the truth in love we grow up into the Head, even Christ; not the truth only, but the truth in love. As we deal truly in love we grow up into His likeness-His love of truth, His guilelessness.

Love rejoices with the truth (1 Corinthians 13.6). Of course it does! for its source is the same-God Himself. These two go hand in hand, and if we go with them, then "Grace, mercy, peace shall be with us from God the Father, and from

Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father in truth and love" (2 John 3.).

Jarvie, G. | Feb 1955
For Young Believers