As we come to know God’s heart we can embrace the true essence of His ways of justice; realizing that God’s throne is founded on righteousness and justice; mercy and truth (Psalm 89:14). He loves mercy, and in administering His justice, prefers to pronounce His verdict—forgiven! That’s why He allowed His Son to pay the price for mankind’s sin. However, we appropriate His mercy when we embrace truth.
RELEVANCE
For this reason, Paul advocated the love of truth. When you love truth, and seek it out, you are delivered from the power of deception.
“The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved” (2 Thessalonians 2:9-11).
This is the essence of the perfection of God’s law. We are not condemned by God for living in sin, but by own unrighteous actions through deception. God has made a way for GRACE; and in walking in spirit and truth we come under its jurisdiction—the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:2).
In reality, as we love truth, we love the wholeness and grace of God’s law! It was from this perspective that David could say, “I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart” (Psalm 40:8). David understood that the key is delighting in doing God’s will. This was the very truth that Paul apprehended as well. “For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man” (Romans 7:22). David and Paul grasped hold of what God expressed through Jeremiah:
“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
24 But let him who glories glory in this,
That he understands and knows Me,
That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
For in these I delight,” says the LORD.”
(Jeremiah 9:23-24)
REFLECT AND RELATE
Meditate on how you seek truth. How have you seen God respond when truth has truly been discovered and embraced?
REFERENCES
Psalm 57:3; 91:4; 96:13; 100:5; John 3:21; 8:32; 14:6; 18:37; Romans 1:18-2:11