John 8:32 And you shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free.

 

In Peter’s inaugural Message to that huge crowd of unbelieving Jews, he spoke the Truth. He told them Who Jesus was, what Jesus did, and what THEY did. He told them of their sin against God. It was them who crucified Jesus and Peter reminded them of that fact.

 

Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know—Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. (Acts 2:21-23)

 

Given these words spoken by Peter, the Holy Spirit must have been drawing them to repentance or they probably would have killed Peter on the spot and put the rest of the believers in prison. However, they didn’t retaliate against Peter. On the contrary, 3,000 of them repented and gave their hearts to the Lord that day.

 

This is what happens when the Truth is preached from the pulpit. It is the Truth that sets people free and unfortunately, there is very little Truth spoken in the Church today.

 

To speak the Truth in Love is God’s Pattern for all believers. Sin must be addressed for what it is and not glossed over or totally overlooked. Sin is sin. It always has been and it always will be. People remain spiritually lost and headed for Hell because the Truth is not preached from the pulpit of the Church.

 

The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy about this. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the Truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an Evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (2 Timothy 4:3-5)

 

People today do not want to hear about sin or the Blood of Jesus. They want to be patted on the head and told nice things. They want to fellowship with their friends and hear flowery words from teachers and from behind the pulpit.

 

The purpose of the Gifts of the Spirit is to edify people. Nothing could be more edifying than to learn of our wrongdoing, repent, and be set free from that sin and shame. Freedom from sin is the result of repentance. Everyone should walk out of a Church service freer than they entered. That’s what the Truth does; makes us free. Hallelujah!

 

The Truth will ….…….turn the tide

 

Speaking the Truth,         Doreen

 

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