We're in a new series that, uh, just began last Wednesday night. And although you may consider yourself to be a, a Baptist or even a, a member of a Baptist church, you, you may not really know all that sets Baptist apart from other churches. So our series on on Wednesdays, Entitled, what Is a Baptist, uh, seeks to help answer that for you and helps us to understand, uh, better what a Baptist believe

in our texts. Jesus praise, uh, for us. And he also addresses truth, and that's gonna be the emphasis of the sermon. This. Truth. So in John 17, we'll begin in verse 17 and read in verse 19. If you're able, stand with me and we'll read our text out loud together, and then we'll go to the Lord. One more time in prayer again, John.

Uh, 17 verse 17 through verse, uh, 19. Again, uh, Jesus is, is speaking. He's in the middle of a prayer.

To his Heavenly Father about us and other believers. Let's begin sanctify them through thy truth. Thy word is truth. As thou has sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes, I sanctify myself that they also might be sanctified through the truth. So this evening the, the question we're seeking to answer, um, is actually what is.

Let's pray. Our Father, I asked you help me tonight to say what I should say and say it in the way that it needs to be. Uh, said, I pray that you would fill me with the power of your Holy Spirit, and I pray for each one here that is, uh, in this room and listening online tonight, that you'd help us to have a, a much better understanding of this topic as well.

I pray it all in the name of Jesus. Amen. You may be seated.

Last week we saw that, uh, Baptist Trace trace their teachings and their heritage, uh, back to the first century. Uh, their origins are not like that of any other, uh, church, according to historians, a bunch of various faith.

They're not Protestants, but in fact predate the Protestants. Uh, by a long time, I mean also the Catholics as well. Uh, they have been persecuted for their faith greatly and many died a martyr's death. In spite of changing times of our day, faithful Baptist churches continue to teach the historic, um, and also timeless, uh, truths found in the word of God.

Now, of course, in any town there are many different kinds of churches and they all claim to teach the truth. What we must do though is take the marks of the New Testament Church as seen in the scriptures and I find the churches that most closely align with the A word of God down through the ages. And I believe if you do that, that you will see those.

Are indeed Baptists churches. The convictions which Baptists hold are not a merely a preferences of a denomination, but God-given a truth rooted in the word of God itself. The principles that have a Distinguished Baptist are ones that have been the result. Of, of a great persecution. Uh, these were not new principles, but these are ones that were made clear when others introduced new doctrines contrary to the scriptures, or also compromised.

Biblical truth. Now before addressing a specific a Baptist distinctives, which I plan to start doing next Wednesday, I think it will be, will be helpful to evaluate truth. First of all, what is truth? That's the title of the message. But what is truth? Um, is truth important in our. I'm his truth relative. I can't truth be known.

Can it be tested? And then what must you do with truth? The Bible reveals. A truth to be. I'm, I'm essential. Absolute knowable. I'm contestable as such, it must be obeyed. So the first point tonight is A, the truth is,

Essential. Essential. The Evangelicals would contend that we need to agree on the essentials of Bible doctrine, but that we should still work together. And, uh, I'm a fellowship with those who disagree on, uh, On a non-essential doctrine, and although that sounds, uh, charitable, um, is, I mean, is not biblical, nowhere in scripture, can you find anything about non-essential doctrine?

In contrast, the,

um, importance of doct. I as stressed all throughout the word of God, a 16 times in the A three pastoral epistles. That would be first Timothy a, second Timothy a, an otitis. The word a doctrine is used. The Bible never diminishes the role of doc. But in, but instead exalts it. Paul said in one Timothy four 13, until I come give attendance to reading.

Referring to reading the word of God to exhortation, exhorting others in the word to doctrine. Give attendance to doc. Uh, uh, first Timothy four 16. Paul again says, take heed under thyself and unto the doctrine.

And he goes on and says, uh, continue in them. Continue in those doctrines for in, in doing this, the dash shall both, uh, save thyself, and then that here, the one Timothy six beginning in verse three. Perhaps I, I should have had you turn to first, first Timothy, since I'm reading all these from first, uh, Timothy.

Um, I won't necessarily read all the rest of the verses from that, uh, that book, but, uh, first Timothy six, beginning of verse three, if any man teach otherwise and consent and not to teach wholesome words, even the, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. And to the doctrine, which is according to godliness, he is proud knowing nothing.

And it goes on to say from as such, withdrawal thyself. So instead of adjoining with those whose, whose, uh, doctrine is contrary to the scriptures, we are clearly instructed to. Withdraw from them, uh, that is known as biblical separation. Now, that has

never been popular, as you might guess. Again, many think we should just all join hands and forget about the differences. I'm indoctrine, however the Bible teaches that. Uh, Christians need to live separated lives. We are exhorted to be separate and also holy, um, an even different. We are also to withdraw, as it said in the verse that we just read from those who do not hold at a sound doctrine.

And we see also in second Timothy chapter. Verse two, preach the word, be instant In season, outer season, reprove rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. Exhort

others with good doctrine. Uh uh, a biblical doctrine. The primary means of communicating God's word comes through preaching. and essential to, uh, preaching, uh, his doctrine. There's no hint given in the scriptures

that we are permitted to equate some doctrine as essential and some as non-essential. The Bible doctrine of his truth, truth is essential. All of it. That only is truth essential n number two, we see truth is absolute. Truth is absolute. Jesus. Jesus asked the Father in our texts in John 17, 17, sanctify them, set them apart.

Through thy truth, thy word is truth. Now, some in our world today say there are no absolutes, but of course that in itself, um, is a contradiction. Have you ever thought that through? Uh, there are no absolutes. Well, you just made an absolute statement. Um, but we who believe the Bible know there are absolutes.

Society may be I'm in favor. Of moral relativism because it makes people feel better about themselves. Um, it's easier on them. If there are no absolutes, then I don't really sin. I may make heirs in judgment sometimes, but it's not. I'm a transition trans aggression against a holy God. I know absolute means.

I really know rules. I can do what I want. I can do what I feel like doing. You can't judge me because I live by my truth. However, there is absolute. Of course there is a right. There is. I'm also wrong. And thus there is a sound doctrine as well as a false doctrine. A no Bible doctrine, um, is relative a truth.

Cannot change. It is absolute. God's word, uh, does not change with the times. It does not adapt to what's acceptable. I'm in popular culture and there's many churches out there that don't believe and teach anything like they believed and taught, uh, 50 years ago or 100 years ago. They've, uh, totally changed what they would say is a truth based on the culture, but a truth remains the same, and it is always absolutely right and true.

Uh, John one 17 for the law was given by Moses. A grace in truth came by Jesus Christ, a truth

accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ. And it is absolute. So truth is essential. It's absolute, and it's also knowable. Number three, truth, um, as knowable.

John chapter eight, beginning in verse 31. I then send Jesus to those uh Jews, which believed on him. If you continue in my word, then, are you my disciples? Indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. , you shall know the truth. Truth can be unknown, but it will only be known if you continue in the word of God.

He says, if you continue in my word, then I eat my disciples. Indeed and you shall know the truth and it shall make you are free. A truth is not a great mystery that cannot be discover. No one can honestly say that they cannot know what God really wants us to believe because we have

the word of God and, and it's in many, many languages. And, uh, it's, um, it's also complet. . And so we can't say we don't know what God desires. The truth is available, and it's also knowable. A Psalm 1 19, 1 60, it says There thy word, um, is true from the beginning. It's always been true. It always will be. and God has given to me in his holy word and preserved it for us.

It provides the truth about creation, about God himself, about man, about sin, about salvation, about the Christian life, about sound, doct. About judgment to come about eternal life and much, much more. Jesus proclaims in John 14, six, I Am the way, the truth and the life truth is found in the person of Jesus Christ.

If you know him, you know.

I said truth is knowable, but many just don't want to hear it. A second Timothy chapter four a verse four, and they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned under fable. So many as you know, ignore the word of God. It's available if they seek it, they can know what the Bible says, but instead they listen outta worldly sources that do not have the truth.

So far we've seen that truth is essential, absolute.

and, uh,

and knowable. Number four, truth. I'm, I'm also testable. Truth is testable. You. You can test to see if something is true or, or not true for first. Teston 5 21. Prove all things. Hold fast to that, which is good. Prove all things who acts. 17, I received the truth with all readiness of mind and assert the scriptures daily.

Whether those things were so somebody Exactly. Uh, the be. They were testing, proving what they had heard to ensure that it was indeed the truth. The attest, of course, was the word of God. So if what they heard didn't match up with what the word of God said, it was not truth. And that was true 2000 years ago within them, and it's just as true in our.

Uh, the Baptist historian,

I'm a Francis Wayland, wrote the book Principles and Practices of Baptist Churches,

and he wrote that book in 1857. I'm didn't know him personally, but I do have his book in my library. I kinda like old books like that. They're kind of, uh, uh, falling apart. , but, but they're old and you can see they're old. Uh, I think it's pretty neat. I do have. Have a German Bible. Someone gave me, uh, old Testament and New Testament and their large volumes like this tall and this wide.

I don't read German, but I just think it's neat cuz it, it's really old. It's from the 18 hundreds. I don't know exactly the date cuz it's not given, um, in that Bible. But I like those old books, um, especially. Uh, although if they're sound, and this is what Francis Whelan said, uh, well over 160 years ago about the differences between Baptists and others.

He said, I think the points of difference are important

and that our history is. In the highest degree, honorable. Now we know that, that there are differences between a Baptist and Protestants, between a Baptist and Catholics. But how do we know who is right? How do we know what is right? We must first acknowledge that is even possible. A do I know the truth, but then believing that truth is indeed possible.

A man knowable. We must test the truthfulness of any belief of any, uh, system. In light of the clear teaching of the word of God. The Bible encourages us to do that and verses like two Timothy two 15, uh, this was a theme verse of our series not too long ago.

Of digging into God's word and how to dig into God's word. And we're even gonna talk about some of those principles that we used. Uh, I'm here in the next few paragraphs, but first of all, second Timothy two 15, a study to show thyself approved under God, a workman that needed us not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Rightly dividing the word of truth. Truth is testable. It is at testable by rightly dividing or interpreting the word of God. How do you do that? How can you be sure that you are rightly dividing the word of truth? Well, I guess you could go back and. I view the series, uh, that we did digging into the word, and I don't remember how many lessons that was, but if you didn't see that, um, you could learn how to better interpret the Bible in that series.

But one of the things that we had mentioned there is that you must interpret scripture with scripture at the Bible. Is his own best commentary. Um, a better than any, uh, uh, commentary written by any man is the word of God, written by God himself. A scripture taken out of context can mean, um, something entirely different than what God intended for it to mean.

And, and that's the foundation.

Of the false cults. They use the word of God typically, but they take scripture out of its, uh, context. So we must be diligent to compare scripture with scripture and examine a verse in its context to be sure we understand what it says When something is unclear in the. We are to refer to

a clear passage on that, a topic because certainly there are verses if you just take that verse or that passage by itself on a particular topic, let's say a salvation, and just in that verse, that passage, it may seem like the Bible is saying something. . But then when you compare it with all the other scriptures on that topic, on all the other scriptures of salvation, especially, then you can truly understand what that scripture was saying.

You, you can realize, oh, okay. Well, it doesn't really mean that, like you might interpret it to mean No, it, it means this because. All of these other scriptures, ones that clearly speak on this topic, reveal the Bible doctrines.

If a question arises regarding a doctrine in the Bible, our first response should be, what is the clear teaching of scripture? On this subject, don't go to those obscure passages first and base what you believe on that. Now go to what is, uh, a clear, first of all, uh, for example, someone could read a verse like First Corinthians 9 27, where, uh, Paul says, I keep under my body and.

Uh, bring it into, uh, I'm into actually subjection less that by any means when I have a preach to others, I myself should become, uh, I'm a castaway. Well, what does that mean when Paul says I should become. I'm a, a castaway. Some might think by looking at this verse alone, that Paul is saying he is in, in, in, in risk of losing his salvation if he doesn't keep his body under subjection.

But what is the Clear Bible teaching regarding eternal?

And John three 16 is one of, uh, many, many clear teachings on that topic. It says, of course, forgotten to love the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believed in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. How long is everlasting?

A long time. Yeah. forever, of course. So if God gives you something that is everlasting, that lasts forever, when you believe on him for salvation, can you lose that thing? Well, it's, it's, it'd be impossible to lose something that is everlasting by the very definition of the term. And John three, uh, 15. The verse right before uses the phrase eternal life, basically meaning the same thing.

Eternal life, everlasting life. Justin, those two verses, John three 15 and 16. We understand that you can't lose your salvation, but there's many, many other verses that also teach that same, uh, uh, doctrine in scripture. But there are some verses, like the verse that we read from First Corinthians nine, that if you just read that by itself, you might think, well, you know, uh, maybe I can lose my salvation and, and, and if I sin and I don't, if I don't get that confessed before I die.

I guess I'm going to hell because I, I, I lost my salvation. Well, that's a, that's a horrible way to live the Christian life without the assurance of your salvation. And you can be assured of your, of your salvation, cuz the Bible teaches eternal security.

So we see truth as not only e. Absolute unknowable. I mean also testable.

Uh, our Baptist principles are most powerfully ex expressed in the clear, a teaching of the word of God. Lastly, number five, we see a truth. A must be obeyed. We must obey the truth because there is truth. A Galatians three verse one, polygon, uh, speaking here says, oh, a foolish Galatians, who has to bewitched you that you should not obey the truth.

They got messed up. They. Uh, I believe something that wasn't true. There were people who caused them to a doubt or caused them to be discouraged and they didn't obey.

The truth. A Baptists are distinct from other faiths because we have, I tried to practice to clear a teachings of the scriptures. Of course, no one has to be a Baptist in order to be saved or even to be a good Christian, uh, for that.

And, but unfortunately, Protestant churches and their offspring have, uh, carried, uh, with them some of the heirs of the Roman Catholic Church, uh, from whom they separated

again. Baptists were never apart of the Catholic Church. And then in what is now known as modern Christianity, a truth has been mixed with air. The result is either,

um, a powerless formality as seen in many are the mainline denominations. That are greatly declining here in the States and all, all over the world, or I'm an e sensual, a worldliness as seen, um, in many contemporary churches, a Baptist of old have taken the Bible to a mean adjust. What it.

And were willing to practice what they taught. Of course, no one did perfectly. As such may have been contrary to the philosophers, intellectuals, and popular culture of the day. But by so doing, they arrived at the.

So is truth essential? Most definitely. It is essential And no truth of scripture, um, is non-essential, is truth. Absolute. Indeed. It is. A truth is not relative. It is Absolut.

Is truth knowable? Yes. You can know the truth from the word of God and it'll set you free. Is truth testable again? Yes. The Bible indicates that a truth can be tested by rightly dividing the word of. So if truth is essential, absolute knowable and testable, we must obey it. We must follow wholeheartedly and with conviction what the word of God has to say.

We must never forsake the truth. We must never compromise with churches or others who. A contained air in their doctrine in the weeks to come will examine the principles which make a Baptist distinct from others. A Baptist distinctives aren't or, or they are. A Bible doctrines, uh, that one taught and obeyed in our churches mark us as distinct or different, uh, from other Christian groups.

These, uh, principles are found in the word of God. Let's bow our heads and we'll have an invitation at this time.

I'll ask you two questions this evening. Be before we.

First of all, who would say, pastor, pray for me. I desire to obey the truth. I, I truly desire to obey the truth. Amen. Amen. Many hands raised. Secondly, who would say, pastor, pray for me. I have some other, uh, need in my life this evening or perhaps some other need. I mean your family or, or at your workplace or some, I was somebody close to you, but you say, pastor, pray for me.

I have some other need. I appreciate your prayers on this. Yes, yes, yes, yes.

Our dear Lord, I pray that you would help us to take seriously the truth. Help us to learn the truth. Help us to obey the truth. Lord, we know it's not easy. Uh, we know this world and the devil is against us, but I pray that we wouldn't back down, uh, that we wouldn't compromise, not in the least. Help us to stand for the truth.

How to, uh, teach and preach the truth

and to also obey it. Lord, I, I, I pray for those that have that desire, uh, this evening, and I pray that you would help us to. Uh, I, I follow through with that and then I pray for those who have a, a, uh, some other need this evening, some other, uh, a burden on their heart that you administer to them in that area.

They'd also work in that situation. Now, your perfect will be accomplished in that. And I prayed in the name of Jesus. Amen. Well, as we have our invitation tonight, let's, uh, stand and if there is some area of your, of your life that doesn't match up with the truth of the word of God, let's get that right.