I Tell You The Truth

I Tell You The Truth

To Tell the Truth was an American television game show that had been aired intermittently in various formats since 1956,  the final episode aired December 14, 2001. The basic premise of the show consisted of a panel of four celebrities correctly identifying a contestant (a "central character") from a choice of three possibilities, members of a "team of challengers." One of the contestants normally held an unusual occupation or had done something noteworthy, and it is this person whom the panel had to attempt to identify. Two of the people will tell lies, while the real person

has sworn "to tell the truth”.  (Info From Wikipedia)

So why is it so important to know the truth about someone?

 Because the truth about Jesus and His words are a matter of life and death.

Jesus repeated the phrase “I tell you the truth” in the NIV Bible 78 times within the four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.  Jesus also tells us that He is the way, the truth and the life. 

John 14:6 NIV 
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me".

This bold statement from Jesus lips to our ears is probably the most controversial statement of our time. Basically, Jesus is telling us that He is the only way to get to heaven. The big question is, do you believe Jesus is the only way to gain citizenship in heaven? 

Many people stumble over this one question for a variety of reasons. 

Some will ask, don’t some other religions have the same God and the same heaven as Christians, and offer heavenly citizenship without Jesus being the “narrow gate” to their entrance? While others will ask, does this mean God will exclude “good people” from heaven just because though they don’t believe in Jesus and what the Bible says about His authority? 

Maybe the question about our so called “goodness/works” should be raised

at this time.  Are people really “good” and is it possible that our “works” can meet the a criteria that qualifies us for citizenship in heaven?

God understood that many people would struggle with Jesus’ statement. That is why our citizenship in heaven is not based on our own works but on His grace and Jesus’ work on the cross.

Since we cannot qualify for a place in God’s family based on our own merit we must look to God’s ordained system of grace to find out how He has designed His citizenship program.  The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus is the only way to God and eternal life in Heaven.

John 3:16-17 NIV

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Acts 4:10-12 NIV

then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.

Romans 6:23 NIV

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Prophecy about the Messiah 

(The Messiah is the promised, expected deliverer and Savior of the Jewish people) 

Through the Bible passage below we can easily identify Jesus as the chosen Messiah.

Here is a link you can check out where in scripture Jesus fulfilled 352 Messianic prophecies:  http://www.accordingtothescriptures.org/prophecy/353prophecies.html

Isaiah 42:1 NIV

The Servant of the Lord

"Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him  and he will bring justice to the nations.

Matthew 3:17 The Message

The moment Jesus came up out of the baptismal waters, the skies opened up and he saw God’s Spirit—it looked like a dove—descending and landing on him. And along with the Spirit, a voice: “This is my Son, chosen and marked by my love, delight of my life.”

Isaiah 42:6-7 NIV

"I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you  to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

Isaiah 53:5-6 NIV

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Jeremiah 23:5-6 NIV

"The days are coming," declares the LORD, when I will raise up to David  a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely  and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.

Isaiah 9:6-7 NIV 

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.

John 20:30-31 NIV

Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

So as we can see, God had a plan to save His people which included Jews & Gentiles alike. Jesus was God’s chosen way to save us from the eternal consequences of our fallen nature. God requires that we receive Jesus' work on the cross because our good works are unable to reach the level of payment for the price of sin that needed to be paid in order to satisfy God. Only Jesus could cover our sin completely, and by offering Himself as the substitution for us on the cross, He accomplished the greatest act of love ever recorded. 

Other religions base their so called salvation or ticket to heaven on personal works which can always be held in the balance. The good must outweigh the bad or else. God doesn’t work that way. He knew we could never meet those kinds of standards so He offered us grace and a way to restore our relationship back with Him through Jesus. That is why Jesus tells us that He is the way, and the truth, and the life”. Jesus wants us to know the truth, and He wants us to know that He is the only truth and way that can set us free from the consequences of our sinful nature.

John 8:31-32 NIV

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Galatians 5:1 NIV 
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

So when Jesus says “I tell you the truth” we can be confident receive His words as truth.  Jesus backed up His words through the actions of His life, love, miracles, death and resurrection. 

Not only does Jesus rescue us but He sustains us to live abundantly in a fallen world.

 

John 6:35 NIV

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Jesus is life!

John 5:24 NIV 
"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.

Like in the show To Tell The Truth the host would say, "Will the real (insert name here) please stand up"

 

My prayer is that we will all stand up for Jesus and honor Him by living a life that reflects His truth and His amazing love.

Just Sayin……………..Dave