WHAT IS TRUTH?
Excerpts from the Unity Conference – August 5-7, 2011
Marvin T. Wilson – North Texas Fellowship in YHWH – Celina, TX
Our Time IS our LIFE, What are WE Seeking with Our Lives?
Are We: Seeking Wealth? Seeking Notoriety? Trying to Climb the Ladder?
How Are We Doing? Lost in a Maze? Wandering In the Forest? Still Searching?
Or, are WE Here at this Unity Conference to seek Truth?
Romans 10:4 For Messiah is the end [telos – the point aimed at] of the law for righteousness to every one that believes.
1 John 3:4 Whosoever commits sin [harmatheo – to miss the mark] transgresses also the law: for sin [harmatheo] is the transgression of the law. …
What is Unity? The Reality is …
- Thousands of Beliefs – Same Bible
- All Claim to base their beliefs on the Bible
- ▪Private Interpretation …
1 Peter 1:20 Knowing this first, that NO prophecy [inspired teaching] of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
- What Scripture says about Unity …
- Psalm 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
- Ephesians 4:3 [WE should be] Endeavoring to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
- Ephesians 4:13 Till WE ALL come in the unity of the faith [belief], and of the knowledge of the Son of Yahweh, unto a complete man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Messiah
John 10:30 I and My Father are one.
John 17:22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them; that THEY may be one, even as We are one:
Romans 12:5 So WE, being many, are ONE body in Messiah, and every ONE members ONE of another.
1 Corinthians 12:12 For as the body is ONE, and has many members, and all the members of that ONE body, being many, are ONE body: so also is Messiah.
1 Corinthians 3:8 Now he that plants and he that waters are ONE: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor.
Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in YOU, which was also in Messiah Yah~shua:
Are WE like Pilate?
John 18:33-38 Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Yah~shua, and said unto Him, Are You the King of the Jews? 34 Yah~shua answered him, Say you this thing of yourself, or did others tell it you of Me? 35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You unto me: what have You done? 36 Yah~shua answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if My kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is My kingdom not from here. 37 Pilate therefore said unto Him, Are You a king then? Yah~shua answered, You say that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the Truth. Every one that is of the Truth hears My voice. 38 Pilate said unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and said unto them, I find in Him no fault at all.
Bible Defines “Truth”
John 17:17 Sanctify [set apart] them through Your Truth: Your Word is Truth.
1 John 5:3-6 For this is the love of Yahweh, that WE keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous. 4 For whatsoever is begotten of Yahweh overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even OUR faith [belief]. 5 Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that believes that Yah~shua is the Son of Yahweh? 6 This is He that came by water and blood, even Yah~shua Messiah; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that bears witness, because the Spirit is Truth.
1 Timothy 3:15 But if I tarry long, that you may know how you ought to behave yourself in the house of Yahweh, which is the church [ekklesia] of the living Yahweh, the pillar and ground of the truth.
James 1:18 Of His own will begat He US with the Word of Truth, that WE should be a kind of first-fruits of His creatures.
1 Timothy 2:3-4 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of Yahweh our Savior; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the Truth.
Ephesians 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and Righteousness and Truth;)
Psalm 119:172 My tongue shall speak of Your Word: for ALL Your commandments are righteousness.
Worship Yahweh – 1st Commandment
Mark 12:30 And YOU shall love Yahweh your Elohim with all YOUR heart, and with all YOUR soul, and with all YOUR mind, and with all YOUR strength: this is the First Commandment.
John 4:23-24 But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth: for the Father seeks such to worship Him. 24 Yahweh is a Spirit: and they that worship Him MUST worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.
Matthew 4:10 Then said Yah~shua unto him, Get you hence, Satan: for it is written, You shall worship Yahweh your Elohim, and Him only shall you serve.
WE are NOW the “begotten” Children of Yahweh
Romans 8:9 But YOU are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of Yahweh dwell in YOU. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Messiah, he is none of His.
Yahweh’s Spirit
Do WE Have Yahweh’s Spirit?
Acts 5:32 And WE are His witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Spirit, which Yahweh has given to them that obey Him.
It is a Spirit of Truth
Yahweh’s Spirit is the differentiator …
1 John 4:6 We are of Yahweh: he that knows Yahweh hears us; he that is not of Yahweh hears not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
John 16:13 Howbeit when It, the Spirit of Truth, is come, It will guide YOU into all Truth: for It shall not speak of Itself; but whatsoever It shall hear, that shall It speak: and It will show YOU things to come.
Do WE Love Truth?
2 Thess. 2:3-13 Let no man deceive YOU by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called Yahweh, or that is worshipped; so that he as Yahweh sits in the temple of Yahweh, showing himself that he is Yahweh. 5 Remember you not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6 And now YOU know what to hold fast that he might be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of iniquity does already work: only hold fast, until he be taken out of the way. 8 And then shall that Wicked one be revealed, whom Yahweh shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming: 9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the Truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause Yahweh shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be separated who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 13 But we are bound to give thanks always to Yahweh for YOU, brethren beloved of Yahweh, because Yahweh has from the beginning chosen YOU to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth:
YAHWEH’S WILL
WE are begotten by the Word!
James 1:18 Of His own will begat He US with the Word of Truth, that WE should be a certain one of firstfruits of His creatures.
Truth Shall Make You Free!
John 8:32 And YOU shall know the truth, and the truth shall make YOU free.
John 14:6 Yah~shua said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by Me.
Desires ALL to be Saved.
1 Timothy 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the TRUTH.
Many Sons and Daughters.
John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to THEM gave He power to become the Sons of Yahweh, even to them that believe on His name:
2 Corinthians 6:18 And will be a Father unto YOU, and YOU shall be My Sons and Daughters, says EL Shadday.
Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of Yahweh, THEY are the sons of Yahweh.
WE are NOW His Sons.
1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon US, that WE should be called the Sons of Yahweh: therefore the world knows US not, because it knew Him not.
Do WE Have Unity of The Spirit?
One Spirit.
Eph. 4:1-4 That YOU walk with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit.
1 Cor. 12:4, 11, 13 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit . . . 11 All these work one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally even as He will. 13 For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body; whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and were all made to drink of one Spirit
OUR Journey
Our Reality … WE are NOT ALL at the same point at the same time. A Journey has A “Beginning” & A “Destination” Point.
Again, What is the Purpose of this “Unity” Conference?
Is it to convince Others on What WE Believe? Is it to Share OUR Beliefs? Is it to Listen & Learn, or be Challenged? Or, Is it to come to the Unity of the Spirit … THE TRUTH?
Peter recorded WE are to GROW in GRACE & KNOWLEDGE.
Paul recorded WE are to “wrestle together.”
Philippians 1:27 Only let YOUR conversation [behavior] be as it becomes the good news of Messiah: that whether I come and see YOU, or else be absent, I may hear of YOUR affairs, that YOU stand fast in One Spirit, with One Mind striving [wrestling] together for the faith [belief] of the good news; Messiah, as recorded in Luke 22:32, “Peter, when you are converted [changed] …
OUR Journey – OUR Reality …
Romans 6:3-6 Know YOU not, that so many of US as were baptized into Yah~shua Messiah were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore WE are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Messiah was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so WE also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if WE have been planted together in the likeness of His death, WE shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that OUR old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth WE should not serve sin.
Ephesians 2:15 Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in Himself of two ONE NEW MAN, so making peace;
Ephesians 4:24 And that YOU put on THE NEW MAN, which after Yahweh is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Colossians 3:10 And have put on THE NEW MAN, which is renewed in knowledge after the image [likeness] of him that created him:
WE are Purchased Possessions!
Eph. 1:12-17 That WE should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Messiah. 13 In whom YOU also trusted, after that YOU heard the Word of Truth, the good news of YOUR salvation: in whom also after that YOU believed, YOU were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of OUR inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory. 15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of YOUR faith in the Master Yah~shua, and love unto all the saints, 16 Cease not to give thanks for YOU, making mention of YOU in my prayers; 17 That the EL of our Master Yah~shua Messiah, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him:
What are WE CALLED? Who do WE FOLLOW? Jews, Christians, Who?
Jewish Religion
Luke 13:34, 35 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which kill the prophets, and stone them that are sent unto you; how often would I have gathered your children together, as a hen does gather her brood under her wings, and you would not! 35 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, You shall not see Me, until the time come when you shall say, Blessed is He that comes in the name of Yahweh.
Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Romans 11:8 (According as it is written, Yahweh has given them the Spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.
Moses Seat
Do WE follow the Jews & THEIR traditions?
Oracles given to them … Rom. 3:1-3, 10. Condemned because of their Tradition … Mark 7:8, 9, 13. They Deny Messiah … To This Day! They still attempt to follow the Sinai Covenant … John 8:28. Established their own Calendar with man made rules. Scripture says they are blinded. Sitting in Moses Seat was an Honor given for Reading Torah …
Today … Do WE Have the Love of Truth?
Growing in Truth and Knowledge … Not ALL at the same Point.
✓ Calendar Observance – All Annual Feast Days – Lev. 23.
✓ Keeping the Passover – Matt. 26:18; 1 Cor. 5:7-8.
✓ Observing the Annual Feast Days.
✓Understanding their Meanings – Col. 2:16-17; Heb. 10:1; Psa. 111:10
✓ Observing the Weekly Sabbath.
✓ How? – Exo. 31:16; Neh. 13; Isa. 56; How did Yah~shua Keep it?
✓ Using the Hebrew Names.
✓ Understanding Why it is Important – Acts 4:12.
✓ Understanding Why it is Important – Acts 4:12.
✓ Understanding the term “World” – 1 John 2:16.
✓ Understanding Prophecy – 1 Pet 1:19, 21; Rev. 1:3.
✓ Do we hate evil? Psa. 97:10; Prov. 8:13.
✓ Having Love one for Another – My disciples … John 13:35.
✓ Judging NOT the Heart of Man – John 7:24.
✓ Righteous Judgment … According to Yahweh’s Teachings (Torah).
The Body of Messiah
Rev. 2-3: Ekklesia – “Called Out Ones.”
7 Groups with varying Beliefs/Practices – Negatives:
❑ Ephesus – YOU have left YOUR First Love.
❑ Smyrna – I know the blasphemy of THEM Which Say THEY Are Jews (Spiritual) … but are of the Synagogue of Satan.
❑ Pergamos – 1. THEM that hold to the teachings of Balaam (2 Pet.2:15; Num. 22:1-24:25), WHO taught Balac to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit porneia. 2. THEM that hold the teachings of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate … [Nicolaitanes = #3531 Niko (Conquerors); Laos (People): through religion].
❑ Thyatira – Suffered that woman Jezebel, which calls herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce My servants to commit fornication (pornia) and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
❑ Sardis – YOU Have A Name That YOU Live But Are Dead.
❑ Philadelphia – None.
❑ Laodiceans – 1. I know YOUR works, that YOU are neither hot or cold, I wish YOU were either Hot or cold – because lukewarm I will spue YOU out of My mouth, 2. YOU say, I am rich, increased with goods, have need of nothing; and know not that YOU are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked.
Fate of the Wicked
Malachi 4:1-6 For, behold, the day comes, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yes, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that comes shall burn them up, says Yahweh of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But unto you that fear My Name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in His wings; and you shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. 3 And you shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, says Yahweh of hosts. 4 Remember you the law of Moses My servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. 5 Behold, I will send you El-Yah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of Yahweh: 6 And He shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. …
To Become a Co-Heir
Yah~shua’s Spiritual Reality!
Few Truly Believe and Trust in Truth – Is It Real to US?
Few Have Tested and Proved the Truth.
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be YOU transformed by the renewing of YOUR mind, that YOU may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of Yahweh.
2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith [belief]; prove YOUR own selves. Know you not YOUR own selves, how that Yah~shua Messiah is in YOU, except YOU be reprobates?
1 Thessalonians 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
The Body of Messiah
Earnestly Contend …
Jude 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort [YOU] that you should earnestly contend for the faith [belief] which was once delivered unto the saints.
2 Tim. 2:15 Study [make haste, give diligence] to show yourself approved unto Yahweh, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
With speed!
Hebrews 12:28-29 Wherefore WE receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let US have grace, whereby WE may serve Yahweh acceptably with reverence [fear] and awe: 29 For our Elohim is a consuming fire.