When being sworn in, during a court case, a person is always asked the customary question, “Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?” However, after taking the stand, many witnesses have been known to tell half-truths fearing that any additional information might damage the case of the prosecution or defense. Half-truths often mislead the hearer, which results in him or her believing something that is fictitious.
Believers must refrain from half-truths when teaching others about God and His Gospel. Last night, our youth talked about the importance of learning what Scripture teaches about God and the Gospel and the dangers of focusing on one attribute and element while omitting others. A.W. Tozer warns against magnifying one to the exclusion of another. He says, "The Bible teaches that God is love; some have interpreted this in such a way as virtually to deny that He is just, which the Bible also teaches. Others press the Biblical doctrine of God’s goodness so far that it is made to contradict His holiness. Or they make His compassion cancel out His truth. Still others understand the sovereignty of God in a way that destroys or at least greatly diminishes His goodness and love."
During youth, we watched a DVD of a well known author who claims that God loves everyone as they are. He explained in James 2 that God does not show partiality. He used this passage to try and prove his point that God loves people no matter who they are, what they have done and/or what they believe. The major problem is that he takes this passage out of context. James is addressing external not internal attributes. He is talking about a person’s social status not heart condition. Scripture teaches that God does not love us as we are, but in spite of who we are. Paul explains, "God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
The author in the DVD also explains the incident of the woman who was caught in the act of adultery in John 8. He argues that because Jesus does not condemn the woman, neither should we condemn the actions of others. He, however, fails to mention the last statement made by Christ to the woman. Jesus tells her, “Go, and from now on sin no more” (John 8:11). Jesus does not excuse her sin, but calls for her to repent and forgives her of her sins.
Believers must refrain from half-truths when teaching others about God and His Gospel. Last night, our youth talked about the importance of learning what Scripture teaches about God and the Gospel and the dangers of focusing on one attribute and element while omitting others. A.W. Tozer warns against magnifying one to the exclusion of another. He says, "The Bible teaches that God is love; some have interpreted this in such a way as virtually to deny that He is just, which the Bible also teaches. Others press the Biblical doctrine of God’s goodness so far that it is made to contradict His holiness. Or they make His compassion cancel out His truth. Still others understand the sovereignty of God in a way that destroys or at least greatly diminishes His goodness and love."
During youth, we watched a DVD of a well known author who claims that God loves everyone as they are. He explained in James 2 that God does not show partiality. He used this passage to try and prove his point that God loves people no matter who they are, what they have done and/or what they believe. The major problem is that he takes this passage out of context. James is addressing external not internal attributes. He is talking about a person’s social status not heart condition. Scripture teaches that God does not love us as we are, but in spite of who we are. Paul explains, "God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
The author in the DVD also explains the incident of the woman who was caught in the act of adultery in John 8. He argues that because Jesus does not condemn the woman, neither should we condemn the actions of others. He, however, fails to mention the last statement made by Christ to the woman. Jesus tells her, “Go, and from now on sin no more” (John 8:11). Jesus does not excuse her sin, but calls for her to repent and forgives her of her sins.
A result of half-truths is an absence of truth. According to Tozer, "Almost every heresy that has afflicted the church through the years has arisen from believing about God things that are not true, or from overemphasizing certain true things so as to obscure other things equally truth." Although believers need to teach that God loves the world (John 3:16), they must also teach that he hates sin (Psalm 5:5) and that sinners are enemies of God (James 4:4). If people do not have knowledge of God's holiness and their sinfulness, then they will fail to see their need of Him making salvation impossible.
Tozer, A.W. The Knowledge of the Holy. San Francisco: Harper Collins Publishers, 79.
