Those Who Love Not the Truth

TEXT:  Prov. 23:23

INTRODUCTION:

A.      SOLOMON WAS POINTING OUT THE VALUE OF THE TRUTH.

B.      TRUTH MAKES US FREE( John 8:32 ), MAKES SALVATION POSSIBLE

          ( 2 Thes. 2:10 ).

C.      THERE ARE SPIRITUAL CONSEQUENCES OF NOT LOVING THE TRUTH.

THOSE WHO LOVE NOT THE TRUTH:

I.      WILL BE DECEIVED WITH UNRIGHTEOUSNESS

        ( 2 Thes. 2:10-11 ).

A.      APPEARANCES CAN BE DECEIVING( Prov. 16:25 ).

B.      GOD'S COMMANDS ARE RIGHTEOUS( Psa. 119:172 ).

C.      THEY ARE ABLE TO MAKE US COMPLETE( 2 Tim. 3:16-17 ).

D.      YET MANY PLACE OPINION & PLEASURE ABOVE THE TRUTH.

E.      THIS PREJUDICE CAUSES MANY TO NOT BELIEVE TRUTH(2 Cor.4:3-4).

F.      EXPRESSED THIS WAY IN 2 Thess. 2:12. "Pleasure in unrighteousness."

G.      IF THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT...( vs. 11, 12 ).

II.     DON'T OBEY THE TRUTH.

A.      THE TRUTH IS GOD'S WORD( John 17:17 ).

B.      HIS POWER TO SAVE( Rom. 1:16 ).

          1.       Convicts of sin( Rom. 3:23 ).

          2.       Provides escape( James 1:21 ).

C.      THO THE TRUTH CONVICTS, MANY DO NOT ACCEPT THE ESCAPE.

          1.       Felix trembled. Why?  But what did he do?( Acts 24:25 ).

          2.       Many Jews believed, but would not confess( John 12:42-43 ).

D.      WE MUST OBEY TO ESCAPE( Matt. 7:21;  James 1:22 ).

E.      IF SOMETHING IS MORE PRECIOUS, WE WON'T ESCAPE( Heb. 2:1-3 ).

III.    DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT EITHER( 2 Tim. 4:3-4 ).

A.      WHEN WE TURN AWAY FROM THE TRUTH, WHAT DO WE HAVE?

          1.       vs. 4.  "fables."

          2.       Rom. 1:25.  "lies."

B.      THE JEWS OF OLD HAD THIS PROBLEM.

          1.       They wanted error( Jer. 5:30-31 ).

          2.       They turned to error-teaching prophets for comfort( 2 Tim. 4:3;  Jer. 2:13 ).

C.      THE TRAGIC RESULT( Mat. 15:14 ).

IV.   OPENLY OPPOSE IT( 2 Tim. 3:8 ).

          A.      AHAB & MICAIAH.

          B.      STEPHEN( Acts 7:54-57 ).

          C.      John 6:60, 66;  8:48.

          D.      THE STANDARD( John 12:48 ).

CONCLUSION:

A.      I DON'T DEMAND THAT YOU AGREE WITH ME!

B.      IF YOU DISAGREE, HOW CAN WE COME TO AGREEMENT?

C.      THE BIBLE HAS THE ANSWERS.