Just how important is truth – Gospel truth?

Two men had an argument. To settle the matter, they went to a judge for arbitration. The plaintiff made his case. He was very eloquent and persuasive in his reasoning. When he finished, the judge nodded in approval and said, "That's right, that's right."

On hearing this, the defendant jumped up and said, "Wait a second, judge, you haven't even heard my side of the case yet." So the judge told the defendant to state his case. And he, too, was very persuasive and eloquent. When he finished, the judge said, "That's right, that's right."

When the clerk of court heard this, he jumped up and said, "Judge, they both can't be right." The judge looked at the clerk of court and said, "That's right, that's right."

Truth by its very nature is narrow. Liberals like to put down absolutes for relativism which tries to encompass everything as being true.

To show you how passionate the apostle Paul was for the truth, I’ll give you an example.

The Corinthians were a sorry bunch when it came to visibly living out the Christ within them. They had problems with divisions (1 Cor. 1:10-4:21). They suffered from moral disorders (5:1-6:20). They had to have their concepts corrected concerning marriage and divorce (7:1-40). Religiously, they were eating food offered to idols (8:1-11:1). Their public worship was out of hand (11:2-14:40). They had to be corrected on the doctrine of the resurrection (15:1-58). And then there were some additional personal matters that Paul needed to address (16:1-24). This church was most certainly out of control.

But when Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he takes the time to commend them: “I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— 6 God thus confirming our testimonyabout Christ among you. 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1:4-9).

Unbelievable!

But when you come to the Book of Galatians, another book that Paul wrote and to a different group of saints, Paul does not even commend them once! Instead, right from the start, he launches into a rebuke: “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!” (Gal. 1:6-9).

Why the difference? The difference was that, as bad as the Corinthians situation was, the major problem there (with the notable exception regarding the resurrection, see 1 Cor. 15) did not pertain so much to right doctrine (truth) as to right living (application of the truth). In the Galatian churches, on the other hand, the very heart of the gospel was being undermined by false teachers. And the Galatians were falling for it. Paul wastes no time in giving words of commendation to a church that was allowing people into their fellowship preaching and teaching a different gospel. Instead, Paul bursts forth and rebukes them heavily because their spiritual status and the criticalness of the situation were far more serious than that of the Corinthians.

With a lot of patience and a little help, people can make adjustments to their living. But the poison of false truth into the minds and hearts of others by those who disguise themselves as Christians who pretend to be concerned for the souls of others is a lot more damaging and has eternal consequences.

The lesson is obvious. When it comes to changes in matter of living, patience and kindness is in order. When it comes to the entrance of someone perverting the gospel of Christ, rebuke and sternness is in order. Remember, the gospel is Grace alone, Faith alone and Christ alone. Anyone who challenges this, remember this, it is a different gospel and the person who teaches such is “devoted to destruction” (Gal. 1:6-9).