Grace & Truth: Truth and Trust
Pastor Kent Landhuis
THEME - Temptations are always temptations to trust in something far less than what God offers.
TEXT - Luke 4:1-30
1. Who do you trust when called?
• Luke 3:21-22
2. Who do you trust when tempted?
• Luke 4:1-13
• Deuteronomy 6 & 8
3. Who do you trust when challenged?
• Luke 4:14-30
Next Step: When called.
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 2 Peter 1:3
Next Step: When tempted.
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13
Next Step: When challenged
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Ephesians 6:10-11
GO DEEPER:
Truth Matters
See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. Colossians 2:8
Here is a summary of an essay entitled Truth, Error, and Knowing by James Anderson. To read the entire essay go to https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/truth-error-and-knowing/.
Scripture places a high premium on truth, not least because truthfulness is an essential attribute of God and his Word. The deep connections between truth and the triune God have wide-ranging ethical implications for God’s covenant people. The Bible takes for granted a realist view of truth, according to which truth involves (minimally) the accurate depiction of reality. Philosophers have proposed various theories of truth, insights from which can be incorporated into a Christian theological account of truth. Since error is a deviation from what is true and right, neither God nor his Word can err, and Christians should especially strive to avoid theological errors and promote sound doctrine (orthodoxy). Scripture also has important things to say about knowledge, both divine and human. On account of God’s revelation and our God-given cognitive faculties, we can acquire various kinds of knowledge, including propositional knowledge of truths about our creator, the created world, and ourselves. The greatest knowledge, however, consists in a saving personal knowledge of God through Jesus Christ.
