Paul tells us that some men are to perish because they love not the truth (2 Thess. 2:10). Since men are saved by the truth and the purifying process of truth (1 Pet. 1:22), these indeed will perish. One with no desire for truth will most certainly not be open to truth, and thus will not learn or obey truth. We in the kingdom of Christ have obeyed the truth and are in constant obedience to it. Loving truth means that we love all of it, and we wish to do all things to promote it.
In that regard, let us say some things about loving the truth and loving it enough to care. These points are significant:
(1) We should love the truth enough to study it. We are told to study, as one approved of God, and with such diligent care that we “rightly handle” the truth (2 Tim. 2:15). A readiness of mind should always be in us (Acts 17:11), and we should have a permanent and continual appetite for truth.
(2) We should love the truth enough to live by it. Faithfulness to the Lord’s will is seen as an adorning of the doctrine of God (Titus 2:10). We cannot add anything to the body of divine doctrine—we cannot add to the content of the Bible—but we can demonstrate to all what faithfulness to the truth can do in one’s life. That point on “adorning the doctrine” is set in contrast with unfaithfulness, which blasphemes the word (Titus 2:5). Truth is to be demonstrated in life, and we should love it enough to fashion our lives in keeping with the Lord’s wishes.
(3) We should love the truth enough to speak it. To the young preacher, Paul urged, “teach what accords with sound doctrine…in your teaching show integrity” (Titus 2:1,7). Whether in private conversation with one whom we would like to influence for God and for good or in a public proclamation of the truth, we should desire that the message flowing from our lips or our pen be in strict keeping with the word of truth. Paul warned against giving the “indistinct sound” (1 Cor. 14:8); and with every opportunity to speak, the servant of God may be addressing some who now are receiving their last opportunity to obey before their eternity begins. How all speakers should make sure they utter only truth! How much is that of brotherhood concern just now, when it is evident that some are getting their sermon material from sectarian sources rather than from the Bible! We should love the truth enough to take care that only the truth proceeds from our lips!
(4) We should love the truth enough to desire to hear only the truth. This moves us to consider the audience among the saints of God, and who should have a longing for truth to such an extent that nothing else will be tolerated! Sadly, things can be so bad, with so much apostasy unfolding, that men will turn from truth because they no longer will endure it (2 Tim. 4:3,4). That is the apostate. However, within the loyal body of saints, there must be a hungering for truth because of the value placed on it, and men who speak otherwise should speedily be informed that they have presented error and that there will be no toleration of such! Nothing would speed the shutting of the false teachers’ mouths like this response from the church.
Yes, the point is the love of truth, and the question: Do we love the truth enough to care? Love it enough to care for the word of truth, so as to study it continually? Love it enough to make sure that our lives are governed by it? Love it enough to make sure that our speech is biblical? Love it enough to raise our voices, in the congregations, in insistence that only the truth be set forth from the pulpit? Love the truth—so needed in a time of apostasy! Do we care? Indeed,
“Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?” (Lam. 1:12)