26. THE CHRISTIAN'S HATRED OF ERROR
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Truth is light. It makes manifest. It is one. It is harmonious. No truth contradicts any other truth. Truth has in it no jars, no discords, no contradictions. Like its Author, it is simple, eternal, and immutable. It came from God, who cannot lie, cannot deceive, cannot be mistaken, cannot be outwitted. Sin and holiness never were the same, and to all eternity they shall be different. Right and wrong cannot agree, because one is conformity to truth and the other is at war with truth. One is from above; the other is from beneath. Truth is the opposite of fiction, fable, falsehood.
All truth is equally true, but all truth is not equally important. The axioms of geometry are as true as the first principles of the Gospel, yet a man may be happy, holy, and saved without knowing any mathematical truth whatever; but eternal life depends on our knowing God and Jesus Christ, whom He has sent. In the arts and sciences a truth may be of great value to one man, while to him whose calling or profession is different, it is of no considerable value. But all Christian truth is of great price to every man. On it depends his eternal well-being. We cannot give too much for it. "Buy the truth and sell it not." The wise men of the East took a long journey to see Him who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; and they gained their object. They went on no fool's errand. It was with a great sum that the chief captain obtained the freedom of a Roman citizen. It was a grant worth having; but it reached not beyond this life. Many who had it not, lived virtuously and piously, and were happy beyond the grave. But he who has the truth is blessed forever and ever.
No deficiency is so appalling as to be left destitute of God's mercy and truth. All else is bearable. This is intolerable misery. Hezekiah justly thought it would be well with him if peace and truth were in his days. When the Messiah rides prosperously, it is because of truth and meekness and righteousness. When God would pronounce a blessing on philanthropists and benefactors, He says: "Mercy and truth shall be to those who devise good." Nor is there ever a sadder state of things in a community, than when truth is fallen in the streets, for then justice stands afar off and equity cannot enter.
On the other hand, a lie is the opposite of truth. It misleads, deceives, and beguiles, just as far as it is received. It is the progeny of the wicked one. When men delight in lies they curse inwardly. The sentence of God is, "He who speaks lies shall perish." If any doubt God's abhorrence of lies, in the shape of falsehood to men, let them read the awful history of Gehazi. And if any doubt God's abhorrence of lies uttered to Himself, let him read the appalling story of Ananias and Sapphira.
Lies, in the shape of religious error, are greatly displeasing to God. False teachers cause the people to err by their lies. By the same means they make the heart of godly men sad. They thus afflict whom God would comfort. When men speak lies in hypocrisy, you may know that their conscience is seared with a hot iron. Just as sure as a man loves God's word—he hates and abhors lying. Nothing is more offensive to God than false doctrine. It is a slander on the Almighty. It is a deadly poison. It eats like a cancer.
It is astonishing how bitter is the malignity of men against all who are grieved by their false doctrines. "A lying tongue hates those that are afflicted by it." The basest passions were indulged against all the prophets and apostles and intrepid friends of truth by all the fautors of wicked dogmas.
"No lie is of the truth." That is, no lie is a part of the truth. No false doctrine is any part of Christianity. Pool: "Any part of false doctrine does so ill match and square with the frame of Divine truth, that judicious Christians may discern they are not of a piece."
Remarks.
1. It is a solemn duty to be valiant for the truth. Men whose profession, office, or station calls them to be so, and are not—are justly condemned of the Lord, and are put down among the greatest enemies of God and man (Jer. 9:3). Over a people in such a state the bitterest tears may be justly poured out. If they cannot be changed, they are utterly undone.
2. God's peace and God's truth go together. We cannot have the former without the latter. Holy writers often unite them. Why should we foolishly try to separate them? They are closely united in all good governments, in all happy families, in all virtuous people.
3. No lie has any sanctifying power. It comes from wickedness. It leads to wickedness. God may save us notwithstanding some errors, but He will not save us by means of our errors. "Sanctify them through Your truth; Your word is truth."
4. True liberty is by the power of truth in the hands of the Holy Spirit. "The truth shall make you free." All error is wicked. It enslaves. It degrades. It debases. It opposes the God of truth and the Spirit of truth.
5. The truth may be held in unrighteousness. Many have done so. It is bad not to know the truth. It is ruinous to know the truth and not obey it. Practice is the very life of piety. "Everyone that is of the truth hears My voice," says Christ. "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good."
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