“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17)
“Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68)
The Word of God is truth, and from these truths we can receive eternal life, if we accept them as such. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)
To not recognize them as such is one thing, but to see and understand that the Scriptures are indeed truth and then reject them as such is quite another. Satan is the first one that comes to mind here, along with all that were cast out with him. He knows for a fact, there is no questioning, no doubt in his mind that the Living God exists, that every word that He has given to us in His Holy book is truth, he cannot deny this, and so he lies to mankind, attempting to dissuade us from acknowledging them as such.
His first attempt with Eve in the garden of Eden has not been altered in any fashion, offer an alternative to truth and let those who will listen to him make up their own mind. “Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?” (1st Kings 3:9)
It is the greater sin to know the truth and reject it than to not understand that same truth.
The weaker brother has in this regard, at least until these truths are revealed to him and accepted as such, a viable excuse, but, as it is with all mankind, once the truths of the Word of God are known, rejecting them leads to greater damnation.
“That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (2nd Thess. 2:12)
“Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” (2nd Tim. 3:5)
“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17)
In hell there is weeping and gnashing of teeth, those who weep there will never be consoled, those who gnash their teeth in that place of torment knew the truth and yet spent the entirety of their lives rejecting it, and the One who in love offered it to them. This in part is why the world vehemently hates those who have been born again, for when we offer them the truths of the Word of God they know them as such, and it removes from them the idea that they are the masters of their own destiny, it reminds them that there is a Sovereign Lord over all creation and that they will be held accountable one day for how they lived their lives.
We who have been crucified with Christ understand, at least as much as the Lord has determined at this time to reveal to us, the truths of His written word, we understand what is required of us as His ambassadors here on earth, we have been shown how to behave and act according to His will and word. The truth teaches us humility, the Word of God shows us that He alone is Sovereign, that He will not only rule in the end, but that He has always ruled. “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:” (Isaiah 46:10)
To seek the face of God is to seek for truth, for the words of life, but to be pleasing in the eyes of the Most High, to be a profitable servant, one must apply those truths daily in their lives. “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)
Those who know the truth and do not obey, do not love the Lord Jesus Christ, those who will not live their lives devoted to His glory yet know the truth will not enter into His Kingdom. Dying to self is the recognition of the truth, for it shows not only to us but to all we meet that these truths offered have set us free.
