Archive for 1 John

Knowing Truth From Lies

Posted in #PaulthePoke with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 13, 2022 by paulthepoke

Scripture: 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude

Memory Verse: 3 John 1:4, I have no greater joy than this, to hear my children walking in the truth.

Key Theme: These four epistles offer concepts of contrasts. Ultimately, what is the truth and what is a lie?

God is the source of truth. All three persons of the Trinity are truth as a source. May God be found true (Romans 3:4). The Spirit is stated as truth in 1 John 5:7. Jesus proclaimed He is the truth in John 14:6. Jesus is the representation of the Father (Hebrews 1:3).

Truth can be learned from many sources. Some of these include the apostles. The apostles saw, touched, and heard the truth in Jesus for themselves (1 John 1:1-3). Truth can be learned from members of the church. A positive example would be Demetrius who received a good testimony from the truth itself (3 John 1:12). Truth can be learned from the spirits. But it is important to test the spirits to determine if they are from God (1 John 4:1). A teacher of the church can teach the truth for the building up of the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-12). Practically, the truth can be learned by reading the Word, our Bible.

There are consequences when choosing or rejecting the truth. Choices lead to practicing righteousness or sin (1 John 3:7-10). There is the choice of light (God) or darkness (lies), (1 John 1:5-6).

How do we handle the issue of sin? Are sins confessed or is personal sin denied? Confession of sins can lead to forgiveness and cleansing. Denying sin results in making Christ a liar (1 John 1:8-10). There are considerations of obedience and practice in regards to God’s commandments. Application of teaching determines whether or not one has God (2 John 1:6-9). Choose good over evil (3 John 1:11). The choice to love leads to life. He who does not love abides in death (1 John 3:14). Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer (1 John 3:15). It is important to practice what one believes. Ultimately, your eternity hinges on whether or not you believe the truth that Jesus died for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3).

Jesus tells us in John 8:44 that truth is not found in Satan. He is the father of lies. It is his nature to lie. It is his desire to lie. Satan does not stand for the truth. He is a liar. Satan is a sinner from the beginning (1 John 3:8). Satan has many instruments at his disposal to dispatch lies. The antichrist of the future is noted in 1 John 2:18. Even now the spirit of the antichrist is at work (1 John 4:3). In Revelation 13 the beast from the earth or the false prophet dispenses lies. He calls for the worship of the antichrist. False spirits are called to be tested in 1 John 4:1. False prophets (1 John 4:1) are at work in the world. Satan also has demons at his disposal. He is the ruler of demons (Matthew 12:24). Members of the church are noted. Characteristics of these men are described in Jude 1:12, 13, and 16. A specific example of a man in the church would be Diotrephes. He rejected the authority of the apostles and was singled out with condemnation (3 John 1:9-10). Satan also has the world at his disposal. The whole world lies in the power of the evil one (1 John 5:19).

https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Lehr/e/B09W8FB77N

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Resurrection: The Atheist Always Demanding Proof

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Gospel, Prophecy, Resurrection, Spring Feasts with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 16, 2022 by paulthepoke

The atheist, always wanting proof. The arguments are all the same. The Bible does not count as evidence so they say. Jesus is imaginary. The Bible is a fairy tale and just a book of stories. Religion is for the weak minded. Insert next cliché here…

You all spend a lot of time on “imaginary things” as you see it.

The atheist claims to have read the Bible. They usually studied the Bible at a liberal university and read it cover to cover of course. They took a class under a liberal, tenured professor. And they were brainwashed and told what to think.

Here is my challenge to the atheist. Sit down by yourself. Read. Comprehend… and think. Stop regurgitating what somebody told you. Be an independent thinker. Stop acting like the collective Borg.

As an introductory to Jesus, I recommend the book of 1 John. This will not take more than 10 minutes.

So you want proof…

Eye Witness Accounts

1 Corinthians 15:6-8 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.

In the passage above, there are 512 plus eyewitnesses to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

John 20:11 But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb;

Luke 24:10 Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles.

Salome is included with this group in Mark 16:1 for a total of at least 4 women.

Luke 24:13-15 And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them.

Cleopas and friend are two other witnesses.

Matthew 27:54 Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

And to close out the list, a Roman atheist and his fellow guards. Seeing was believing for these boys.

But Jesus was not the only person resurrected. He was the first but there were others.

Matthew 27:52-53 The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many.

The events took place during Passover. Jews were required per Mosaic Law to come to Jerusalem for the holiday. Tens of thousands of people would have been in the city visiting in addition to the population.

~

The evidence provided in Scripture would stand in a court of law. Harvard Law Professor Simon Greenleaf wrote A Treatise on the Law of Evidence. The document is viewed as “the greatest single authority in the entire literature of legal procedure.” The United States judicial system functions on the rules of evidence established by Greenleaf.

Professor Greenleaf, an atheist, took up the issue of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The facts changed his mind.

Professor Greenleaf’s legal standard of proof is not the issue. The case for the resurrection of Jesus is legally tight. Who cares if the facts stand in a man-made court of law??? The issue is this…

DO YOU BELIEVE THE RECORD?

Your eternal destination is in the balance.

https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Lehr/e/B09W8FB77N

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A Call for a Temporary World Government, March 2020

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Antichrist/Beast, Prophecy with tags , , , , on March 28, 2020 by paulthepoke

1 John 4:3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.

photo: Sky News

March 28, 2020: Gordon Brown is a former British Prime Minister. He served from 2007-2010. Mr. Brown has concerns with the current Coronavirus COVID 19 pandemic and the resulting global economic hardships. He is calling for a temporary world government to address the issues.

Brown wants to discuss the idea next week with the teleconference of the G20. He also would like to involve the United Nations.

Here are some quotes from Gordon Brown.

“This is not something that can be dealt with in one country. There has to be a coordinated global response.”

“We need some sort of working executive. If I were doing it again, I would make the G20 a broader organization because in the current circumstances you need to listen to the countries that are most affected, the countries that are making a difference and countries where there is the potential for a massive number of people to be affected – such as those in Africa.”

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/mar/26/gordon-brown-calls-for-global-government-to-tackle-coronavirus

https://www.globalgovernmentforum.com/ex-uk-pm-gordon-brown-calls-for-global-government-to-tackle-coronavirus-pandemic/#

~

Let me be absolutely crystal clear. I am not stating Gordon Brown is the antichrist. The way is being paved. The idea of a one world leader is emerging on the global stage. We are trending in his direction. The world is looking for someone, the wrong guy, to solve its problems.

We are not in the seven year tribulation or Daniel’s 70th week. See Gabriel’s message in Daniel 9. Still waiting on somebody with a bow to go forth on a white horse, who will be given a crown, and overcoming and conquering (Revelation 6).

But, we are trending and we have someone calling for a world executive.

1 John 2:8 Children, it is the last hour; and just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. This is how we know it is the last hour.

https://paulthepoke.com/category/antichristbeast/

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Jude: Love

Posted in Jude with tags , , , , , on October 28, 2018 by paulthepoke

Jude 1:2 May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

This is the second time the word αγαπαο/agapao or “love” is used by Jude. For what it’s worth, scholars argue whether the term is used three or four times by Jude.

This is αγαπαο/agapao. This is God’s “love” for us. Defined as love, affection, good will, benevolence, to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly. This love is the nature of God.

Get the flutter out of your stomach and the tingle out of your senses. This love is purposeful with selection. God chooses us despite our issues.

God is love. He is αγαπαο/agapao.

1 John 4:8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 John 4:16 And we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us. God is love; whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

God demonstrated His αγαπαο/agapao for broken humanity by sending His Son.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

hand-1910143_960_720 pixabay

In response to God’s love, we are called to αγαπαο/agapao. We are called to love with all of our being and all that we have to offer; heart, soul, mind, and strength. In the verses below from Mark 12, the original language communicates this love is a future action. Jesus is telling us how and who to love.

Which begs the questions, do we put God first in our lives? Order matters to Jesus. He put God above others. Have we made personal sacrifices for God? Do we love God with intensity and passion? Do we sacrifice ourselves on behalf of others? Do we love our neighbors with the same gusto as we love ourselves?

Mark 12:29-31 Jesus answered, “The most important is, Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”

 

Jude places the focus on the concepts of mercy and peace and love. May these ideals be multiplied and lavished. May an abundance be heaped upon you, the believer in Jesus Christ.

 

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Resurrection: The Atheist Demands Proof

Posted in Resurrection, Spring Feasts with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 15, 2017 by paulthepoke

The atheist, always wanting proof. The arguments are all the same. The Bible does not count as evidence so they say. Jesus is imaginary. The Bible is a fairy tale and just a book of stories. Religion is for the weak minded. Insert next cliché here…

The atheist claims to have read the Bible. They usually studied the Bible at a liberal university and read it cover to cover of course. They took a class under a liberal, tenured professor. And they were brainwashed and told what to think.

Here is my challenge to the atheist. Sit down by yourself. Read. Comprehend…and think. Stop regurgitating what somebody told you. As an introductory to Jesus, I recommend the book of 1 John.

shroud turin

So you want proof…

Eye Witness Accounts

1 Corinthians 15:6-8 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.

In the passage above, there are 512 plus eyewitnesses to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

John 20:11 But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb;

Luke 24:10 Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles.

Salome is included with this group in Mark 16:1 for a total of at least 4 women.

Luke 24:13-15 And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them.

Cleopas and friend are two other witnesses.

Matthew 27:54 Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

And to close out the list, a Roman atheist and his fellow guards. Seeing was believing for these boys.

 

But Jesus was not the only person resurrected. He was the first but there were others.

Matthew 27:52-53 The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many.

The events took place during Passover. Jews were required per Mosaic Law to come to Jerusalem for the holiday. Tens of thousands of people would have been in the city visiting in addition to the population.

The evidence provided in Scripture would stand in a court of law. Harvard Law Professor Simon Greenleaf wrote A Treatise on the Law of Evidence. The document is viewed as “the greatest single authority in the entire literature of legal procedure.” The United States judicial system functions on the rules of evidence established by Greenleaf.

Professor Greenleaf, an atheist, took up the issue of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The facts changed his mind.

Professor Greenleaf’s legal standard of proof is not the issue. The case for the resurrection of Jesus is legally tight. Who cares if the facts stand in a man-made court of law??? The issue is this…

DO YOU BELIEVE THE RECORD?

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Unleavened Bread: Broken & Hidden Matzah

Posted in Prophecy, Spring Feasts with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 12, 2017 by paulthepoke

Exodus 12:19 Seven days there shall be no leaven found in your houses; for whoever eats what is leavened, that person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is an alien or a native of the land.

This is the original Spring cleaning. Get the sin out of your life. The holiday is for seven days. The focus of the week is to live a life without leaven, the symbol for sin. Leaven is not to be in the house. Leaven products are not to be consumed. Goodbye to a loaf of bread, biscuits, and donuts.

Matzah has taken its place as the unleavened bread. At a Passover Seder, the matzah is broken before the meal. Part of the matzah is taken and wrapped in a cloth napkin. The cloth with the unleavened bread is taken away and hidden. At the end of the Seder, the unleavened bread is returned and eaten to close out the ceremony.

1 John 3:5 You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin.

Does this sound familiar? Jesus, the sinless man, was broken in death. His body was without sin. Christ is the unleavened bread.

1 Corinthians 11:24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

After He died, the body of Jesus was wrapped in a linen cloth. He was hidden or buried as the unleavened bread.

Mark 15:46 Joseph bought a linen cloth, took Him down, wrapped Him in the linen cloth and laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.

Christ was raised from the dead and resurrected. The unleavened bread is returned. Those who partake in Him shall have everlasting life.

Mark 16:6 And he said to them, “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him.”

 

Jesus Christ is the body without sin. He is the truth.

1 Corinthians 5:7-8 Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

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Trend Update: Paris Middle East Peace Conference, January 2017

Posted in Peace Plan, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 15, 2017 by paulthepoke

Zechariah 12:3 It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it.

January 15, 2017: Dateline Paris, France. Today the French hosted a Middle East Peace Conference with the expressed goal of a two state solution. Leaked information indicated the conference is looking to divide the land of Israel for a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. The city of Jerusalem would be divided. The division of Jerusalem includes the real estate of the Temple Mount. The region of the Golan Heights would be handed over to Syria as part of the deal. The result of the conference was tough talk for incoming President Trump. For now, the land and Jerusalem were not divided.

Seventy nations gathered in Paris for the event. Representatives from Israel and a future Palestine are not participating in the discussions and process. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault stated the French have “no intention other than promoting peace”.

The backdrop of the event is the pending inauguration of Donald Trump as President of the United States on Friday, January 20, 2017. The conference is intended to send a strong message to President Trump. World leaders are very uncomfortable with the proposed move of the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Many have stated a potential move would only complicate matters and increase the risk for further violence. A potential embassy move would interrupt and discourage an opportunity for peace in the Middle East per critics of Trump. This topic appears to be the focus of today’s meeting. The drum beat coming out of today’s conference is a potential US Embassy move to Jerusalem is a threat to peace.

Current Secretary of State John Kerry, “an explosion, an absolute explosion in the region, not just in the West Bank, and perhaps even in Israel itself, but throughout the region.”

The Palestinian Authority’s supreme Sharia judge Mahmoud Al-Habbash stated an embassy move to Jerusalem would be a “declaration of war.”

The Palestinians are asking the Russians and Vladimir Putin to help stop a potential US Embassy move.

The French are threatening President elect Trump with “serious consequences” with a move to Jerusalem. These actions would be deemed a “provocation”.

http://www.breitbart.com/jerusalem/2017/01/15/france-trumps-embassy-move-provocation-serious-consequences/

For those interested, see the link below for the official closing statement of the conference.

http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.765207

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called the meeting “useless” and “futile” and “rigged”. “Tomorrow’s world will be different, and it is very near.”

Scripture says the land will ultimately be divided. Frankly this process has already begun when the Gaza Strip was given to the Palestinians in 2006. We were told peace will come in exchange for land…

Joel 3:2b Israel…and they have divided up My land.

A little food for speculative thought…was the antichrist in the shadows in Paris??? Are we that close??? Geopolitical events could get very Biblically real in a hurry. Get concerned when humanity is talking peace and security.

1 Thessalonians 5:3 While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.

Have you looked into the biography of Jesus? You may want to read it. If you are not familiar with Him, I would recommend the Book of John or 1 John. They are straight forward and easy to read, no tricks.

 

 

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Trend Update: Palmyra Arch, London, Trafalgar Square, April 2016

Posted in Gospel, Trend Update, Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 27, 2016 by paulthepoke

Exodus 20:3 You shall have no other gods before Me.

Exodus 20:4 You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.

Exodus 20:5-6 You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

These are the first three commandments. They are relational to God. Notice, how one relates to God comes before how people relate to each other. God is the priority. Then, He defines how we are to relate to each other.

God states the consequence of the “iniquity”. The Hebrew word is `avon. The word can also be translated as perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt, or punishment (Strong’s Concordance). Idol worship and/or worship of other gods will impact your family tree to your grandchildren and great grandchildren. God takes this quite seriously.

Worshiping or bowing down to idols and/or false gods is equated with hating God.

The critic often says, “Well, the 10 Commandments are in the Old Testament and we live during the Church age in the New Testament. Jesus took care of the Law.”

The Law (10 Commandments) has not gone away. Jesus Himself made this very clear. Matthew 5:17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”

Granted if one is a believer in Christ, He has you covered literally and figuratively. To the unbeliever, the Law is in full effect whether they believe it or not with consequences defined by God.

Following and obeying the commandments are equated with loving God. This is the case in both the Old and New Testaments. The message is consistent throughout the course of the Bible.

John 14:23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

See also John 14, 1 John 2, 1 John 5, and 2 John 1.

The reconstruction of the arch of Palmyra is a direct violation. The arch is a gateway to the temple of Bel. There are idols of Bel. People worship Bel and the arch. Granted, this is not Bel specific. It is any other god(s) other than the Creator God of the Bible.

The Palmyra Arch was redesigned on a smaller scale and placed in Trafalgar Square, London on April 19, 2016. The rebuilding of the arch was done in defiance of ISIS. The arts and antiquities crowd is upset with the terrorists for destroying the original in Palmyra, Syria.

A replica was also to be erected in Times Square of New York City. Due to backlash from the Christian community, the arch was not unveiled in Times Square in April 2016. Segments of Christian society are running around with a hollow victory. The arch is still planned to make its way to New York City in September of 2016.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/20/arts/international/replica-of-palmyra-arch-is-unveiled-in-trafalgar-square.html?_r=0

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/palmyra-arch-destroyed-isis-rises-again-central-london-180958848/?no-ist

If someone sacrificed themselves to keep you out of Hell…what is your response?

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The Antichrist

Posted in Antichrist/Beast, Prophecy with tags , , , , , , , , , on November 16, 2014 by paulthepoke

The term Antichrist is penned by one author in the Bible, John. 1 John 2:18 Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. In the original Greek, the word for antichrist is antichristos. Per Strong’s Concordance it is defined as the adversary of the Messiah.

John’s language regarding the antichrist is straight forward and not complicated. 1 John 2:22 Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.

The spirit of the antichrist is at work today (November 2014) and has been the case since the first century. This is hard to deny or argue when one looks at the condition of the world today. 1 John 4:3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.

In general, the issue is deception. There are and will be those who deny that Jesus lived in bodily form on Earth. People deny the physical reality of Christ. 2 John 1:7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. John is talking about false teachers.

It makes sense the antichrist will be a liar. He is under the authority of Satan. Here is what Jesus had to say about Satan. The context of these verses is Jesus talking to some Jewish folks. John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

The antichrist is a counterfeit to the real deal, Jesus. Hitchcock and Ice provide a comparison and overview in their book. Jesus is the truth; the antichrist is the lie. Christ is the Holy One; the antichrist is the lawless one. Jesus is a man of sorrows; His counterpart is a man of sins. Jesus is the Son of God; the antichrist is the son of destruction. Christ cleansed the Temple; the antichrist will desecrate the Temple. Jesus is the Lamb of God; the antichrist is the beast (The Truth Behind Left Behind by Mark Hitchcock and Thomas Ice).

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What is Truth?

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , on March 16, 2014 by paulthepoke

1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude
Doctrinal Emphasis: Knowing Truth from Lies
Key Theme: These four epistles offer concepts of contrasts. Ultimately, what is the truth and what is a lie.
Memory Verse: 3 John 1:4, I have no greater joy than this, to hear my children walking in the truth.
God is the source of truth. All three persons of the Trinity are truth as a source. May God be found true (Romans 3:4). The Spirit is stated as truth in 1 John 5:7. Jesus proclaimed He is the truth in John 14:6. Jesus is the representation of the Father (Hebrews 1:3).
Truth can be learned from many sources. Some of these include the apostles. The apostles saw, touched, and heard the truth in Jesus for themselves (1 John 1:1-3). Truth can be learned from members of the church. A positive example would be Demetrius who received a good testimony from the truth itself (3 John 1:12). Truth can be learned from the spirits. But it is important to test the spirits to determine if they are from God (1 John 4:1). A teacher of the church can teach the truth for the building up of the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-12). Practically, the truth can be learned by reading the Word, our Bible.
There are consequences when choosing or rejecting the truth. Choices lead to practicing righteousness or sin (1 John 3:7-10). There is the choice of light (God) or darkness (lies), (1 John 1:5-6). How do we handle the issue of sin? Are sins confessed or is personal sin denied? Confession of sins results in forgiveness and cleansing. Denying sin results in making Christ a liar (1 John 1:8-10).
There are considerations of obedience and practice in regards to God’s commandments. Application of teaching determines whether or not one has God (2 John 1:6-9). Choose good over evil (3 John 1:11). The choice to love leads to life. He who does not love abides in death (1 John 3:14). Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer (1 John 3:15). It is important to practice what one believes. Ultimately, your eternity hinges on whether or not you believe the truth that Jesus died for sins (1 Corinthians 15:3).
Jesus tells us in John 8:44 that truth is not found in Satan. He is the father of lies. It is his nature to lie. It is his desire to lie. Satan does not stand for the truth. He is a liar. Satan is a sinner from the beginning (1 John 3:8).  Satan has many instruments at his disposal to dispatch lies. The antichrist of the future is noted in 1 John 2:18. Even now the spirit of the antichrist is at work (1 John 4:3). In Revelation 13 the beast from the earth or the false prophet dispenses lies. He calls for the worship of the antichrist. False spirits are called to be tested in 1 John 4:1. False prophets (1 John 4:1) are at work in the world. Satan also has demons at his disposal. He is the ruler of demons (Matthew 12:24).
Members of the church are noted. Negative characteristics of men are described in Jude 1:12, 13, and 16. A specific example of a man in the church would be Diotrephes. He rejected the authority of the apostles and was singled out with condemnation (3 John 1:9-10). Satan also has the world at his disposal. The whole world lies in the power of the evil one (1 John 5:19).
What is truth? – Pontius Pilate

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