Handling the Word of Truth
Have you been trained to handle the truth? According to the Apostle Paul in a letter written to Timothy, his young prodigy, the “word of truth” must be “rightly” handled. This implies that there is a wrong way to handle the truth. But if there is a wrong way to handle the truth, what are the consequences of mishandling the truth? Is there a real danger of erring with the truth?
Before addressing those questions, let’s look deeper into Paul's admonition to Timothy. Paul’s letter encourages the young pastor to “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved.” One approved? Approved by who or what? Is Paul suggesting that Timothy needs to conduct himself in such a way as to gain approval from some person or organization of people? I don't think so. Paul was definitely not a conventionalist. In fact, he was persecuted, beaten, left for dead, and eventually martyred because he would not submit to the world system. I don’t see Paul admonishing the man to whom he entrusted the church at Ephesus to get approval from any man before presenting himself to God.
You will know the truth and the truth will set you free as long as those who handle the truth handling it correctly.
The approval Paul refers to must have been a Godly certification, a spiritual check mark of service to the Lord and His gospel. This proposition is supported by the direction of Paul's writing after this scripture. The mentor instructs his mentee to “avoid godless chatter” and false teachings that “spread like gangrene.” The Apostle wanted the young pastor to understand that as a church leader, he needed to be careful to keep himself from going astray from the truth of the Gospel. Timothy needed to remain true to the Word of God and, in doing so, he would stand before God approved in his service. It was God’s approval that Paul admonished Timothy to seek in his best effort.
The Apostle clarified the whole works versus grace discussion - “A worker who has no need to be ashamed.” Here Paul is making a distinction between God’s love for believers as His children, accepted fully by grace through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, and believers as workers living out worship to God in offering themselves as a “living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.” Paul’s focus in this encouragement was not related to salvation, but rather the service in which Timothy was involved. I am getting a little off-topic - back to it.
Paul finishes his encouragement with, “[one] who correctly handles the word of truth.” There it is, the admonition to handle, hold, and operate within the word of truth accurately, truely, exactly, precisely, unerringly, faithfully, flawlessly, rightly, and in a correct manner. Truthfully handle the truth. There's a right and wrong way to handle the word of truth. The Lord Jesus declared Himself the “the way, the truth, and the life.” We also understand from John's gospel that Jesus was the Word which was with God and was God in the beginning. In fact, Matthew in his gospel quotes Jewish religious leaders as saying to Jesus Christ, “We know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.” Even those who refused to understand the Messiah acknowledged Him approved in His handling of the truth. In other words, the Word and Truth handled the truth with integrity. It was quite a paradox to have those men saying that to Jesus.
There is a way to handle God’s word of truth correctly. There is also an incorrect way to handle it. The greatest determiner of which way one handles the truth is one's heart. The human heart is corrupt, and without the leading of the Spirit of God, it will misuse the truth. Some would use God’s truth for personal gain. Others would use it to control and mislead people who are themselves ignorant of the truth. Some use God’s truth to set up and expand their own earthly kingdoms. Others use the truth to suppress and subject people. These are just a few examples of misusing the truth.
What happens to those who misuse the truth? Check out the blog These Men for details on that subject. Suffice it to say there is a special place arranged for those who intentionally mishandle the word of truth.
How do you know if the truth is handled correctly? There is a pretty simple litmus test on the rightful use of truth. John quotes Jesus as saying, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Freedom comes from the truth. True freedom! Not false freedom which assumes people's entitlement to their "own truth." The word of truth frees a person from even their own oppressive nature. It is the truth, rightly handled, that empowers a person to live freely before their loving Heavenly Father.