Tag: truth

Romans 9:1 – Oath of Certainty

Posted on by Will

I speak the truth in Christ, not a lie, my conscience bearing witness with me in the Holy Spirit,

Truth to Learn

Paul’s concern for the welfare of the unsaved Jews is demonstrated by his passionate proclamation.

 

Behind the Words

The Greek word translated “truth” is alētheia, which is composed of a, meaning “not” and a form of lanthanō, meaning “to be hidden or to be unaware of.” Hence, this word refers to something that is not hidden but out in the open and subject to public scrutiny.

“Lie” is from a form of pseudō, which means “to lie or to speak falsely or deceitfully.”

The word “conscience” is from the noun form of suneidō, which means “to be one's own witness, one's own conscience coming forward as witness.” This word denotes a conscience that bears witness to the morality of one's own conduct.

 

Meaning Explained

Paul was accused by his own countrymen (the Jews) of being a turncoat and of rejecting all they stood for as the chosen people of God in favor of this “new religion.” In fact, his fellow Jews were openly desirous of having Paul killed as we see from the book of Acts:

And Festus said: "King Agrippa and all the men who are here present with us, you see this man about whom the whole assembly of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that he was not fit to live any longer. (Acts 25:24)

In reality Paul had not turned from the Jews. In fact, he was greatly troubled that so many of his countrymen not only denied the true Messiah, but were openly hostile toward the gospel. He opens this chapter declaring that he is deeply committed to his countrymen and, in fact, would rather that all of them be saved. But he will demonstrate later in this ninth chapter that election has been part of God’s dealing with mankind throughout history, including the offspring of the patriarchs, and he will cite several examples.

He starts out this verse with a declaration of an oath, “I speak the truth in Christ, not a lie,” yet he does not swear by heaven, or the temple, or any other thing. In fact in Matthew 5:34-36 Christ told us not to swear by these things. Instead, he declares this oath in the presence of Christ himself. We so easily pass by this term, Christ, but the Jews of Paul’s day understood that he was referring to the Messiah, the Anointed One for whom the Jews were eagerly waiting.

So we see that Paul is invoking the witness of the highest authority possible regarding what he is about to say. He follows this up with the witness of his own conscience in the presence of the Holy Spirit as well. This is an urgent plea to his countrymen to understand that what he is about to say is true and straight from the innermost part of Paul’s being.

 

Application

When challenged by others regarding the truthfulness of what we have said, we are prone to say, “I swear it’s true.” This is an oath declaring the absolute certainty of what we have said. That is just how passionate Paul was about the eternal welfare of his fellow Jews who have rejected the gospel message.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

2 Thessalonians 2:12 – Truth Rejected

Posted on by Will

that they all might be judged who did not believe the truth but were well pleased with unrighteousness.

Truth to Learn

Judgment is coming! We need to spread the good news now.

 

Behind the Words

The words “they … may be judged” are translated from the Greek verb krinō, which means “to separate,” “to decide between good and evil,” or “to judge.” It is expressed here in the subjunctive mood indicating possibility or probability.

“Did not believe” is from the verb pisteuō, meaning “to believe” or “to have faith.” It is expressed here as an aorist participle, so it could be translated as “having not believed.”

Alētheia is the word translated “truth.” It is composed of the privative a, meaning “not” and a form of lanthanō, meaning “to be hidden.” Thus, alētheia refers to that which is not hidden, that which is obviously apparent, or that which is true.

“Were well pleased” is from the verb eudokeō, which is made up of eu, meaning “good” or “well” and dokeō, meaning “to think.” Hence, eudokeō means “to think well of” or “to be pleased with.” It is expressed here as an aorist participle, so it could be translated as “having been pleased.”

The word “unrighteousness” is from adikia, which is made up of a, meaning “not” or “without” and a form of dikē, meaning “that which is right or just.” Thus, adikia refers to “that which is not right” or “that which is not just.”

 

Meaning Explained

The Apostle Paul has been talking about the events that will precede the coming of the Day of the Lord, when God will pour out His wrath on the inhabitants of the earth. The two specific events mentioned are the apostasia and the revealing of the “lawless one,” the person we commonly refer to as the antichrist. His appearance on the scene will be accompanied by miraculous signs and wonders that will convince the “earth dwellers” that he is a god.

In the previous verse, Paul told us that the unbelievers on the earth at that time will be fooled into believing in the deity of the antichrist because God will send a powerful deception. In other words, God will allow the antichrist and his false prophet to perform these signs and miracles, and He will cause the “earth dwellers” to believe in these miraculous events and to accept the antichrist as a god.

Now Paul tells us a little more about those who will be deceived by the antichrist. First of all, they are unbelievers. That is, they will not believe in the truth of God as written in the Bible. Even today, many people believe that the Bible is just a collection of fables and restrictive rules. The other thing we are told about these unbelievers is that they will think that unrighteousness is good. They will have completely thrown off the mantle of God’s influence in their lives.

As a result, these earth dwellers will be judged by God. This judgment will come in two forms. The first is all the terrible judgments that God will execute on the earth in the seal, trumpet, and bowl judgments described in the book of Revelation. But, worse than that, at the end of their earthly lives they will stand before the Great White Throne Judgment where they will be cast into the lake of fire for all eternity.

 

Application

Some of us may find it difficult to witness the gospel message to those around us, but we need to redouble our efforts. A day is coming soon when this truth will be completely rejected.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 5:9 – Goodness, Righteousness, and Truth

Posted on by Will

for the fruit of the light is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth,

Truth to Learn

We should always exhibit goodness, righteousness, and truth.

 

Behind the Words

The word “fruit” is translated from the Greek word karpos, which is derived from the same base as harpadzō, meaning “to pluck” or “to take by force.” Karpos can refer to fruit taken from a tree or any edible thing taken from plants. Paul uses this word metaphorically, referring to the effects of, or result of, a force or an action.

The word “light” is phōs, which we learned in the previous verse, refers either to physically perceived light or to spiritual enlightenment. In some later manuscripts, this word is replaced by pneumatos, which is based on the verb pneō, meaning “to breathe” or “to blow.” Pneumatos literally refers to “a current of air.” Figuratively, it refers to “a spirit” or “a ghost.”

 “Goodness” is from agathōsunē, based on agathos (good or useful). The sunē ending indicates an abstraction from the base noun. Thus, agathōsunē refers to the general characteristic of goodness or usefulness.

“Righteousness” is from dikaiosunē, which is based on the noun dikaios, meaning “just” or “righteous.” As with agathōsunē, t he sunē ending indicates an abstraction from the base noun. Therefore, dikaiosunē refers to “justice” or “righteousness.”

“Truth” is from alētheia, which refers to “truth” or “reality.”

 

Meaning Explained

Today’s verse is one that exhibits a minor variation between the two most often used Greek texts. In this verse the Received Text (from which the KJV and NKJV are taken) reads “fruit of the Spirit” and the Wescott-Hort text (from which the NASB, NIV, ESV, and others are taken) reads “fruit of the light.” Nowhere else in the New Testament does “fruit of the light” appear, but only one other place has “fruit of the spirit” (Galatians 5:22). Both versions make sense and contain teaching that is profitable for all Christians. So to me, it really doesn’t matter which one is the “right” text.

I use my own translation in these studies because I prefer a more literal translation of the Greek, whereas others contain more interpretation and paraphrasing in their translations. Having said all that, I find that the phrase “fruit of the light” makes more sense in today’s verse. Here’s why: In the previous verse Paul said we previously were darkness but now are light and he said that we are to walk as “children of light.” It makes perfect sense that he would now tell us something about walking as children of light.

The fruit that we are to exhibit in our lives is to be characterized by goodness, righteousness, and truth. That which is bad is obviously not from God. That which is unjust or unfair is obviously not from God. That which is false or which is based on falsehood is obviously not from God.

 

Application

What we have to ask ourselves today is not whether the fruit of our thoughts and actions are fruit of the Spirit or fruit of the light. What we have to ask ourselves is, “Do our thoughts and actions demonstrate that God is our Father?” As God’s children we are to exhibit goodness, righteousness, and truth! Do you?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 4:21 – Living The Truth

Posted on by Will

if indeed you heard Him and you were taught by Him, as truth is in Jesus:

Truth to Learn

Christians know the truth and should live as such.

 

Behind the Words

“If indeed” is the translation of the Greek word eige, which is made up of ei, meaning “if” and ge, meaning “indeed.”

The Greek verb akouō, meaning “to hear” is translated here as “you heard.” It is expressed in the aorist tense and the indicative mood, indicating real action which occurred at a point in time in the past. Some translations have this as “you have heard,” but a more accurate translation of this word is “you heard.”

“You were taught” is from the verb didaskō, meaning “to teach.” It is expressed in the aorist tense, passive voice, and indicative mood, indicating past completed action done to the subject (you). Thus, the proper translation is “you were taught.”

“Truth” is from the Greek word alētheia which means “that which is real and true.” In the New Testament it is translated as “truth” or “reality.”

 

Meaning Explained

In the opening part of this verse, it may appear that Paul is questioning whether or not the Christians in Ephesus are really saved. The expression “if indeed you heard Him” seems to imply that they may not have. However, if we look at the Greek grammar of this expression, we learn something entirely different. In Greek there are four types of conditional clauses; however, only three of them appear in the New Testament. They are referred to as first class conditional, second class conditional, and third class conditional clauses. In the first class conditional clause there is an underlying assumption that the “if statement” is true. An example might be, “If you want to live, you have to keep breathing.” The assumption is that you want to live. In the second class conditional clause there is an underlying assumption that it is false. An example of this might be, “If I were you I wouldn’t do that.” The assumption is that I am not you. The third class conditional makes no assumption about the truth of the “if statement.”

Based on the grammatical structure of the “if statement” in this verse (ei used with a verb in the indicative mood), it is a first class conditional clause. In English a close approximation of the first class conditional clause would be to replace “if” with “since.” If we apply this and the translation suggestions mentioned above, this verse would read, “Since indeed you heard Him and you were taught by Him, for the truth is in Jesus.”

We who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior have heard the truth, and we have believed the truth. Therefore, as Paul said in verse seventeen, we should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk. We are not in the dark, and we are not blinded by Satan; therefore, we should live our lives in accordance with what God desires from us.

 

Application

When I was a young Christian, I heard a question that really made me think about how I live my life. It is this: “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” How about you, would you be found guilty?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 1:13 – Seal of Ownership

Posted on by Will

In Him you also hoped, having heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

Truth to Learn

God has branded us as His property and His children.

 

Behind the Words

The word “hoped” does not actually appear here in the Greek text. It is borrowed from the previous verse as a parallel expression.

“Having heard” is from akouō, which refers to hearing in general. It is also used to refer to listening with attention.

The word “truth” is translated from the Greek word alētheia, which refers to that which is truth or reality.

The word “salvation” is translated from soteria, which is derived from the noun soter, meaning “one who rescues or saves.” Thus, soteria refers to “salvation or deliverance from danger or destruction.”

“Having believed” is from the Greek verb pisteuō, meaning “to be firmly persuaded regarding some truth,” or “to believe.”

The word “sealed” is translated from sphragidzō, which means “to stamp or to set a seal or mark upon something as a token of its authenticity or of ownership.”

 

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse Paul talked about how the Jews had previously had their hope in the Messiah, the Christ, as the one who was to come and redeem them from their bondage. Notice that Paul used the pronoun “we” in the previous verse, since he also was a Jew who had previously had his hope in the Messiah.

In the current verse he uses the pronoun “you” to refer to the readers of his letter. In other words, Paul is now talking about Christians. He is telling us that we also hope in the same Redeemer, the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Also remember that the word hope refers to more than just a fanciful desire; it refers to something that we fully expect to come to pass. Paul tells us that we have this hope because we listened attentively to the gospel message (good news) about salvation. But, Paul says that we did more than just listen attentively to the gospel, we believed it as the word of truth. That’s the thing which makes us Christians. We’re not Christians because we live in a Christian country. We’re not Christians because we belong to a Christian church. We’re not Christians because we obey God’s commandments. We’re Christians because we believe the good news that Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins.

Like Abraham in Genesis 15:6, the moment we believed the gospel message, God declared us to be as righteous as Christ. But, that’s not the best part of what Paul is telling us now. Once we believed and were declared righteous, we were sealed with the Holy Spirit. This seal is very much like a brand on a head of cattle. It identifies who the owner is. In our case, the seal of the Holy Spirit identifies us as belonging to God; we now belong to Him because He has purchased us with sacrificial blood.

 

Application

We don’t know how God sealed us with the Holy Spirit, but we do know that He indelibly and undeniably identifies us as His property. Not only do we belong to God, He has adopted us as His children! He’s our God, our owner, and our Father!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

2 Thessalonians 2:12 – Truth Rejected

Posted on by Will

that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Truth to Learn

Judgment is coming! We need to spread the good news now.

Behind the Words

The words “they … may be condemned” are translated from the Greek verb krinō, which means “to separate,” “to decide between good and evil,” or “to judge.” It is expressed here in the subjunctive mood indicating possibility or probability.

“Did not believe” is from the verb pisteuō, meaning “to believe” or “to have faith.” It is expressed here as an aorist participle, so it could be translated as “having not believed.”

Alētheia is the word translated “truth.” It is composed of the privative a, meaning “not” and a form of lanthanō, meaning “to be hidden.” Thus, alētheia refers to that which is not hidden, that which is obviously apparent, or that which is true.

“Had pleasure” is from the verb eudokeō, which is made up of eu, meaning “good” or “well” and dokeō, meaning “to think.” Hence, eudokeō means “to think well of” or “to be pleased with.” It is expressed here as an aorist participle, so it could be translated as “having had pleasure.”

The word “unrighteousness” is from adikia, which is made up of a, meaning “not” or “without” and a form of dikē, meaning “that which is right or just.” Thus, adikia refers to “that which is not right” or “that which is not just.”

Meaning Explained

The Apostle Paul has been talking about the events that will precede the coming of the Day of the Lord, when God will pour out His wrath on the inhabitants of the earth. The two specific events mentioned are the apostasia and the revealing of the “lawless one,” the person we commonly refer to as the antichrist. His appearance on the scene will be accompanied by miraculous signs and wonders that will convince the “earth dwellers” that he is a god.

In the previous verse, Paul told us that the unbelievers on the earth at that time will be fooled into believing in the deity of the antichrist because God will send a powerful deception. In other words, God will allow the antichrist and his false prophet to perform these signs and miracles, and He will cause the “earth dwellers” to believe in these miraculous events and to accept the antichrist as a god.

Now Paul tells us a little more about those who will be deceived by the antichrist. First of all, they are unbelievers. That is, they will not believe in the truth of God as written in the Bible. Even today, many people believe that the Bible is just a collection of fables and restrictive rules. The other thing we are told about these unbelievers is that they will think that unrighteousness is good. They will have completely thrown off the mantle of God’s influence in their lives.

As a result, these earth dwellers will be judged by God. This judgment will come in two forms. The first is all the terrible judgments that God will execute on the earth in the seal, trumpet, and bowl judgments described in the book of Revelation. But, worse than that, they will be cast into the lake of fire for all eternity at the end of their earthly lives.

Application

Some of us may find it difficult to witness the gospel message to those around us, but we need to redouble our efforts. A day is coming soon when this truth will be completely rejected.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved

 

Ephesians 5:9 – Goodness, Righteousness, and Truth

Posted on by Will

(for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),

Truth to Learn

We should always exhibit goodness, righteousness, and truth.

Behind the Words

The word “fruit” is translated from the Greek word karpos, which is derived from the same base as harpadzō, meaning “to pluck” or “to take by force.” Karpos can refer to fruit taken from a tree or any edible thing taken from plants. Paul uses this word metaphorically, referring to the effects of, or result of, a force or an action.

The word “spirit” is from pneumatos, which is based on the verb pneō, meaning “to breathe” or “to blow.” Pneumatos literally refers to “a current of air.” Figuratively, it refers to “a spirit” or “a ghost.” The problem that we have in today’s verse is that some manuscripts do not have the word pneumatos, but phōs, which we learned in the previous verse, refers either to physically perceived light or to spiritual enlightenment.

“Goodness” is from agathōsunē, based on agathos (good or useful). The sunē ending indicates an abstraction from the base noun. Thus, agathōsunē refers to the general characteristic of goodness or usefulness.

“Righteousness” is from dikaiosunē, which is based on the noun dikaios, meaning “just” or “righteous.” Therefore, dikaiosunē refers to “justice” or “righteousness.”

“Truth” is from alētheia, which refers to “truth” or “reality.”

Meaning Explained

Today’s verse is one that exhibits a minor variation between the two most often used Greek texts. In this verse the Received Text (from which the KJV and NKJV are taken) reads “fruit of the Spirit” and the Wescott-Hort text (from which the NASB, NIV, ESV, and others are taken) reads “fruit of the light.” Nowhere else in the New Testament does “fruit of the light” appear, but only one other place has “fruit of the spirit” (Galatians 5:22). Both versions make sense and contain teaching that is profitable for all Christians. So to me, it really doesn’t matter which one is the “right” text.

I use the NKJV translation in these studies because I find it to be a more literal translation of the Greek, whereas others contain more interpretation and paraphrasing in their translations. Having said all that, I find that the phrase “fruit of the light” makes more sense in today’s verse. Here’s why: In the previous verse Paul said we previously were darkness but now are light and he said that we are to walk as “children of light.” It makes perfect sense that he would now tell us something about walking as children of light.

The fruit that we are to exhibit in our lives is to be characterized by goodness, righteousness, and truth. That which is bad is obviously not from God. That which is unjust or unfair is obviously not from God. That which is false or which is based on falsehood is obviously not from God.

Application

What we have to ask ourselves today is not whether the fruit of our thoughts and actions are fruit of the Spirit or fruit of the light. What we have to ask ourselves is, “Do our thoughts and actions demonstrate that God is our Father?” As God’s children we are to exhibit goodness, righteousness, and truth! Do you?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

Ephesians 4:21 – Living The Truth

Posted on by Will

if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:

Truth to Learn

Christians know the truth and should live as such.

Behind the Words

“If indeed” is the translation of the Greek word eige, which is made up of ei, meaning “if” and ge, meaning “indeed.”

The Greek verb akouō, meaning “to hear” is translated here as “you have heard.” It is expressed in the aorist tense and the indicative mood, indicating real action which occurred at a point in time in the past. A more accurate translation of this word would be “you heard.”

“Have been taught” is from the verb didaskō, meaning “to teach.” It is expressed in the aorist tense, passive voice, and indicative mood, indicating past completed action done to the subject (you). Thus, a more accurate translation would be “you were taught.”

“Truth” is from the Greek word alētheia which means “that which is real and true.” In the New Testament it is translated as “truth” or “reality.”

Meaning Explained

In the opening part of this verse, it may appear that Paul is questioning whether or not the Christians in Ephesus are really saved. The expression “if indeed you have heard Him” seems to imply that they may not have. However, if we look at the Greek grammar of this expression, we learn something entirely different. In Greek there are four types of conditional clauses; however, only three of them appear in the New Testament. They are referred to as first class conditional, second class conditional, and third class conditional clauses. In the first class conditional clause there is an underlying assumption that the “if statement” is true. An example might be, “If you want to live, you have to keep breathing.” The assumption is that you want to live. In the second class conditional clause there is an underlying assumption that it is false. An example of this might be, “If I were you I wouldn’t do that.” The assumption is that I am not you. The third class conditional makes no assumption about the truth of the “if statement.”

Based on the grammatical structure of the “if statement” in this verse (ei used with a verb in the indicative mood), it is a first class conditional clause. In English a close approximation of the first class conditional clause would be to replace “if” with “since.” If we apply this and the translation suggestions mentioned above, this verse would read, “Since indeed you heard Him and were taught by Him, for the truth is in Jesus.”

We who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior have heard the truth, and we have believed the truth. Therefore, as Paul said in verse seventeen, we should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk. We are not in the dark, and we are not blinded by Satan; therefore, we should live our lives in accordance with what God desires from us.

Application

When I was a young Christian, I heard a question that really made me think about how I live my life. It is this: “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” How about you, would you be found guilty?

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

 

Ephesians 1:13 – Seal of Approval

Posted on by Will

Ephesians 1:13  – Seal of Approval

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

Truth to Learn

God has branded us as His property and His children.

Behind the Words

The word “trusted” does not actually appear here in the Greek text. It is borrowed from the previous verse as a parallel expression.

“Heard” is from akouō, which refers to hearing in general. It is also used to refer to listening with attention. It is expressed as a participle, so it could be expressed as “having heard.”

The word “truth” is translated from the Greek word alētheia, which refers to that which is truth or reality.

The word “salvation” is translated from soteria, which is derived from the noun soter, meaning “one who rescues or saves.” Thus, soteria refers to “deliverance from danger or destruction.”

“Having believed” is from the Greek verb pisteuō, meaning “to be firmly persuaded regarding some truth” or “to believe.”

The word “sealed” is translated from sphragidzō, which means “to stamp or to set a seal or mark upon something as a token of its authenticity or of ownership.”

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse Paul talked about how the Jews had previously had their hope in the Messiah, the Christ, as the one who was to come and redeem them from their bondage. Notice that Paul used the pronoun “we” in the previous verse, since he also was a Jew who had previously had his hope in the Messiah.

In the current verse he uses the pronoun “you” to refer to the readers of his letter. In other words, Paul is now talking about Christians. He is telling us that we also hope in the same Redeemer, the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Also remember that the word hope refers to more than just a fanciful desire; it refers to something that we fully expect to come to pass. Paul tells us that we have this hope because we listened attentively to the gospel (good news) about salvation. But, Paul says that we did more than just listen attentively to the gospel, we believed it as the word of truth. That’s the thing which makes us Christians. We’re not Christians because we live in a Christian country. We’re not Christians because we belong to a Christian church. We’re not Christians because we obey God’s commandments. We’re Christians because we believed the good news that Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins.

Like Abraham in Genesis 15:6, the moment we believed the gospel message, God declared us to be as righteous as Christ. But, that’s not the best part of what Paul is telling us now. Once we believed and were declared righteous, we were sealed with the Holy Spirit. This seal is very much like a brand on a head of cattle. It identifies who the owner is. In our case, the seal of the Holy Spirit identifies us as belonging to God; we now belong to Him because He has purchased us.

Application

We don’t know how God sealed us with the Holy Spirit, but we do know that He indelibly and undeniably identifies us as His property. Not only do we belong to God, He has adopted us as His children! He’s our God, our owner, and our Father!

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

If this message or this link was forwarded to you by a friend and you wish to receive future verses directly to your inbox, send an e-mail to:

Romans 9:1 – Oath of Certainty

Posted on by Will

Romans 9:1 – Oath of Certainty

I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit,

Truth to Learn

Paul’s concern for the welfare of the unsaved Jews is demonstrated by his passionate proclamation.

Behind the Words

The Greek word translated “truth” is alētheia, which is composed of a, meaning “not” and a form of lanthanō, meaning “to be hidden or to be unaware of.” Hence, this word refers to something that is not hidden but out in the open and subject to public scrutiny.

“Lying” is from a form of pseudō, which means “to lie or to speak falsely or deceitfully.”

The word “conscience” is from the noun form of suneidō, which means “to be one’s own witness, one’s own conscience coming forward as witness.” This word denotes a conscience that bears witness to the morality of one’s own conduct.

Meaning Explained

Paul was accused by his own countrymen (the Jews) of being a turncoat and of rejecting all they stood for as the chosen people of God in favor of this “new religion.” In fact, his fellow Jews were openly desirous of having Paul killed as we see from the book of Acts:

And Festus said: “King Agrippa and all the men who are here present with us, you see this man about whom the whole assembly of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that he was not fit to live any longer. (Acts 25:24)

In reality Paul had not turned from the Jews. In fact, he was greatly troubled that so many of his countrymen not only denied the true Messiah, but were openly hostile toward the gospel. He opens this chapter declaring that he is deeply committed to his countrymen and, in fact, would rather that all of them be saved. But he will demonstrate later in this ninth chapter that election has been part of God’s dealing with mankind throughout history, including the offspring of the patriarchs, and he will cite several examples.

He starts out this verse with a declaration of an oath, “I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying,” yet he does not swear by heaven, or the temple, or any other thing. In fact in Matthew 5:34-36 Christ told us not to swear by these things. Instead, he declares this oath in the presence of Christ himself. We so easily pass by this term, Christ, but the Jews of Paul’s day understood that he was referring to the Messiah, the Anointed One for whom the Jews were eagerly waiting.

So we see that Paul is invoking the witness of the highest authority possible regarding what he is about to say. He follows this up with the witness of his own conscience in the presence of the Holy Spirit as well. This is an urgent plea to his countrymen to understand that what he is about to say is true and straight from the innermost part of Paul’s being.

Application

When challenged by others regarding the truthfulness of what we have said, we are prone to say, “I swear it’s true.” This is an oath declaring the absolute certainty of what we have said. That is just how passionate Paul was about the eternal welfare of his fellow Jews who have rejected the gospel message.

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2010 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

If this message or this link was forwarded to you by a friend and you wish to receive future verses directly to your inbox, send an e-mail to: