Do Not Be Ashamed of the Truth You Bear

Dennis Edwards

The disciples had asked Jesus what would be the sign of his coming and the end of the world. Within a long list of signs Jesus said,

"Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son, and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." Mark 13:12-13.

"And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolk, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake." Luke 21:16-17

Since the beginnings of history, we have record of family members fighting and killing other family members. Cain killed his brother Abel. 

David’s son Absalom killed his half-brother, Amnon. 

Under Communist regimes family members betrayed other family member who weren't loyal to the party. During the Nazis control of other countries, informers turned in their neighbours. Corrie ten Boom's family in Holland ended up in prison because they were betrayed by a person seeking help, who was really a Nazi sympathizer. In Muslim countries the same can happen during upheaval where non-Muslims are betrayed to the authorities by their neighbours.

Apostle Paul admonishes us to endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ. 2 Timothy 2:3. To not be weary in well doing because in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Galatians 6:9. He says,

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." Ephesians 6:10-11.

Why do we need to be strong in the Lord and his power and might? It is because we are wrestling against powerful spiritual forces.

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Ephesians 6:12

"Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all stand." Ephesians 6:13

Notice now what is the first aspect of the armour of God he bids us take:

"Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with TRUTH." Ephesians 6:14a.

The first part of the Christian armour we are told to bear and have around our waist is the truth. God's word is truth. Apostle John wrote,

"The law was given by Moses, but grace (God's unconditional love and forgiveness, or God's gifts of goodness and blessing in our lives that we do not deserve) and TRUTH came by Jesus Christ." John 1:17.

Jesus Himself had said,

“I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life.” John 14:6

Jesus had also prayed to the Father, 

"Sanctify (or cleanse or separate) them through thy truth: thy word is truth." John 17:17

In Psalm 119:160 the psalmist writes,

"Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endure forever."

God's word is true no matter if the whole world rises up against it, no matter if the whole world says it’s false. We should bury it in our hearts and follow its precepts. 

In Isaiah the Lord says,

"…but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at my word." Isaiah 66:2b.

God promises to look after His children, who are of a contrite or humble spirit, who tremble at His word. In other words, those who have the fear of the Lord and who hear His voice and obey His will found in His word. He concludes His thoughts with,

"Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at His word (in other words, you and me who fear God and keep His commandments); Your brethren (or family members) that hated you, that cast you out for My name's sake, and said, Let the Lord be glorified (in other words, they mocked God and you His follower): but He (the Lord) shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed." Isaiah 66:5.

Let us not be ashamed of the Lord nor of his word. Let us do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly before God and others. Micah 6:8.

Jesus knew His followers would be tempted to be ashamed of His words, that's why He admonished them and us:

"Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation (like the world today); of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." Mk.8:38.

Apostle Paul also warned,

“If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us.” 2 Timothy 2:12

Elsewhere Paul wrote,

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes." Romans 1:16.

And later Paul wrote,

"Be not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner: but be partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God (or as God gives you the grace)." 2 Timothy 1:8.

God wants us not to be ashamed to stand up for Jesus even in the face of reproach and persecution.

Some of our children are ashamed of us and they pressure us to be ashamed also. Our spiritual enemy attacks us through their words. We need to realize what is happing and resist the enemy and always have our guard up. We need to put on the whole armour of God. We start by putting on the belt of truth. Your belt holds up your pants. You can’t be a soldier with your pants down.

The truth is being attacked ferociously today by the enemy. He’s casting the truth to the ground as Daniel prophesized. Daniel 8:12. He is speaking “great words against the most High.” Daniel 7:25a. In the Book of Revelation we read,

“And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood (of lies) after the woman (the followers of Christ), that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.” Revelation 12:15.

The enemy has cast out, and is casting the truth of God’s word to the ground in an effort to destroy our faith. At the time of the French Revolution men tried to cast God out and place “Reason” as the new truth to be worshipped. With God out of the picture chaos assumed power and France fell into madness. But a people who are not governed by God will be ruled by tyrants. After the fall of the revolution, Napoleon soon came to power to bring some order out of the chaos.

The enemy later cast the truth of Genesis to the ground through his theory of evolution. We are told that we are no longer made in the image of God as God’s word reveals. No, we have evolved through a random non-directed process. God did not create, man evolved spontaneously over millions of years. We are not made in the image of God, but are the result of mutations, natural selection, and gene-pool drift. We are evolved mammals, nothing more. When we die, we are dead, and that’s the end of it. So, say our evolutionary friends in accordance with their naturalistic world view. Satan has been flooding the world with his atheistic anti-God evolutionary doctrine since 1859. We have sown the wind, and are reaping the whirlwind. Hosea 8:7a.

“If there is no God, then all things are permissible,” Dostoevsky rightly reasoned. We see that principle worked out in the world today. God is dead; therefore, everything is permissible: abortion, gay marriage, transition from one sex to the other, child kidnapping and sex slavery. Where will it lead to next?

“And even as they did not retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.” Romans 1:28 “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” 2 Timothy 3:13 “For thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.” Revelation 18:23b. "For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." Matthew 24:24 

"And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." 2 Thessalonians 2:8-10 "And deceives them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he (the false prophet) had power to do in the sight of beast." Revelation 13:14a.

What are we to do in times such as these? We should look at what the early disciples did at the beginning of the Christian faith when they were threatened and persecuted. They unified their hearts and minds, prayed desperately together, and helped one another. As a result, God filled them with the Holy Ghost, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. 

"And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were filled with the Holy Ghost, and spoke the word of God with boldness. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that aught of the things he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all." Acts 4:31-33

“And daily in the temple and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.” Acts 5:42

If we don’t stand up for Jesus, who will? Apostle Paul reminds us,

“For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.” Philippians 1:29

Jesus Himself had said,

“If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” John 15:20 “And fear not them which can kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28 “Blessed are you, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” Matthew 5:11-12

“Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” Revelation 2:10b “And he that overcomes, and keeps my words unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations.” Rev. 2:26. “Behold, I come quickly, hold that fast which thou has, that no man take thy crown.” Rev. 3:11. “To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that has an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches.” Revelation 3:21-22

“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. … Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life. And may enter in through the gates of the city…Surely, I come quickly.” Revelation 22:12, 14, 20b.