Jesus Christ is my God!
Issued 29.03.2004
Hypnosis and suggestions
Hypnotic sleep is the opposite of the spiritual revival. A lie enchants, but truth awakens. If you listen to the truth, you will get strength to resist suggestions. If you want to escape from truth to lie, your heart simply absorbs suggestions.
How to hypnotize?
The word hypnosis comes from Greek and it means lulling to sleep. Hypnosis is based on suggestions. (Latin suggestio = a secret impression). Hypnotic sleep is a special case of phenomena induced by suggestions.
There is not just one special way to give suggestions. However the countless different suggestive methods have one common feature - lying. Any lie that sounds like truth is a suitable instrument for a hypnotist.
He can even use a pendulum and ask you to follow its movement with your eyes. Soon he will say to you that now your eyes feel faint. Just at that moment you start to feel sudden faintness in your eyes. You got the impression that there is a power in the words of the hypnotist, because just at the moment he said you experienced the thing. The hypnotist knows that a sudden physiologic faintness occurs in your eyes when the swinging of the pendulum is being followed. He watches at what moment it happens and puts his words right to that moment. If you didn't know the truth, the lie influenced you.
Suggestive actions are wise lies. A lie is presented so skilfully as a truth that an observer believes it and trusts in the suggester. Anybody can be hypnotized, but not with the same lies.
When I was about 18 years old, I was interested in this subject and I read the literature of this field. At that time I also came to the faith. When I noticed that hypnosis is based on the power of lies, I dissociated myself from it. I wanted to beware of all lies.
The word hypnosis comes from Greek and it means lulling to sleep. Hypnosis is based on suggestions. (Latin suggestio = a secret impression). Hypnotic sleep is a special case of phenomena induced by suggestions.
There is not just one special way to give suggestions. However the countless different suggestive methods have one common feature - lying. Any lie that sounds like truth is a suitable instrument for a hypnotist.
He can even use a pendulum and ask you to follow its movement with your eyes. Soon he will say to you that now your eyes feel faint. Just at that moment you start to feel sudden faintness in your eyes. You got the impression that there is a power in the words of the hypnotist, because just at the moment he said you experienced the thing. The hypnotist knows that a sudden physiologic faintness occurs in your eyes when the swinging of the pendulum is being followed. He watches at what moment it happens and puts his words right to that moment. If you didn't know the truth, the lie influenced you.
Suggestive actions are wise lies. A lie is presented so skilfully as a truth that an observer believes it and trusts in the suggester. Anybody can be hypnotized, but not with the same lies.
When I was about 18 years old, I was interested in this subject and I read the literature of this field. At that time I also came to the faith. When I noticed that hypnosis is based on the power of lies, I dissociated myself from it. I wanted to beware of all lies.
Suggestive world
Suggestions don't always lead to sleep. Lies work in many different ways. The placebo effect is maybe the most well-known example of the works of lies. Symptoms of a disease disappear with a medicine that has no affecting officinal. The lie is there that it is said that this helps in your disease or this impression is given in another way. Also the effect of homeopathic medicines is based on the power of lies. They differ from placebos only so that also the doctor believes his own lie.
Suggestions are very tragic when a spirit takes the place of a hypnotist. You should take into your consideration that you are in danger of being participant with demons when you allow someone to hypnotize yourself. It is not as easy to get rid of the suggestive words that come from the invisible world than to escape a hypnotizing man.
Jesus says that the devil believes in his own lies. "He is not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." John 8:44
The moment, when you came to believe a lie to be the truth, brings the devil near to your heart. Disbelief is a good thing when it is directed against a lie. Do not be credulous, but seek the truth.
Untruthful images are an essential part of many mental disorders. When somebody starts to consider a product of his imagination to be the truth, it means that a spirit of lies has started to live as a parasite in him. Look around and notice how lightly most people take lies. They are entertaining themselves with lies. For example many consider it very entertaining when people have lost their sense of reality in a hypnosis show.
It is dangerous to take to lies. At first lies are always realized to be lies. Finally lies are not anymore realized as lies and then you have been enchanted. Many trust that they themselves can avoid believing in lies, although they lie to others. To them a lie is like the enchanted snake they have charmed so that it doesn't bite them. Woe what a wrong feeling of safety and how great a disaster it brings to them!
The suggestions of advertisements are commonly accepted lies. Many people actually enjoy being swindled. They willingly pay for an image that is associated with the product, although they pay for the lie. The more expensive lie the greater enchantment.
Many uniforms act as givers of suggestions, like the white coat of doctors or a clerical robe. The uniform has a very great part in army. A superior is like god, whose command must be put into practice without any questions. The training of armies aims to give the ability to kill, when a superior commands. For this goal the training tries to create the enchantment of patriotism. Men captured by suggestions are marching towards a certain death. If they were awake, they could not do it.
On every level of the society there are different kinds of rituals that have suggestive influence. Their purpose to people is to confirm them in their beliefs.
Kids are easy objects for a suggester. Many adults take advantage of the credulity of their children. They actually enjoy looking at the reactions of a child who believed a lie. Often children are taught to take a light attitude to lying by renaming it, e.g. as kidding. Lies are used to entertaining and giving experiences. It would be better to teach that the truth in itself is a valuable thing. A lie is always a dangerous thing! Never lie, not even for fun.
Maybe you have lied to your children that the Santa Claus exists. They believed it and you enjoy it when they so seriously are speaking about the Santa Claus. The devil lied to you that God doesn't exist. You believed it and now the devil enjoys it when he hears you so seriously speaking that the world has been evolved by chance during millions of years.
Suggestions don't always lead to sleep. Lies work in many different ways. The placebo effect is maybe the most well-known example of the works of lies. Symptoms of a disease disappear with a medicine that has no affecting officinal. The lie is there that it is said that this helps in your disease or this impression is given in another way. Also the effect of homeopathic medicines is based on the power of lies. They differ from placebos only so that also the doctor believes his own lie.
Suggestions are very tragic when a spirit takes the place of a hypnotist. You should take into your consideration that you are in danger of being participant with demons when you allow someone to hypnotize yourself. It is not as easy to get rid of the suggestive words that come from the invisible world than to escape a hypnotizing man.
Jesus says that the devil believes in his own lies. "He is not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." John 8:44
The moment, when you came to believe a lie to be the truth, brings the devil near to your heart. Disbelief is a good thing when it is directed against a lie. Do not be credulous, but seek the truth.
Untruthful images are an essential part of many mental disorders. When somebody starts to consider a product of his imagination to be the truth, it means that a spirit of lies has started to live as a parasite in him. Look around and notice how lightly most people take lies. They are entertaining themselves with lies. For example many consider it very entertaining when people have lost their sense of reality in a hypnosis show.
It is dangerous to take to lies. At first lies are always realized to be lies. Finally lies are not anymore realized as lies and then you have been enchanted. Many trust that they themselves can avoid believing in lies, although they lie to others. To them a lie is like the enchanted snake they have charmed so that it doesn't bite them. Woe what a wrong feeling of safety and how great a disaster it brings to them!
The suggestions of advertisements are commonly accepted lies. Many people actually enjoy being swindled. They willingly pay for an image that is associated with the product, although they pay for the lie. The more expensive lie the greater enchantment.
Many uniforms act as givers of suggestions, like the white coat of doctors or a clerical robe. The uniform has a very great part in army. A superior is like god, whose command must be put into practice without any questions. The training of armies aims to give the ability to kill, when a superior commands. For this goal the training tries to create the enchantment of patriotism. Men captured by suggestions are marching towards a certain death. If they were awake, they could not do it.
On every level of the society there are different kinds of rituals that have suggestive influence. Their purpose to people is to confirm them in their beliefs.
Kids are easy objects for a suggester. Many adults take advantage of the credulity of their children. They actually enjoy looking at the reactions of a child who believed a lie. Often children are taught to take a light attitude to lying by renaming it, e.g. as kidding. Lies are used to entertaining and giving experiences. It would be better to teach that the truth in itself is a valuable thing. A lie is always a dangerous thing! Never lie, not even for fun.
Maybe you have lied to your children that the Santa Claus exists. They believed it and you enjoy it when they so seriously are speaking about the Santa Claus. The devil lied to you that God doesn't exist. You believed it and now the devil enjoys it when he hears you so seriously speaking that the world has been evolved by chance during millions of years.
Hypnotizing is a crime against God
Man's desire to play God makes him a giver of suggestions. A powerful person is behaving in such a way that he implies to be something great. If a listener is a person who wants to experience something supernatural, it makes him an easy target of lies.
All that God says always happens. Therefore He is unable to lie. What God says is the truth. All what exists, is by the power of His word.
This, that man's heart is able to receive a lie as the truth, proves that man's heart knows how to listen to God: Whatever God says it will happen. If somebody takes God's place as the speaker, he will be surprised by the reactions of his listener. A hypnotized one tasted water as wine, although it still was only water. Instead, when God said about water that it is wine, it really was changed into wine.
If you start to listen to a human being like to God, then something miraculous may happen. It is a fact, the power of lie exists. It is working, but it is wrong. Do you want to be an idol? Do you want to hypnotize? A user of suggestions and hypnosis tries to be a god in the place of God.
At first also the witches of Egypt were able to do the same miracles as God did through Moses. Finally they had to admit that the power of lie reached its limit. They were not able to do the same anymore, but they pointed out: "This is the finger of God."
Actually a lie only witnesses us that the truth exists. If there were no truth, there could be no lie. If you were made with lies to experience non-existing like it would exist, what could you experience with the power of the truth!
Man's desire to play God makes him a giver of suggestions. A powerful person is behaving in such a way that he implies to be something great. If a listener is a person who wants to experience something supernatural, it makes him an easy target of lies.
All that God says always happens. Therefore He is unable to lie. What God says is the truth. All what exists, is by the power of His word.
This, that man's heart is able to receive a lie as the truth, proves that man's heart knows how to listen to God: Whatever God says it will happen. If somebody takes God's place as the speaker, he will be surprised by the reactions of his listener. A hypnotized one tasted water as wine, although it still was only water. Instead, when God said about water that it is wine, it really was changed into wine.
If you start to listen to a human being like to God, then something miraculous may happen. It is a fact, the power of lie exists. It is working, but it is wrong. Do you want to be an idol? Do you want to hypnotize? A user of suggestions and hypnosis tries to be a god in the place of God.
At first also the witches of Egypt were able to do the same miracles as God did through Moses. Finally they had to admit that the power of lie reached its limit. They were not able to do the same anymore, but they pointed out: "This is the finger of God."
Actually a lie only witnesses us that the truth exists. If there were no truth, there could be no lie. If you were made with lies to experience non-existing like it would exist, what could you experience with the power of the truth!
Crowds in the ecstasy of lies
Hypnosis is not always like sleep, but many times it makes one hyper energetic in a certain field of life. When you live among suggestions you gradually collect them in your heart, if you don't succeed in rejecting them. Finally the crucial event comes that binds you to the influence of the giver of the suggestions.
At that moment you can wonder even yourself and ask what did happen to you. You got the spirit of the matter or you experienced some internal illumination or you only swallowed the bait that forced you to live according to your lie. At that very moment when a lie is changed into the truth in you, you go to hypnosis. "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter." Isaiah 5:20
Later something can happen that breaks the enchantment and your eyes are opened. You wonder at yourself and ask, what was the matter with you? Even whole nations have experienced this.
The German nation was in the hypnotic grasp of Hitler. In the same way the Russian people lived in the scenery created by communism. Then the scenery collapsed and many awoke from their lie. "You have planted wickedness, you have reaped evil, you have eaten the fruit of deception." Hosea 10:13
Political propaganda has created a network of lies that casts a gloom over people's life all over the world. Peoples must eat the bitter fruit of their lies. They planted lying thoughts to their hearts, because they wanted nobody to admonish them of their wickedness!
Hypnosis is not always like sleep, but many times it makes one hyper energetic in a certain field of life. When you live among suggestions you gradually collect them in your heart, if you don't succeed in rejecting them. Finally the crucial event comes that binds you to the influence of the giver of the suggestions.
At that moment you can wonder even yourself and ask what did happen to you. You got the spirit of the matter or you experienced some internal illumination or you only swallowed the bait that forced you to live according to your lie. At that very moment when a lie is changed into the truth in you, you go to hypnosis. "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter." Isaiah 5:20
Later something can happen that breaks the enchantment and your eyes are opened. You wonder at yourself and ask, what was the matter with you? Even whole nations have experienced this.
The German nation was in the hypnotic grasp of Hitler. In the same way the Russian people lived in the scenery created by communism. Then the scenery collapsed and many awoke from their lie. "You have planted wickedness, you have reaped evil, you have eaten the fruit of deception." Hosea 10:13
Political propaganda has created a network of lies that casts a gloom over people's life all over the world. Peoples must eat the bitter fruit of their lies. They planted lying thoughts to their hearts, because they wanted nobody to admonish them of their wickedness!
Congregation of a deep sleep
If a congregation worships God, He will bring the Holy Spirit over it. If a congregation worships idols, He allows the spirits of lies to come over it. The devout atmosphere of many congregations is hypnotic sleepiness that is a result of worshipping idols.
"The LORD has brought over you a deep sleep." Isaiah 29:10 Why the congregation of the Israeli had to live the life of a sleepy fellowship? "These people come near to me with their mouth and honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men." Isaiah 29:13
They were pretending to God. There was a conflict between their outward behaving and the reality of their hearts. Their behaviour was lying. They stretched prayers fluently, but their heart didn't mean what their mouth said. They suggested themselves into that deep sleep with their religious rituals. God pointed out that His people are surrounding Him with their lies. "Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, the house of Israel with deceit." Hosea 11:12
When the Bible speaks about a hardened heart, it means the intellectual life that is hardened by lies. Jesus awakened the hearts of His disciples to the truth and therefore God was able to baptize them with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Then they really awoke and were revived and got the courage to make resistance to all lies. The Spirit of truth overwhelms those who obey the truth. A spirit of lie grips those who obey lies.
If a congregation worships God, He will bring the Holy Spirit over it. If a congregation worships idols, He allows the spirits of lies to come over it. The devout atmosphere of many congregations is hypnotic sleepiness that is a result of worshipping idols.
"The LORD has brought over you a deep sleep." Isaiah 29:10 Why the congregation of the Israeli had to live the life of a sleepy fellowship? "These people come near to me with their mouth and honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men." Isaiah 29:13
They were pretending to God. There was a conflict between their outward behaving and the reality of their hearts. Their behaviour was lying. They stretched prayers fluently, but their heart didn't mean what their mouth said. They suggested themselves into that deep sleep with their religious rituals. God pointed out that His people are surrounding Him with their lies. "Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, the house of Israel with deceit." Hosea 11:12
When the Bible speaks about a hardened heart, it means the intellectual life that is hardened by lies. Jesus awakened the hearts of His disciples to the truth and therefore God was able to baptize them with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Then they really awoke and were revived and got the courage to make resistance to all lies. The Spirit of truth overwhelms those who obey the truth. A spirit of lie grips those who obey lies.
Sacraments are suggestions
Thus the origin of hypnosis is in lies and suggestions are the power in lies. If there is lying in a religious ceremony, it acts as a source of a suggestion. Many good things have been spoiled by giving a wrong content to an event right in itself.
The Jewish men are circumcised when they are eight days old. Untruthfully many think this ceremony guarantees the favour of God. Jesus told to the circumcised Jews that "unless you repent, you too will all perish." They resisted the message of Jesus, because they put their trust in their outward Jewishness. Actually they got angry with Jesus, because they didn't want to be awakened from their sleep of lie.
Jesus said: "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind." John 9:39
Those, who saw themselves already as saved ones, didn't allow Jesus to save them. Those, who didn't see themselves as saved ones, were able to see their need to be saved. If the truth in you is actually a lie, how great then is the lie in you!
In the same way as the Jews put their trust in their circumcision many Christians believe in the grace of the baptism. Thus they deceive themselves so that they reject the life that Jesus offers to them.
The sacramental baptism lies, because it is said that the ceremony makes the person into a child of God. When Jesus implied to the Jews that they were not accepted by God without the repentance of heart, they got angry. Just this anger was the reason why they crucified Jesus. For the same reason the believers of Jesus are slandered sectarians. They who are in a deep sleep of their lies feel that a waking one is an annoying awakener. "What a sectarian, why don't you sleep like the others."
The devil is the father of lie and will present soon his greatest lie pretending to be "an angel of light". "And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of His mouth and destroy by the splendour of His coming. The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved." 2Thess.2:8-10
If a bad and evil man spoke to me about the reality of hell, I probably would not believe him. Now when the totally good Jesus says that your lot will be either heaven or hell, I trust Him not to lie. Jesus makes it easy for us to fall in love with the truth, because He is so lovable. If you looked at Him in detail what He is like, your heart would open for Him and thus also for His words.
Thus the origin of hypnosis is in lies and suggestions are the power in lies. If there is lying in a religious ceremony, it acts as a source of a suggestion. Many good things have been spoiled by giving a wrong content to an event right in itself.
The Jewish men are circumcised when they are eight days old. Untruthfully many think this ceremony guarantees the favour of God. Jesus told to the circumcised Jews that "unless you repent, you too will all perish." They resisted the message of Jesus, because they put their trust in their outward Jewishness. Actually they got angry with Jesus, because they didn't want to be awakened from their sleep of lie.
Jesus said: "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind." John 9:39
Those, who saw themselves already as saved ones, didn't allow Jesus to save them. Those, who didn't see themselves as saved ones, were able to see their need to be saved. If the truth in you is actually a lie, how great then is the lie in you!
In the same way as the Jews put their trust in their circumcision many Christians believe in the grace of the baptism. Thus they deceive themselves so that they reject the life that Jesus offers to them.
The sacramental baptism lies, because it is said that the ceremony makes the person into a child of God. When Jesus implied to the Jews that they were not accepted by God without the repentance of heart, they got angry. Just this anger was the reason why they crucified Jesus. For the same reason the believers of Jesus are slandered sectarians. They who are in a deep sleep of their lies feel that a waking one is an annoying awakener. "What a sectarian, why don't you sleep like the others."
The devil is the father of lie and will present soon his greatest lie pretending to be "an angel of light". "And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of His mouth and destroy by the splendour of His coming. The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved." 2Thess.2:8-10
If a bad and evil man spoke to me about the reality of hell, I probably would not believe him. Now when the totally good Jesus says that your lot will be either heaven or hell, I trust Him not to lie. Jesus makes it easy for us to fall in love with the truth, because He is so lovable. If you looked at Him in detail what He is like, your heart would open for Him and thus also for His words.
Auto-suggestion doesn't create Jesus' faith
Maybe you argue that also the event of coming to faith is achieved by suggestions. In someone's case it can be so but it is not a biblical experience. If the Jesus of the Bible and His message would be a lie, then getting the faith to it would always be falling in the enchantment of a lie. It is true that some persons are preaching His message suggestively, but it doesn't mean that God would accept it.
He waits for your turning away from your wickedness and therefore needing to grasp the truth of the gospel. After you have experienced the power of the gospel you will know the Truth in practice. Instead this stirring up of your outward emotions or repeating doctrines or men's mighty assurances do not bring God any closer to you. Jesus gives you no instruments for auto-suggestion, but churches do it. Also do not try yourself to assure yourself that now you are saved. Let the Holy Spirit does it.
It is easy to notice from the Bible that Jesus never tried to impress people with any outward thing. You don't find Him manipulating people. He didn't prop up His authority with splendour, nor with any secretive mysticism. He was not a great religious leader dressed in fine clothes and not a monk. He had not the outward signs of a "holy man". His miracles were not any tricks or shows. He impresses with the content of His words and by living according to them.
If some guide you with lies to become a believer, it doesn't mean that the Bible would lie. Actually Jesus has told us in the Bible that pretenders will even do miracles through His name.
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers'." Matth.7:21-23
"The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron." 1Tim.4:1
The genuine apostle of Jesus speaks in this way: "We have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God." 2Cor.4:2
Paul, the apostle appealed to the own judgement of his listener: "I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say." 1Cor.10:15
Paul doesn't even boast about his spiritual experiences so that nobody would consider him something great: "Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no-one will think more of me that is warranted by what I do or say." 2Cor.12:6
Notice that by using the truth it is possible to create wrong images that are lies. A lie is not only in what is said, but it can also be in how it is said.
Maybe you argue that also the event of coming to faith is achieved by suggestions. In someone's case it can be so but it is not a biblical experience. If the Jesus of the Bible and His message would be a lie, then getting the faith to it would always be falling in the enchantment of a lie. It is true that some persons are preaching His message suggestively, but it doesn't mean that God would accept it.
He waits for your turning away from your wickedness and therefore needing to grasp the truth of the gospel. After you have experienced the power of the gospel you will know the Truth in practice. Instead this stirring up of your outward emotions or repeating doctrines or men's mighty assurances do not bring God any closer to you. Jesus gives you no instruments for auto-suggestion, but churches do it. Also do not try yourself to assure yourself that now you are saved. Let the Holy Spirit does it.
It is easy to notice from the Bible that Jesus never tried to impress people with any outward thing. You don't find Him manipulating people. He didn't prop up His authority with splendour, nor with any secretive mysticism. He was not a great religious leader dressed in fine clothes and not a monk. He had not the outward signs of a "holy man". His miracles were not any tricks or shows. He impresses with the content of His words and by living according to them.
If some guide you with lies to become a believer, it doesn't mean that the Bible would lie. Actually Jesus has told us in the Bible that pretenders will even do miracles through His name.
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers'." Matth.7:21-23
"The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron." 1Tim.4:1
The genuine apostle of Jesus speaks in this way: "We have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God." 2Cor.4:2
Paul, the apostle appealed to the own judgement of his listener: "I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say." 1Cor.10:15
Paul doesn't even boast about his spiritual experiences so that nobody would consider him something great: "Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no-one will think more of me that is warranted by what I do or say." 2Cor.12:6
Notice that by using the truth it is possible to create wrong images that are lies. A lie is not only in what is said, but it can also be in how it is said.
Jesus is the King of truth
Jesus said about His mission to Pilate: "In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." John 18:37
All truth speaks for Jesus. It doesn't exist a separate religious truth. Truth is one and the same truth whatever thing it concerns. All truth is from God.
If you are truthful in your practical matters, you feel attracted to become a disciple of Jesus when you hear His words and see His deeds. On the other hand if you love Jesus and know Him as the Truth, you guard yourself that you would be truthful also in all your practical matters.
Try it! If you turn away from all your everyday falsehoods, you will understand Jesus better. You start to see also your environment quite different. It doesn't necessarily look better. Often the truth uncovers sore points of your life and the world may look completely terrible. However do not seek the comfort of lies. Seek the closeness of Jesus! He will fill you with joy and the Holy Spirit and will reveal His secrets to you. You start to see things from the viewpoint of God and you will get a grip of the invisible world of God.
If you stick only to the truth that concerns this perishable world, I am sure that you can't stand awake very long. The truth of the wickedness of this world drives the most to seeking some drugs to console themselves with them. Jesus is not a drug, and therefore He is not popular.
The truth of the coming of God's New World gives strength to endure the truth of the darkness of this world. Experience the truth of Jesus, how He is the Lord and God on the Throne of God in Heaven and the landscape of your soul will be bright and you can stand awake. It means you are able to walk in the truth.
If you claim that the Bible is not true, your view can come out from comparing the Bible with your untruthful picture of the reality where you live. If you compare what really happens around you with what the Bible says about people and this world, you notice that the Bible is speaking the truth about your everyday life.
Jesus said about His mission to Pilate: "In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." John 18:37
All truth speaks for Jesus. It doesn't exist a separate religious truth. Truth is one and the same truth whatever thing it concerns. All truth is from God.
If you are truthful in your practical matters, you feel attracted to become a disciple of Jesus when you hear His words and see His deeds. On the other hand if you love Jesus and know Him as the Truth, you guard yourself that you would be truthful also in all your practical matters.
Try it! If you turn away from all your everyday falsehoods, you will understand Jesus better. You start to see also your environment quite different. It doesn't necessarily look better. Often the truth uncovers sore points of your life and the world may look completely terrible. However do not seek the comfort of lies. Seek the closeness of Jesus! He will fill you with joy and the Holy Spirit and will reveal His secrets to you. You start to see things from the viewpoint of God and you will get a grip of the invisible world of God.
If you stick only to the truth that concerns this perishable world, I am sure that you can't stand awake very long. The truth of the wickedness of this world drives the most to seeking some drugs to console themselves with them. Jesus is not a drug, and therefore He is not popular.
The truth of the coming of God's New World gives strength to endure the truth of the darkness of this world. Experience the truth of Jesus, how He is the Lord and God on the Throne of God in Heaven and the landscape of your soul will be bright and you can stand awake. It means you are able to walk in the truth.
If you claim that the Bible is not true, your view can come out from comparing the Bible with your untruthful picture of the reality where you live. If you compare what really happens around you with what the Bible says about people and this world, you notice that the Bible is speaking the truth about your everyday life.
Test Jesus if He is the Truth
As much as there are lies in your life that you have believed to be the truth, so much you are in a hypnotic state. Jesus advises to test everything and to hold on to the truth and the good. Seek the truth. Jesus promises that everyone who seeks finds.
"Jesus answered, 'My teaching is not my own. It comes from Him who sent me. If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own." John 7:16-17
In other words, if you want to find out the truth about Jesus, it is the right attitude. You can test His teaching by putting it into practice. Jesus promises that you yourself will "know the truth".
Coming to faith means internalizing the truth of the gospel so that God gets right into you. Humbling yourself before the truth about the goodness of God and about your own badness brings the gospel near to you. The event, where you voluntarily committed yourself to Jesus for the gospel's sake, brought you from the darkness of lies to the light of His truth.
It often happens that people try to own Jesus through untruthful tricks and the person's heart has not opened to the truth about the crucified and risen Jesus. Many imagine themselves to be in the faith, because they have made their decision in a meeting or because they have been baptized or something similar.
However the assurance of the salvation is got only by listening to the truth. If your heart doesn't receive what you heard, your decision of faith and your baptism are futile. The event that made you believe that you are saved, although you are not, deceived you.
You can be freed from your untruthful "rebirth" acting according to the following Bible passage: "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realise that Christ Jesus is in you - unless, of course, you fail the test?" 2Cor.13:5
Coming to the faith doesn't automatically set you free from all lies, but is a good start to the ever brighter Jesus-Way. "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth." John 16:13
As much as there are lies in your life that you have believed to be the truth, so much you are in a hypnotic state. Jesus advises to test everything and to hold on to the truth and the good. Seek the truth. Jesus promises that everyone who seeks finds.
"Jesus answered, 'My teaching is not my own. It comes from Him who sent me. If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own." John 7:16-17
In other words, if you want to find out the truth about Jesus, it is the right attitude. You can test His teaching by putting it into practice. Jesus promises that you yourself will "know the truth".
Coming to faith means internalizing the truth of the gospel so that God gets right into you. Humbling yourself before the truth about the goodness of God and about your own badness brings the gospel near to you. The event, where you voluntarily committed yourself to Jesus for the gospel's sake, brought you from the darkness of lies to the light of His truth.
It often happens that people try to own Jesus through untruthful tricks and the person's heart has not opened to the truth about the crucified and risen Jesus. Many imagine themselves to be in the faith, because they have made their decision in a meeting or because they have been baptized or something similar.
However the assurance of the salvation is got only by listening to the truth. If your heart doesn't receive what you heard, your decision of faith and your baptism are futile. The event that made you believe that you are saved, although you are not, deceived you.
You can be freed from your untruthful "rebirth" acting according to the following Bible passage: "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realise that Christ Jesus is in you - unless, of course, you fail the test?" 2Cor.13:5
Coming to the faith doesn't automatically set you free from all lies, but is a good start to the ever brighter Jesus-Way. "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth." John 16:13
The Bible version used in references is NIV