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The love of the truth is fundamental to salvation. This is not a new revelation. This has been a fundamental since day-one of our human existence. The God who requires that we love the truth today is the same God who made it a requirement in the beginning. The next few editions of these messages will be devoted to showing that what we have just stated is true, namely, that the love of the truth has always been essential to salvation.

God instructed the first humans as to what they had to do to continue in fellowship with Him. They were capable of obeying Him, and His instructions were absolutely clear, Yet we all know that they made choices that caused their fellowship with the Father to be terminated and the Tree of Life to be withdrawn from their grasp. It will prove to be an interesting exercise to examine the similarities as well as the differences in the disobedient acts of Adam and Eve.

The similarity in Adam and Eve’s fall is that they were both tempted and they both gave in to their temptations; they both sinned! However, according to an inspired commentary written by the apostle Paul, there was a significant dissimilarity in their transgressions. He wrote, “And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.” (1 Timothy 2.14). Note carefully that Eve was deceived, but also note that Adam was not deceived. These facts imply other facts which are germane to our current discussion. The details supplied by Paul imply that Eve believed the serpent’s lies and acted on that belief; she was deceived. However, such was not the case with Adam. He did not believe the woman when she told him that the fruit was good for food; he ate of the forbidden fruit with his eyes wide open to the fact that He was acting in a manner contrary to the commandments of God and the truths that they contained. Now we will presently note another similarity in their separate transgressions.

The evidence that Eve needed to verify or discredit the story of the serpent was readily available to her. Her husband certainly knew firsthand the truth of the matter; God had spoken to him directly. Also, it is reasonable to believe if there had been any room for misunderstanding, God could have been consulted again in the matter for clarification. Yet, Eve believed the lie of the serpent without bothering to check out his story. Her actions were totally inconsistent with one who loved the truth. Rather, it appears that she believed what appealed to her in spite of truth! Adam’s sin was not one of ignorance or deception; it was one of will! His will to please the woman appears to have been stronger than his will to please God. To state it another way, it appears that Adam loved the woman more than he loved the truth! Again, Adam’s actions were inconsistent with one who had the love of the truth. In both cases, the case of Adam and Eve, the love of the truth was deficient and was integral to their fall!

Here is a simple fact: One cannot love God supremely without loving truth supremely! Why is this true? Because He is the “...God of truth.” (Psalm 31.5). Also, “For the word of the LORD is right, And all His work is done in truth.” (Psalm 33.4). Jesus who was fully God said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life…” (John 14.6).

Questions:

1. What motivated Eve to sin? What would have kept her from sin?

2. What motivated Adam to sin? What would have kept him from sin?

3. Why is it impossible to love God supremely without loving truth supremely?

4. How does the love of the truth manifest itself in the lives of people? How does the lack of the love for the truth manifest itself?

"The Way" from Kevin Pauley

A World of One