The Truth in Us

“For the sake of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever.”  2 John 1:2

The word “truth” occurs more in the Gospel of John than in any other book of the New Testament, and it occurs in the first epistle of John more than in any other book except John’s Gospel. Then it occurs more in John’s two, one-chapter epistles (2 and 3 John) than in any other New Testament book save John and 1 John. Surely one of the great themes in John’s writings is truth!

God is, indeed, the God of truth, and His written Word is “inscribed in the writing of truth” (Dan. 10:21). “For the word of the Lord is upright, and all His work is done in faithfulness” (Psalm 33:4). The Lord Jesus Christ is, in fact, the very incarnation of truth. “I am the way, and the truth, and the life,” He asserted (John 14:6).

Surely truth dwells forever in Christ, for He is Himself the Creator and is thereby the very definition of truth. But how can it be that truth dwells in us and shall be with us forever? This is certainly not the case with the natural man.

It can only be by the Holy Spirit, of course, and this is what Christ - Who is the truth - has promised. “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you” (John 14:16-17).

That being so, with the Holy Spirit of truth indwelling us forever, our words, and deeds, and our very lives, should be characterized by truth and complete consistency. “Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor” (Eph. 4:25). “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth” (1 John 1:6).