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The Experiment

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2 John 1-2 The elderly elder [of the church addresses this letter] to the elect (chosen) lady (Cyria) and her children, whom I truly love—and not only I but also all who are [progressively] learning to recognize and know and understand the Truth—2 Because of the Truth which lives and stays on in our hearts and will be with us forever….

As we asked in a previous blog, What is truth?, it helps to have a refresher. How is truth defined? Truth is that which affirms propositionally the nature of reality as it is. This means that when we talk about truth we are not talking about something being subjectively true for me. We’re talking about something that is objectively true and actually real. (Medium, In Defense 315)

Ravi Zacharias, in The Logic of God, stated: Truth by definition is exclusive. Everything cannot be true. If everything is true, then nothing is false. And if nothing is false, then it would also be true to say everything is false. We cannot have it both ways. One should not be surprised at the claims of exclusivity. The reality is that even those who deny truth’s exclusivity, in effect, exclude those who do not deny it. The truth quickly emerges. The law of noncontradiction does apply to reality: two contradictory statements cannot both be true in the same sense. Thus, to deny the law of noncontradiction is to affirm it at the same time.

There are three ways to test Truth. Now think about that. Jesus is the TRUTH. You could say, then, that Jesus can be “tested” to see if Who He is and what He says is TRUTH. Not only does Christianity teach that TRUTH is objective and absolute it also teaches that TRUTH is knowable. WE can know Him – the TRUTH. Hebrews 3:10 in the AMPC verifies this stating: And so I was provoked (displeased and sorely grieved) with that generation, and said, They always err and are led astray in their hearts, and they have not perceived or recognized My ways and become progressively better and more experimentally and intimately acquainted with them. The Greek word that the AMPC translation is drawing this meaning from is ginosko. Ginosko speaks of a knowing on multiple levels. Thus experiment is defined in English as, a test, or investigation, done in order to learn something or to discover if something works or is true.

We come to know Jesus the TRUTH through “testing” Who He is, what He says, and what His followers say. The three ways of testing something to be true are as follows: logical consistency, empirical adequacy, and experiential relevance. Is Jesus, His claims and His Word, logically consistent? Is it rational? Does it make sense in itself? Medium, In Defense 315 blog states: Basic doctrines like God existing, the Incarnation, the Resurrection, and even the Trinity need to be logically consistent. Now this is not to say that we can comprehend the complexity of a thing, but only that it is apprehensible. Can you apprehend Jesus? Can you perceive or grasp Who He is, His words, and His lifestyle – mentally? Can you ask Jesus to allow you to apprehend any of the above and receive an answer? Absolutely! He stands the logical consistency test.

Yet, Its a funny thing about putting something to the test. Eventually, if you are sincere and honest, the test should have a boomerang effect. Namely it should cause you to pause and ask yourself, Do I pass the logical consistency test? Does the life I live – my thinking, language, actions, etc. – match what I say I believe about Jesus? As John encourages the recipients of his letter by stating that they were: [progressively] learning to recognize and know and understand the Truth. This was something that was observable. But not only was it observable it passed the empirical adequacy test. Empirical adequacy correctly represents observable phenomena. For example, When people see your version of Christianity are they simply seeing someone going to church, and being a good person OR are they seeing someone radically following Jesus; doing things only Jesus can do? When you are tested or squeezed by life’s circumstances does Jesus exude through the stench of the difficulty? Which leads to the next test: experiential relevance. If Jesus passes the first two tests then I guarantee He will pass this last test. Experiential Relevance is just a fancy way of saying, Does this work in real life? Does Jesus work in real life, and more importantly does He work in your life? Does He challenge you, change you, and sustain you through good and bad times?

If He hasn’t, may I suggest that you do some faith experiments with Him today or this week. See if He works in your life. Talk to Him and let Him know that you desire to [progressively] learn to recognize and know and understand the Truth – that you want to know Him better as TRUTH. Ask Him what area of your life He wants you to experiment in and then ask for the GRACE and the Power of the Holy Spirit to step out in faith.

Spirit and Truth

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Dr. Dave Breese, in his book The Marks of a Cult, defines extra-biblical revelation as: the view that God has spoken in recorded words, through whatever medium, since He gave us the New Testament Scriptures. It is the assertion that God speaks or has spoken outside, apart from the Bible. The teaching of Holy Scripture forbids this view. It insists that God has spoken to us finally and completely in His Word, the Bible. The last definitive syllables which God has given to this world are the Scriptures of the New Testament.

Yet the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ (full title of the book of Revelation) encourages it’s readers to add something extra to their reading: Revelation 2:7 He who is able to hear, let him listen to and give heed to what the Spirit says to the assemblies (churches). AMPC; Revelation 2:11 He who is able to hear, let him listen to and heed what the Spirit says to the assemblies (churches). AMPC; Revelation 2:29 He who is able to hear, let him listen to and heed what the [Holy] Spirit says to the assemblies (churches). AMPC; Revelation 3:6 He who is able to hear, let him listen to and heed what the [Holy] Spirit says to the assemblies (churches). AMPC; Revelation 3:13 He who can hear, let him listen to and heed what the Spirit says to the assemblies (churches). AMPC; Revelation 3:22 He who is able to hear, let him listen to and heed what the [Holy] Spirit says to the assemblies (churches). AMPC

It’s almost like Jesus is driving home a point: Hear, listen, and heed what the Holy Spirit says! Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb. 13:8). When the Book of Revelation was written the only Bible these believers had was the Old Testament. To make matters more complicated the copy of the Bible was at the Jewish synagogue. The printing press was invented in 1440. Books would not be available to common people until the 18th and 19th centuries. The assertion that God does not speak outside of the Bible is foolish and a reflection of a Western-Civilizations worldview that everybody can read, everybody owns a book, and everybody reads books. In 2022 the illiteracy rate around the world was at 87.01%. How will the Christians that are illiterate know how to pray? How will they know what direction the Lord is leading? How will they know what is truth and error? How will they ever really come to know Jesus?

Don’t get me wrong I love the Word of God (the Bible) and spend a great deal of time meditating and memorizing its words. But I don’t limit my Bible reading to my reason and understanding. This would sound heretical to Dr. Breese, but I read the Bible through the aid of the Spirit of God Who teaches, and leads me into all Truth. I actually receive revelation from the Spirit of God as I read its words. He helps me to understand and apply its truths to my life. You cannot understand the Bible apart from His revealing its truths to you. In fact you could not have even come to Jesus without Him whispering in your spirit and drawing you to Jesus. He told you that you were a sinner. He spoke to you and revealed you needed to repent of your sins and trust in Jesus’ Sacrifice in order to be forgiven and have eternal life. In other words, God, the Creator of the Universe spoke to you. Can I let you in on a clue? He is still speaking. He hasn’t lost His Voice just because a few of us possess the written Word of God (13%)! To make matters worse The Pew Research Center states that only 45% of Christians read the Bible at least once a week. Once a week? So, almost half of the Christians you know (according to Dr. Breeses definition of hearing God) “hear” God about once a week. Which means they only have a relationship with God – once a week.

Those who ascend through the Door that Jesus is – the DOOR in Revelation 4 and John 10 – do so because they have listened to and are listening for the Godhead to speak: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They have opened the DOOR and have invited the Godhead to speak. The Revelation of Jesus Christ is only made possible to those who have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying. Jesus was crucified, resurrected and ascended to the Father in order for you to have the relationship our ancestors Adam and Eve enjoyed with Jesus before the Fall. He rose again to open communion, communication, and fellowship between you and the Godhead. Repeatedly Jesus exhorted His listeners to have eyes to see and ears to hear. I have banged this drum for quite some time but Jesus’ definition of Eternal Life was in knowing experientially, progressively, and intimately the Father and Jesus. (Jn. 17:3). Three Greek words from the New Testament: koinonia (fellowship), rhema (revelation, or out of the Mouth of God), and ginosko (intimate, experiential, and progressive relationship) – ALL speak of an active relationship with God, which can be found in the Bible, but is not limited to the Bible. The Bible is a collection of testimonies that sow seeds of faith and hope in all who hear its words and by faith appropriate those experiences into their heart. Psalm 19:1-4 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows and proclaims His handiwork.2 Day after day pours forth speech, and night after night shows forth knowledge.3 There is no speech nor spoken word [from the stars]; their voice is not heard.4 Yet their voice [in evidence] goes out through all the earth, their sayings to the end of the world. AMPC

God is still speaking! He is not limited to a book. I didn’t marry my wife to read a book about her. (Sometimes I wish a manual would have been provided) If this is true of human relationships how much more true is it regarding our relationship with God? The Author and Creator of all good things placed that desire in our heart – to know Him and to know others. Even God the Father said regarding Adam, It is not good for man to be alone – without someone to have a relationship with. (Gen. 2:18)

In John 4:24 Jesus states: God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and Truth. You cannot even worship God apart from the Spirit. Dr. Breese ignorantly asks people to deny God a people who worship Him in the Spirit from their spirit. These are the worshippers He seeks. Their worship is not limited to the Bible. Like Adam, they allow the Spirit of God to breathe into them the Holy Spirit’s Breath of Life. Thus, according to the messages of Revelation chapter 3-4: Wake Up, A Door is Open, Open the DOOR, Come Up Here!

Confession & Declaration 26

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Today is Day 23 in your prayer journal for “Who’s Your One?” Which means you are 7 days away from sharing the Gospel with your “one.” The question is, What’s your strategy for sharing? Are you going to use The 3 Circles Gospel presentation, or a witnessing tract that you can walk them through? Or are you simply going to share your testimony – what your life was like before you came to Jesus, how you came to Jesus, and what your life is like now that you have accepted Jesus? Will you simply share your love and concern for their life? That quite frankly you really love and like them and want them to spend eternity with Jesus and you. Will you ask the 2 Diagnostic Questions attempting to discern where they really are in their relationship with Jesus; helping them to discover it for themselves? What are the 2 diagnostic questions? The very first is, Have you come to the place in your spiritual life where you know for certain that you have eternal life? The second question is even more telling because you ask what their assurance is for eternity. This second diagnostic question asks, If you were to dies today and stand before God and He asked, “Why should I let you into My Heaven?” What would you say? If their answer is dependent upon themselves you know where their assurance lies. Even if they say that they prayed a prayer, received baptism, joined a church, or tried to be good people – you know exactly where they actually put their trust. That is the key difference: TRUST. Often people believe all the right things but they have not translated their beliefs into trust. They’ve simply become converted. They’ve exchanged their ideas and opinions for another set of ideas; changing sides, turning over a new leaf. Unfortunately for them their center is still SELF. Which brings me to todays declaration and confession. 1 John 5:11-12 And this is that testimony (that evidence): God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.12 He who possesses the Son has that life; he who does not possess the Son of God does not have that life.

If you have met God’s covenant requirements – then you have been born-again of the Spirit. Converts have no idea what this term means. Nor do they understand what it means to have Jesus, or eternal life. Jesus defined eternal life totally different than what we’ve been taught or heard. Jesus’ definition was all about relationship. John 17:3 And this is eternal life: [it means] to know (to perceive, recognize, become acquainted with, and understand) You, the only true and real God, and [likewise] to know Him, Jesus [as the] Christ (the Anointed One, the Messiah), Whom You have sent.

The AMPC does a great job of breaking down the meaning of knowing. Knowing in the original language means that you are experiencing the individual, getting acquainted with them, understanding them, perceiving and recognizing who they really are. It’s progressive, personal, and intimate. It means that there is a co-sharing of personhood. If I co-share with another then there is going to be a give and take of feelings, and thoughts that are verbally expressed. It means that my sharing will be personal, vulnerable, honest, sincere, reflective, experiential, emotional, risky, trusting, loving, and respectful. If this is going on – I have Jesus. I have eternal life.

Now stop and process that. Through the Blood of Jesus you now have access to the Godhead, in a give and take of thoughts and feelings, that are personal, vulnerable, honest, sincere, reflective, experiential, emotional, risky, trusting, loving, and respectful. With the Godhead. With the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. You have Jesus. You have His heart, and He has yours.

In other words, you become like spouses that really love one another. When you apply that concept to your relationship with Jesus it means that Jesus loves, and likes you. He desires to be with You. Jesus wants to hear all of the details of your day. Jesus desires to hear you talk about all of these things. Even more amazing than that. He wants to express His words, thoughts and feelings to you.

It never dawned on me till this morning that Jesus has been waiting on me not to pray through my list of the needs of others. He doesn’t want me to simply read a devotional thought, or the Bible, and walk away. No, no, and absolutely not! He wants me to slow down, and connect with Him. I realized I had reaped what I had sown. What do I mean? For the past several years my focus has been on obedience. But in the process I have neglected co-sharing. As a result of my focus I had reaped what I had sown. Yet recently I broadened my focus to include practicing His Presence, and taking the time to talk with Him about concerns, struggles, and thoughts. Guess what has happened? He has started co-sharing with me. With that in mind, why don’t you take this time to make this declaration and draw near to Him.

Declaration 26: My Precious Father Jesus. Again and again, thank You! Thank You for Your Precious Blood that has made this possible. I have You, and You have me. I am yours, but greater than that – You are mine. Through Your precious Blood I now have the assurance that I have a relationship with You. I have eternal life. Through Your Blood I can now crawl up beside You and pour my heart out. Thank You that You also pour out your heart to me. Thank You that through these truths I can see that I need to broaden my focus to sow into Your life my words, thoughts and feelings that are personal, vulnerable, honest, sincere, reflective, experiential, emotional, risky, trusting, loving, and respectful. Through Jesus’ Blood I can crawl up in Your lap Father. I can wrap my arms around Your neck and hug You. Thank You that from Your Throne and Your Lap – I can see things from Your perspective, and be still and quiet. For You are My Rock, Refuge, and Safety. I love You for loving me. Thank You that I have Jesus, and He has me.