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Jan 20, 2025 06:00am

The Whole Truth

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“I do solemnly swear that the testimony I shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God.”

A witness stands before the court. The judge sits high on the bench. The bailiff holds the Bible in his hand for the witness to swear an oath to the truth of the testimony he is about to give.

It’s not a partial testimony but the whole truth.

The jury and those gathered in the courtroom listen intently to the words of the witness.

Paul. He dreamed of delivering the gospel to the Romans, and he finally made it. Through beatings and arrests, treacherous sailing, storms at sea, being shipwrecked, snake bit, and now finally in house arrest, Paul has reached his destination.

The leaders of the Jews have been called. They’ve set the date, the time, the place. Paul will deliver his testimony.

The whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Acts 28:23-28
So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening.
24 And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.
25 So when they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had said one word: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers,
26 “saying,
‘Go to this people and say:
“Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand;
And seeing you will see, and not perceive;
27 For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.”‘
28 “Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!”

Whether they wanted it or not, Paul gave it all to them. Some of them listened and believed, but others didn’t want to hear what Paul was saying. They could accept part of it, but not when Paul mentioned the Gentiles. Their religion, the God they said they worshipped, couldn’t possibly include the Gentiles.

Could He?

Paul knew many would turn their ears and their hearts away. But he wasn’t sent so that ALL would believe. He was sent to deliver the message, the whole truth, and those that would have ears to hear, would hear.

Today, I share that same message with you.

God made a way to redeem us from our sins: the perfect, sinless sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God’s only Son. He paid the debt we owed. He took all of our sins upon His shoulders and died for them. He was buried, and three days later, Jesus Christ defeated death and rose from the grave. He is alive! And He tells us that anyone who believes in this truth in their hearts and confesses with their mouth that He is Lord will be saved from the punishment of their sins.

Those who have ears to hear will hear.

And believe.

Jesus loves you and wants a relationship with you. One where you talk and trust and follow Him through this life. Let me show you how. Go to follow.lifeword.org to learn what it means to be loved by Jesus and on mission for Him.

Christ gave His life so that you could be saved. Nothing you’ve ever done makes you “unworthy” or “unsavable.” He’s too big of a God for that.

And that’s the whole truth.