PORTERVILLE POST | The "RIGHT" Word © ~ with Brother Scott

| “LOVE OF THE TRUTH” {#2}

The Right Word^© - Mar 22, 2026
with Brother Scott : scott@portervillepost.com

I put these passages at († 2 Thessalonians 2) and († Luke 18) together in these discussions about having “the love of the truth” for these two reasons: They both directly relate to the end times in which we are living and they are both symbiotic.
Listen :

Things that exist in symbiosis mean they have a relationship mutually beneficial to each other where both symbiotes contribute to the other’s subsistence; in short, they live together helping each other.

You have no doubt heard the question, “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
If you will think about it, the answer is obvious—the rooster and hen both came first or there wouldn’t ever be a fertile egg for the hen to warm for 21 days to produce more chickens. Should you ever want to tease someone with such a riddle, based on († Luke 18) and († 2 Thessalonians 2’s) passages you could ask, “Which came first, faith or truth?” It actually should stimulate some useful thought and study in the mind of a follower of Jesus.
However, I’ll save you the trouble of thought and study and give you the answer. Just like the chicken came before an egg could, truth came before faith was possible, at least where God’s plan of salvation is involved in your life and mine. Actually “truth” has always existed and knows no end; truth is without beginning and without an end.
“What?” you ask! “How do you know that?” Truth has always existed and actually faith is the newcomer for humanities sake but for mankind truth and faith work together, helping one another for your and my salvation. Where the saving of our souls is concerned, you and I need them both and they support one another: For us, truth needs faith and faith needs the truth.

The proof that TRUTH is eternally existent?

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† John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. . . 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. 15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. 16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
† John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. . . 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
† Psalm 31:5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.

Yes, truth has had no beginning because God has had no beginning nor an end; truth is eternal but faith in God is needed for sinners to be saved, and those saved by faith through grace cannot take faith in God for granted. Our faith in God and in His Word must be respected, fed, strengthened, and defended.

This is why I say TRUTH & FAITH are symbiotic.

This is why I say that truth and faith are symbiotic. One is not parasitic to the other like the mistletoe on a tree but they help one another, like the small wrasse fish and the large predator shark. Truth and faith complement one another and they must actively abide in our minds and hearts continually.

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† John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
† Ephesians 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;). . . 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

TRUTH must be revealed for faith to function

Truth must be revealed for faith to function and faith must be founded on truth or faith is impotent and a mere vagabond among false religions and other beliefs. These two have the same purpose—to reveal a holy and loving God to the sinner and save his or her souls. At your and my death or when Jesus returns, you and I must be found living by a clear-cut faith in Him and the Word of God or we will not be His. A strong faith depends on the knowledge of and the reliability of the truth of God’s Word.
So that seems to beg the question, have you “received the love the truth?” Do you have within you today a heartfelt deep affection (agape) for the truth and especially God’s Book? Or—do you instead easily discern about yourself that you rather love an independence from the strict demands of truth but especially the truth of God.
Perhaps you permit indulgences in your life that allow you to walk in the shadows of unrighteousness but feel this or that “is not so bad” as to cause you to slip into outright sin or to “fall away” in the face of the deceptions of these last days?
Many believing themselves followers of Jesus walk a winding and slippery slope of compromise—uneven and sometimes muddy ground that is often undetectable and can in a couple of slight turns cause one to slip and slide into unbelief of the truth while deceptions offer their help.
We need as Christians and the world at-large needs to receive the love of the truth that will save the soul from eternal torment and separation from God.
It is an interesting word to be associated with the word truth. From its Greek word this word “receive” means “to accept or to take” implying that as individuals you or I do not on our own possess love for God’s truth apart from recognizing its availability and accepting love for it; like being given faith to believe the Gospel († Rom. 10:17, 12:3).
A general definition from any common dictionary today defines “receive” as “to be given something, getting something, such as a gift; welcoming someone or something; to acquire something”. The very word means that to receive something is the state of not as yet having that thing. And according to what the writer said in his speaking of men “9 . . . after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; ... [men] received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”

( Now I must remind you that we Christians say we are saved, which has some validity, but until we walk through Heaven’s gates finally and fully saved, it is a work-in-progress here in this life and one that is not fully accomplished until we step into the perfect realm of God,
else in these times especially there can be a “falling away”.)

The Word bears this out that we have things that we must “receive” from God to be saved, such as the faith to believe the Gospel and be saved as well as the love of the truth that is God’s holy Word. Here are examples:

( † † † )
† 1 Corinthians 4:7 [Speaking about pride:] For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?
† James 1:16 Do not err (deceived, be seduced, go astry), my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. [Truth and love for it are gifts from God.]
† John 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost. . .

The bottom line of this discussion is that a special endowment for love of the truth is offered by God and must be embraced, else all we have that might help us is just the discipline to read the truth but not be much affected by it. We will read it but not pass it from our mind to our heart and to our hungry spirit.
Without the love of God’s Word, we do not have sufficient motivation (a love for it) for what it takes to meditate on God’s Word for its spiritual nutrition, sustenance, perseverance, wisdom and power. Without love for the truth, we are not ambitious “doers” of the truth and therefore, its help against unrighteousness is limited—even just as a whisper is against the loud voices of temptations or great physical need.

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† Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold (have but hold down) the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. . .

Just as for us on the earth there is a Divinely arranged marriage between truth and faith, so is there a great relationship advantage between truth and our love of it. And as is usually the case in an earthly arranged marriage, the man and the woman are not “in love” with each other when they are joined (in fact, he or she may be in love with someone else. Consider that in a spiritual sense!); at their wedding they are at best barely acquainted with each other.
In these cases, to evolve beyond a utility-type marriage, actual “love” between a husband and his wife must come by the practices of fidelity, commitment, service, and a desire for genuine tender intimacies, otherwise the relationship is nothing more than two people living together to satisfy parents, cultural norms, and sexual needs.
Now Heaven has arranged for our perfection in righteousness to have truth and faith as needed parts to our getting to know and know well our Groom, the Lord Jesus Christ. Like the gifts of faith, grace and truth, and eternal life, love of the truth is apparently offered from God our Father but it is to be sought for and “received” along with the joy it brings for the truth.
If we do not receive the love of the truth but at least read God’s Word for its truth, our relationship with life-changing truth remains merely one of just acting out our part like in an arranged marriage, where we do what is our duty to but without love for our Groom and the truth that He and the entire Word of God is.

( † † † )
† Luke 17:10 ...likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

(† 2 Thessalonians 2:3 & 10) is a most serious warning for all men and women living in these last days because of the Great Tribulation and all the destruction and death that it brings upon the earth.
Without knowing and believing the truth and having respect and love for it (for it comes from the heart of God and our Savior), many Christians will turn away from the truth when they are persecuted, need food and water and shelter.

If You Are Not Reading It - YOU MUST BEGIN This Week.

If you are not reading it—you must begin this week. If you do not love it at least as much as your most favorite meal or recreational activity, I urge you to pray and ask the Holy Spirit for a baptism of love for the Word of God.
And just like in the marriage between a man and a woman by tender intimacies the two become one flesh, so does your spirit and soul become one with God’s holy Word.

( † † † )
† Jeremiah 15:16 [Like anything that we truly love, this is the blessing of God’s truth:] Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.
† John 17:11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. . . 17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
† Matthew 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them [of the end times], Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many ... 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold ... 23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders († 2 Thessalonians 2:9); insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

There Is More To Be Said About The “Truth”

Knowledge of and a genuine love of the truth of God’s holy Book will safeguard you during the coming time of strong delusion—the greatest of deceptions and lies ever to be put forth upon the human race. Ask for and receive the gift of love for the truth.