Scripture:
2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
Sat, 8 October 2022

A Love of the Truth

Observation:

What is the meaning of “love of the truth” (v.10)?

Deeper Reflection
IN THE NARRATIVE OF THE ANTICHRIST IN 2 THESSALONIANS 2 is the battle between “the truth” and falsehood and deception – the contradiction and counterfeit of the truth (2 Thess 2:3, 9-12). The truth is the Gospel, for people are to believe the truth “so as to be saved” (v.10). And “the gospel of God” is “the word of God” (1 Thess 2:9, 13). Indeed, the whole Bible is “the gospel of God” (Rom 1:1-3).Unbelievers are “perishing” (v.10) and “condemned” (v.12) because they “refused to love the truth” (v.10) and “did not believe the truth” (v.12). When unbelievers “refused to love the truth”, it means they “did not accept a love for the truth”10 and they “had not only not ‘welcomed’…this truth, but had no liking for it, no desire to possess it”11. The expression “love of the truth” is found only here in the whole New Testament. “The fuller expression of ‘love of the truth’ goes beyond the idea of accepting the Gospel on an intellectual level as something that is factually true or accurate, moving deeply to a passionate, emotional attachment to the Gospel: one is personally and fully devoted to this truth.”12It is theologically assumed that when a person “accepts a love for the truth” and is “saved”, this love for the truth should continue in his or her life in following Jesus. Do we have “a love for the truth” – the Word of God? Are we “moving deeply to a passionate, emotional attachment” to the Word of God, and “personally and fully devoted to” it?
10 Gordon D. Fee, The First and Second Letters to the Thessalonians, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Eerdmans, 2009), 294, footnote 85 11 Gene L. Green, The Letters to the Thessalonians, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Apollos, 2002), 323 – citing George Milligan 12 Jeffrey A. D. Weima, 1-2 Thessalonians, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Baker Academic, 2014), 541-42
Application:

What does it mean for me to have a love of the truth?

Prayer:
Write a prayer to God as your response from your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.
Prayer Pointers:
  • Give thanks and praise
  • Pray for Church Board: To grow deep in love of the truth
  • Pray for significant people
  • Pray for those in need
  • Pray for self

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Daily Devo
Daily Devotional Journal
Scripture:
Daniel 10:11-12, 14-19
Tue, 26 September 2023

A Man of High Esteem

Observation:

What significant observations can you make about Daniel being called “man of high esteem” (vv.11, 19)?

Deeper Reflection
One of the heavenly beings called Daniel “man of high esteem” (v.11). This honour was bestowed on Daniel emphatically, in that it was repeated twice (v.19). This “high esteem” did not come from man, but from God Himself. God gave this honour to Daniel toward the end of his life when God called him to “enter into rest” (Dan 12:13). As a youth, Daniel “made up his mind not to defile himself with the king’s choice food” (Dan 1:8), and as an old man, he was faithful to God in spending time with Him in his “three times a day” devotion, even if it means to be thrown into the lions’ den (Dan 6:10). Daniel was finishing well in his life with “humbling yourself before your God” (v.12). When we think of finishing well in terms of successful accomplishments, we must be careful that we are not exalting ourselves.It is not for us to see ourselves in any way as a person of high esteem before God. It is for God to say that to us (2 Cor 10:17-18). Daniel never saw himself as a “man of high esteem”. A key emphasis in Daniel 10 is Daniel being greatly overwhelmed by the holiness and glory of God represented by the heavenly being with an awesome appearance (Dan 10:5-10, 15-18). And it was in this encounter with God when he was called “man of high esteem” that Daniel said, “How can such a servant of my Lord talk with such as my Lord?”50 (v.17). The man highly esteemed by God saw his unworthiness before God.
50 I have theologically translated “my lord” to “my Lord”, since the heavenly being is a representation of God.
Application:

What does being highly esteemed by God mean to me?

Prayer:
Write a prayer to God as your response from your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.
Prayer Pointers:
  • Give thanks and praise
  • Pray for pastors and staff: To be able to see oneself as God sees
  • Pray for significant people
  • Pray for those in need
  • Pray for self

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