Proverbs 23:23

A Chinese ophthalmologist tried to warn of the coronavirus but was silenced by the Chinese government.

It is physically dangerous to silence truth. How much more so in religious matters?

Micaiah – I Kings 22

• Micaiah was pressured to speak favorable words to the king. He refused to say anything besides what God commanded him to.

The truth is true, no matter what.

• Let’s list a few things that don’t change the truth…

  • Preference – Cain, Genesis 4:3-5

  • Emotion – Jacob, Genesis 37:34

  • Leadership – Aaron, Exodus 32:3-4

  • Criticism – Korah, Numbers 16:3

  • Persistence – Balak, Numbers 22-24

  • Majority – Elijah, I Kings 18:19

  • Tradition – False teachers, Colossians 2:16-17

  • Imagination – False teachers, Colossians 2:20-23

    • Paul may have been specifically teaching against ascetic Gnosticism here.

Next steps

• Understand that people are motivated by bias, desire, fear, anger, etc.
  • Mark 15:10; Acts 17:5; John 12:42
• We need to develop a love for truth.
  • Proverbs 23:23; John 17:17; 8:32
• Keep teaching the truth courageously.
  • Acts 4:19-20; Romans 1; Genesis 1; I Corinthians 1

II Peter 3:3-7