Incomplete Truth…False Expectations

Incomplete Truth…False Expectations

"The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill Him; and after that He is killed, He shall rise the third day.  But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask Him" (Mark 9:31-32).

When the Lord prophesied His death to His disciples they were confused.  Christ did all that could be done to teach them.  But even on the night before His crucifixion, they did not understand what was about to happen, though He had told them so plainly.  He even said, "These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended" (John 16:1).

Jesus said, "Blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in Me."  He certainly knew that some would be thus offended.  What did He mean?  There can be but one answer.  He knew that there was confusion in the minds of the disciples concerning the work that He was to do.  He knew that they had filled their minds with part of the truth and that that incomplete truth was to become an error in their thinking.  The incomplete truth which was held by John the Baptist and the disciples of the Lord would lead them to become offended with Him.  They wanted the work of the second coming before He performed the redemptive work of His first coming.  They wanted the Kingdom, but they did not see that it must be founded on righteousness.  Since man has no righteousness of His own, the Kingdom must be founded on the righteousness of God.  That righteousness cannot be communicated unto man apart from the justifying work of Christ’s atoning death.  So when Jesus Christ sent back word to John in prison, "Blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in Me,"  He was really saying, "Blessed is that man who does not have an incomplete view of truth.  Blessed is that man who is not expecting the Kingdom to be accomplished before a basis of righteousness is provided for it.  Blessed is the man who does not expect the second coming before the first."

We must never forget that incomplete doctrine may become false doctrine.  Each of us should heed Dr. Barnhouse’s warning.  Too many false doctrines exist today because of incomplete truth.

Further Reading : Mark 9:30-32