Statements of Fact

There are several statements of fact in the Bible, as Micah wrote above. I like Joshua’s statement:

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. (Joshua 24:15 KJV)

Jesus also made statements, among them are several I depend upon:

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28 KJV)

It’s the “will” that makes a difference to me. The definition given this verb is "expressing the future tense; and expressing inevitable events; and expressing facts about ability or capacity. There are several other definitions of this simple four-letter word, at least six as a verb, and more as a noun. What does it mean to you?

As I read in Micah, Joshua, and Matthew, it is a statement that the described action will take place. That’s a tiny bit different from John’s use when Jesus was talking to Nicodemus:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16 KJV)

Here we don’t see “will”, but there is “should not”, which Strong’s definition of G3361 is:

μή
Transliteration:  mē
Pronunciation:  may
A primary particle of qualified negation (whereas G3756 expresses an absolute denial);

Why would this verse use “should not” instead of “will”? I wonder if the explanation can be found in:

Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. (James 2:19 KJV)

Believing should also mean responding – and sometimes believing doesn’t responding to God, just as the devils in the verse above. James addresses that, too, to help us see the difference between those who profess a belief, and those who have faith in God:

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. (James 2:17-18 KJV)

We believers are examples to others – the emphasis in the following verse is mine, bold to tie the two together – Paul and his companions’ behavior being an example to follow:

Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. (2 Thessalonians 3:6-9 KJV)

Which is why we hold our religious leaders to a biblical standard, and are very disappointed when that standard is ignored. There are some biblical standards that are statements of fact. Jesus made such statements.

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6 KJV)

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  (John 3:5 KJV)

Those statements of fact tell me who He is – this one tells me who we are:

But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. (Matthew 22:31-32 KJV)

That’s an awesome statement!

Believing can be difficult. There are many who do not, and are eager to tell Christians how wrong they are. Those persist in their belief that God never did exist and absolutely does not exist today. But if you can accept one verse as a possibility, and read the Bible with prayers for understanding, it will make such a difference that you can believe that:

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1 KJV)