Topical Bible: Truth: The Wicked: Plead not For

◄ Truth: The Wicked: Plead not For ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

In the biblical context, truth is a fundamental attribute of God and a cornerstone of His divine nature. It is often juxtaposed with the deceit and falsehood that characterize the wicked. The Scriptures consistently portray the wicked as those who reject truth, live in falsehood, and ultimately face divine judgment for their actions.

The wicked are depicted as individuals who not only reject truth but also fail to advocate for it. In the book of Isaiah, the prophet laments the absence of truth and justice among the people: "No one calls for justice; no one pleads his case with integrity. They rely on empty pleas; they tell lies, they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity" (Isaiah 59:4). This passage highlights the moral decay and the lack of truthfulness among the wicked, who are more inclined to perpetuate falsehood than to seek or uphold truth.

The Psalms further illustrate the nature of the wicked in relation to truth. Psalm 58:3-4 states, "The wicked are estranged from the womb; the liars go astray from birth. Their venom is like the poison of a serpent, like a cobra that shuts its ears." Here, the wicked are described as inherently deceitful, with a natural inclination towards falsehood from an early age. Their refusal to listen to truth is likened to a cobra that refuses to heed the charmer's voice, symbolizing their obstinate rejection of righteousness.

In the New Testament, the apostle Paul addresses the issue of truth and the wicked in his epistle to the Romans. He writes, "They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise! Amen" (Romans 1:25). This exchange of truth for falsehood is a hallmark of the wicked, who prioritize their own desires and idolatry over the truth of God.

The absence of truth among the wicked is not only a personal failing but also a societal one. In Jeremiah 9:3 , the prophet declares, "They bend their tongues like their bows; lies instead of truth prevail in the land, for they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not take Me into account," declares the LORD. This societal rejection of truth leads to widespread corruption and moral decay, as the wicked collectively turn away from God's standards.

The biblical narrative consistently warns of the consequences faced by the wicked for their rejection of truth. Proverbs 19:5 states, "A false witness will not go unpunished, and one who utters lies will not escape." The divine justice of God ensures that those who live in falsehood and refuse to plead for truth will ultimately face retribution.

In summary, the Scriptures present a clear dichotomy between truth and the wicked. The wicked are characterized by their rejection of truth, their embrace of falsehood, and their failure to advocate for justice and integrity. This rejection of truth is both a personal and societal failing, leading to divine judgment and the ultimate vindication of truth as an essential attribute of God's righteous character.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 59:4
None calls for justice, nor any pleads for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Knowing that a Man is not Justified by the Work of the Law, but by ...
... The truth is man's nature is all right, and is as well fitted ... Has he not as wicked
a heart as you have ... murder, and you should be put on trial and plead this plea ...
/.../finney/lectures to professing christians/knowing that a man is.htm

The Instrumentality of the Wicked Employed by God, While He ...
... making those who refuse to obey the truth to believe ... In all ages there have been
wicked and profane men ... grovelling spot of earth they not only plead against God ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 18 the instrumentality of.htm

Of the Trinity and a Christian
... obliged, both by the name, profession, and the truth, unto which ... O God," saith Jeremiah,
"yet let me plead with thee; Wherefore do the wicked live?" Mark ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bunyan/miscellaneous pieces/of the trinity and a.htm

Marcus of Mactaris Said: "It is not to be Wondered at if Heretics. ...
... I would urge, therefore, that we plead our cause in ... while, according to us, there
is no truth either in ... reason for separating themselves by the wicked sin of ...
/.../writings in connection with the donatist controversy /chapter 2 2 marcus.htm

Inward Witness to the Truth of the Gospel.
... slight thing at the last day to plead that subtle ... that ever lived: though, to tell
the truth, such men ... very shallow and weak, as well as wicked; generally know ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol viii/sermon viii inward witness to.htm

The Wicked Heart Set to do Evil.
... I am simply a martyr to truth and justice I At all ... a load on their aching bosoms,
they plead and plead, but all ... He says"Your son has been so wicked and has ...
/.../finney/sermons on gospel themes/viii the wicked heart set.htm

Some General Uses from this Useful Truth, that Christ is the Truth ...
... Here is ground of a sharp reproof of the wicked, who continue in ... We should buy the
truth, and not sell it, Proverbs 23:23; and we should plead for it ...
/.../brown/christ the way the truth and the life/chapter xii some general uses.htm

The Approbation of Goodness is not the Love of It.
... is, as the prophet affirms, desperately wicked, desperately selfish ... and accurate
your intellectual convictions of truth may be ... but arise and earnestly plead them ...
/.../shedd/sermons to the natural man/the approbation of goodness is.htm

The Believer not an Orphan. "I Will not Leave You Comfortless: I ...
... orphan is eaten up like bread, and the wicked of the ... still; and after ten thousand
proofs of the truth of it ... Very well, then plead the promise before the Lord. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/till he come/the believer not an orphan.htm

Whether it is Lawful for an Advocate to Take a Fee for Pleading?
... an advocate is not always bound to consent to plead, or to ... of what they have extorted
by a wicked excess, but ... Now justice and truth do not incline to one side ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether it is lawful for 9.htm