Learning lessons in life always has a result. Showing up on time to work and doing your job well will earn you a paycheck and maybe even a promotion, resulting in showing up on time and doing your job well every day; if a paycheck and potential promotion are important to you.
This concept is not limited to men, but every living thing. A dog whose owner installed an electric fence will quickly learn how far in the yard he can go before he gets zapped. If he does not want to get zapped, the result of this knowledge is to stay away from certain areas of the yard.
When we learn and believe various things there is always a result, a response to what is learned and believed.
God’s Word informs us that a knowledge of the Truth has a result.
We know from Paul’s letters, especially his letter to Titus, that Paul’s entire ministry is about sharing and teaching the Truth. The Truth being the Gospel, the full knowledge of man’s need of a savior. The Truth of the life, death, and resurrection of the only One that can save men from the Wrath of God, the Wrath they have earned by sinning against God – namely Jesus Christ.
The result, the response, of knowing and believing this Truth is godliness. Men who believe the Truth will live according to godliness as directed in God’s Word.
Titus 1:1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness,
In Paul’s letter to Titus he makes much of the importance of sound doctrine. Overseers of the church MUST know, teach, and defend sound doctrine.
Why?
The way for men to come to a knowledge of the Truth is by sound doctrine, not error, myths, or opinions. Throughout history there has never been a shortage of those distorting the Truth. From religion to philosophy to secularism men have knowingly or unknowingly deceived other men.
A logical question would be, “How do I know what is Truth?”
Answer:
The Bible, God’s Word!
Many will profess to know God, they may even profess to know God’s Word – but they deny Him. They deny Him by the things they say and do that contradict God’s Word. We see it in “easy believe-ism” and we see it in legalism.
The liberal theology of easy believe-ism, the “say the prayer and your saved” heresy, will never call men to turn from their sin and live godly. This is the “this is the way God made you, now live and let live” crowd, which runs contrary to God’s promise of regeneration for all those in Christ.
The legalistic theology of religions like Catholicism, Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witness, and Islam have members with the desire to seek God and be saved, yet their religion has them constantly striving to earn their salvation with ritual and works. This theology is a constant attack on the sufficiency of the Cross and the promised Grace of God for all who believe. Although they may not realize it, those who believe in these religions are trusting in their own merit completely, or to some extent, which is insulting to God.
The narrow road that leads to life, and the knowledge of the Truth, must reject both ditches. One requires no regeneration, or new creation in Christ, no “new-birth”. The other offers no peace and no assurance of eternal life because it cannot give either.
Those on the narrow road are trusting in Christ alone, by Grace alone, through faith alone. They have been changed, regenerated by the Holy Spirit which gives them the desire and ability to turn from sin and be zealous for good works, not as a means of salvation, or earning favor with God, but out of love and thanksgiving for the God that saved them from the Wrath they deserve.