TRUTH

I Was Just Thinking About – TRUTH.

The Bible states in Zechariah 8:16-17 (ESV), “These are the things which you should do: speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgment for peace in your gates.  Also let none of you devise evil in your heart against another, and do not love perjury; for all these are what I hate, declares the Lord.” This same idea is reiterated in Ephesians 4:25, “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.”

One of the modern issues is in the area of truth. The Oxford University Press, publisher of Oxford dictionaries, this week named its international word of the year for 2016: “post-truth.” Oxford defines “post-truth” this way: “Relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.” John Stonestreet, President of the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview. said “the culture has been a “post-truth” environment for quite some time. The last 20 years … we were told that truth is relative, especially moral truth, and no one has the right to impose their views on anyone else because that would be intolerant and that would be hard.” He also noted the irony of the timing of Oxford’s announcement after so much one-sided media coverage of the U.S. presidential election.

In A Christian Manifesto (1981), Francis Schaeffer proposed: “Christian truth is not a truth of Sunday mornings. It is a truth about the God, man and the world as they are and a result has implications for how we pursue relationships, our basis for government, morals and every facet of human existence…Schaeffer deals with the application of Christian truth especially as it relates to government and social action.” He emphasize in his writings and lectures the importance of determining “true truth” in all areas of relevance.

In order for the Biblical Christian to discern “true truth”, there is only one source available. Jesus stated in John 16:13-14 (ESV), “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” Jesus also stated, John 8:31-32, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Obviously, Jesus is indicating that there must be subordination to Him if one is to know “true truth” and be enabled to walk in that truth. He made this very clear when he stated, John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” As a point of emphasis, someone has inserted the word “only” in this text – Jesus is the “only” way, the “only” truth, and the “only” source of eternal life. Do you believe Him and His truth? 

Prayerfully – consider these things with me!