How Important Is The Truth To You?

A coworker of mine once quipped, “You have your truth; I have my truth.” Translation: You can believe whatever you want and that belief will be what you call truth. Or said another way: “I am comfortable with the way I see things, so don’t be surprised when I don’t agree with the facts.” She wasn’t really interested in truth.

One man sighed, “What is truth?” That happened to be Pilate, the Roman governor who sentenced Jesus to death by crucifixion. Perhaps he had been interested in truth at one time, but on the day that he questioned Jesus, Pilate despaired at the notion of the existence of truth.

Another man’s reaction to truth was rage! King Asa of ancient Judah made a treaty with a foreign king. (Isn’t that what kings are supposed to do? Well...NO! Not if you are the king of the people of God. You are supposed to consult God, trust in God.) So, God sent a seer (kind of like a prophet) with a message of rebuke to King Asa for his ill advised alliance. The king threw a fit and had the seer thrown in prison. Clearly, the king was not interested in truth.

Would you like for me to tell you a lie!?
Of course not!

Nor would I want you to lie to me; no white lies, no bending the truth, no bold-face lies, no deceptions. NO ONE wants to be lied to...
...yet...sometimes the truth is really brutal. Sometimes we want nice news; we want to hear what we like...or what we already believe…so badly, that we prefer a lie over the truth.

It happens in politics all the time. Some politicians will promise anything just to get elected. What if your doctor conducted his practice like a lying politician? What if he only told you what you wanted to hear: "You’re doing grrrreat!"? No one wants news of failing health; yet we KNOW that we will only benefit from the truth.

People hate it when others lie to them, but under the right circumstances, under pressure, many are tempted to lie...and give in.

How important is ‘truth’?

The Apostle Paul visited a congregation of God’s people who were known for their love for the truth. In fact, they accepted the preaching of Paul AND they were “examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so.” (Acts 17:11) You might call the believers from Berea ‘Truth Seekers.’ They verified what Paul said by going to the Scripture.

When Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (John 8:32), many of those listening stumbled over the word ‘free.’ They started talking about never being enslaved. They completely missed ‘the truth’ part of what Jesus said. Jesus concluded a moment later that “My word has no place in you,” meaning, they had no real interest in truth. They were so angry with the teachings of Jesus that they wanted to kill him. They actually wanted to kill Him!!! Yet Jesus was presenting to them the truth which He had received from God.

There are a lot of people today, religious people, who talk about God, who praise Jesus, who claim to follow Jesus. Yet, in reality, they are simply re-labeling what they are already doing as ’discipleship.’ They are re-labeling what they already believe as ’the truth.’ But Jesus said:

“If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine.” 
--John 8:31

What is your source for truth: God or Man? How do make decisions concerning your marriage, rearing children, your career, caring for aging parents, your congregation, your life?

Truth assures life! 

Open The Book!

Mark Stinnett