Truth

My Grandpa Schwacofer was a newspaper editor for much of his life. My Dad grew up with the news and as far back as I can remember enjoyed the news (until recently). He remembers placing individual letters on the press and helping his Dad in the newspaper office. Both my Dad and Grandpa knew news that was factual, unbiased, truthful. Before feathers get ruffled, this isn’t going to be a rant on today’s news and media. However, a discussion with our high school Sunday school kids this week on lying made me think of how much has changed since my Grandpa was an editor, not just in the news but in our standard for our words and actions. There is really only one source of truth that can be trusted.

Part of my devotions this morning explored the ninth commandment, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” Or to put it another way, “You shall not lie.” Rewind back to Genesis 3 in the Garden of Eden. Satan came to Eve (with Adam right there) and lied. He twisted what God had said to deceive Eve into doubting God’s goodness. Ever since, we have continued to buy into lies, be deceived as well as lie to and deceive others. We even minimize our lying by calling it a little white lie or that our lie is for a good end. We lie to get what we want, to make ourselves look good and others look bad, to avoid consequences, to deliberately hurt others or to manipulate.

Paul in the New Testament repeatedly instructs that we put off sin and put on righteousness – what glorifies God, loves Him and others and is obedient to His commands. If we are to put off lying and false witness, then we are to put on TRUTH, but what does that look like?

In John 14:6, Jesus responded to Thomas that He was the way, and the TRUTH, and the life. No one could come to the Father except through Him. Jesus is TRUTH. One way that we put on TRUTH is to live and share the TRUTH about Jesus – the message of the Gospel. All of Scripture centers around the person of Jesus, His life, death, resurrection and second coming. Does our life reflect that we believe that TRUTH? Do we share that TRUTH with others? Do we have an urgency for those who don’t know that TRUTH and will die eternally apart from that TRUTH?

We also know that God’s Word, the Bible, is TRUTH (Psalm 119:151, 160; John 17:17). First, are we studying God’s Word to know what is TRUTH? Second, are we obeying God’s Word? Do our actions and words reflect and communicate the TRUTH of God’s Word? We often want to compartmentalize what we think is spiritual from the rest of life, but all of life is spiritual in that God’s Word or TRUTH speaks to every aspect of our lives. Every part of our life belongs to God. “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence,” (2 Peter 1:3). Does our speech reflect that we are ambassadors for Christ? Do our words reflect God’s character? Is our counsel rooted in Scripture or our own opinions?

Paul speaks to this in Philippians 2:14-16, “Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God, without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation,among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life…” (emphasis added). I think it is safe to say that we are living in a crooked and twisted generation. God calls us to be lights in the midst of this sinful darkness, and we do that by holding fast to the word of life, God’s Truth, the Gospel and all the teachings founded on it contained in Scripture.

A high calling? Definitely, but God does not leave us alone to muddle our way through living and speaking TRUTH. In John 14:15-18 Jesus assures believers that God has given them the Spirit of TRUTH to indwell and be with us. God has graciously equipped us with the Spirit of TRUTH to be able to live and speak TRUTH.

Last week we looked at God’s definition of love which we need to remember as we speak and live TRUTH. Paul instructed the Ephesian church that TRUTH needed to be spoken in love. Speaking TRUTH in love is part of how we are conformed to the image of Christ or “grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ.” TRUTH without love is like a noisy gong or clanging cymbal (1 Corinthians 13:1).

Speaking and living TRUTH does not guarantee that others will be changed. Changing hearts is God’s responsibility. Our responsibility is to be faithful and obedient to speak and live TRUTH in love.

Think about your words and actions today or over the past week. Did they reflect TRUTH? Did they point others to Jesus who is the way, the TRUTH and the only source of eternal life? Have you been marinating in God’s TRUTH yourself, so that you can reflect it to others? I’m guessing that you like me have failed in this, but we can be grateful and rest in Jesus’ perfect record of speaking, living and being TRUTH on our behalf. That encouragement can motivate us to study, speak and live TRUTH ourselves.