Send out Your light and Your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your dwelling! Psalm 43:3 ESV
Truth on trial.
Every day. Day in, day out. Truth has been on the docket since the serpent’s question to Eve in the Garden of Eden, “Did God really say…?”
As we enter into this highly divisive and antagonistic political election season, it will be more difficult than ever to distinguish truth from lies. We will hear repeated calls for the truth about and from the candidates – their proposed agendas, national and foreign policies, positions on social issues…the list is endless. These demands for truth often spout from the lips of people who are themselves strangers to truth.
Don’t misunderstand me, lying lips are not symptomatic of political types only, not at all. The culture of lies has infected every area of our lives. It is conveyed seamlessly throughout each second of the day on the wings of our many electronic devices and from one person to another.
And you shall say to them, ‘This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the LORD their God, and did not accept discipline; truth has perished; it is cut off from their lips. Jeremiah 7:28 ESV
Truth on trial.
In Jeremiah 9:3-8, the weeping prophet laments:
Their tongues are like bows shooting arrows of deceit. Lies have become their way of life, falsehood rules. Evil builds upon evil. There is no knowledge of God. No one is trustworthy, because everyone deceives. No one speaks the truth. They practice to perfect their lying, heaping deceit upon deceit. Even when they speak kindly to their neighbor, deceit is in their hearts. God will inevitably send a time of testing and refinement. (my paraphrase)
Truth on trial.
Never was the poignancy of irony more apparent than when Jesus Christ, Truth Incarnate, stood in court before the Governor of Judea. Even as The Truth stood before him, Pilate asked the question, “What is truth?” (John 18:38)
Pilate did not recognize the truth of who Jesus was (is). Jesus was Truth in the flesh. The Son of God is The Truth and therefore, the Source of all truth. And even though Pilate could find no fault in Jesus, he eventually gave Jesus over to the Jews for crucifixion. The truth made no difference to Pilate, truth was merely an inconvenience to be dismissed. (John 18:28-40, 19:1-16)
As we see today, people want to have their ears tickled by easy-to-swallow truth that is no truth at all. They desire “Truth” that fits into their plans, promotes their purposes, and supports their passions. Truth that doesn’t agree with their point of view or agenda is an inconvenience to be dismissed.
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
Timothy 4:3-4 ESV
Truth on trial.
Truth has become a nuisance, a roadblock to self-absorbed, self-aggrandizing achievements and goals. Truth has many enemies, who defiantly refuse to acknowledge the truth or who have become so self-deceived and deluded they can no longer pick Truth out of a line-up.
As Children of The God Who is The Source of ALL Truth, we must stand firmly against the barrage of lies that knock the deceived off their feet.
To remain steadfast and surefooted when confronted with lies, as Christ-followers we must remember:
– God our Father IS the Truth; He is the source of all Truth. He is trustworthy in all things.
– God the Son, our LORD and Savior, IS the Truth made flesh.
God the Spirit gives testimony to the Truth. He leads, guides, and reveals the Truth to us, God’s children.
God’s Word is our guidebook for living a truth-filled life.
Prayer for guidance, discernment, wisdom, and strength of character to embrace Truth and avoid lies is pleasing to God. He hears and He will answer such a prayer.
Yes, Truth is on trial. The Good News is that the final verdict has already been decided. Truth prevails.
We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
1 John 5:19-20 ESV