Whose Truth?

When did Truth become relative?

When did Truth become subjective?

When did moral, ethical, and behavioral Truths and standards become optional?

When did personal preferences, priorities, and perspectives become truth?

The truth is that it began in the Garden of Eden, when Satan masquerading in snakeskin convinced Eve that she had a choice between two opposing “truths” – Satan’s “truth,” which wasn’t truth at all, or God’s Truth. Since that tragic last day in paradise, humankind – cheered on by Satan – has attempted to create its own truth.

These two well-known voices of today’s culture articulately declare this generation’s anthem of living in their own truth:

“What I know for sure is that speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we have.” Oprah Winfrey

“Live your truth. Express your love. Share your enthusiasm. Take action towards your dreams. Walk your talk. Dance and sing to your music. Embrace your blessings. Make today worth remembering.” Dr. Steve Moraboli, “Unapologetically You: Reflections on Life and the Human Experience.”

Yes, Truth has been under attack since the beginning, but the attacks have accelerated over recent generations and Truth appears to be losing ground. Christendom has become so determined to be tolerant, unbiased, accepting, and accommodating to all points of views, beliefs, and practices that alternate “truths” are now mainstreamed and many Christians are being led astray by “truth” that isn’t truth at all.

“Truth always carries with it confrontation. Truth demands confrontation; loving confrontation, nevertheless. If our reflex action is always accommodation regardless of the centrality of the truth involved, there is something wrong.” – Francis Schaeffer

So much can and should be said on the topic of standing up unafraid and unapologetically for the Truth of God, but for now let’s look at the “why.”

Why is the TRUTH important?

God is the author of all TRUTH

• Psalm 86:11 – Teach me Your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth
• Psalm 119:160 – The sum of Your word is truth

Jesus is the personification of TRUTH, and He bears witness to the TRUTH

• John 14:6 – Jesus said to him, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.”
• John 18:37 – For this purpose I have come into the world–to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.

See also: John 1:14,17; John 17:8; Ephesians 4:21

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of TRUTH Who reveals and guides us in TRUTH

• John 14:17 – Even the Spirit of Truth…You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
• John 16:13 – When the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth.

See also: John 15:26; 1 John 4:6; 5:6

The TRUTH brings freedom from the bondage of sin

• John 8:32 – You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

We are to walk in the TRUTH

• Psalm 25:5 – Lead me in your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation.
• Psalm 43:3 – Send out Your light and Your truth; let them lead me

See also: 3 John 1:3, 4

Obedience to the TRUTH is purifying, it leads to sanctification, and it bears fruit

• John 17:17 – Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.  (Jesus praying for His followers)
• John 17:19 – And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

See also: Colossians 1:6; 1 Peter 1:22

TRUTH is to be in our hearts and on our lips

• Psalm 15:2 – He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart.
• Zechariah 8:16 – These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another.

See also: Psalm 51:6; Psalm 145:18; Proverbs 12:17

We are to worship God in TRUTH

• John 4:23 – But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship Him.
• John 4:24 – God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.

We are to be established in the TRUTH

• Galatians 2:5 – To them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.
• 2 Timothy 2:15 – Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

See also: 2 Peter 1:12

Loving others as God loves is evidence of living in the TRUTH

• 1 Corinthians 13:6 – (Love) does not rejoice at wrong-doing but rejoices with the truth.
• Ephesians 4:15 – Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Christ.

See also: 1 John 3:18

Satan and the wicked hate and will try to suppress the TRUTH

• Amos 5:10 – They abhor him who speaks the truth.
• Romans 1:18 – Who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
• Romans 1:25 – They exchanged the truth about God for a lie.
• Romans 2:8 – For those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth
• 2 Thessalonians 2:10 – They refused to love the truth

TRUTH equips us to face the forces of darkness

• Ephesians 6:14 – Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth

TRUTH is our source of hope

• Colossians 1:5 – Because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel,
• Ephesians 1:13 – In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit

TRUTH is abiding and eternal

• 2 John 1, 2 – The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth because of the TRUTH that abides in us and will be with us forever.

Friend, it is possible to wander away from the Truth. James, the brother of Jesus and the author of the Book of James, and Paul the Apostle both talk about believers that have wandered or swerved from the truth. (James 5:19, 2 Timothy 2:18, Galatians 5:7) If we are not walking moment-by-moment in the truth – if we are not regularly, intentionally, saturating ourselves in God’s Word of Truth, we can find ourselves wandering off the path of Truth. I’m not talking about losing your salvation, I’m talking about losing your solid footing – risking a spiritual fall.

“It is more from carelessness about truth than from intentional lying, that there is so much falsehood in the world.” William Barclay (Scottish minister, professor, author, radio and television presenter 1907-1978)

This quote speaks right to the heart of the matter: it’s typically not that we intentionally walk away from God and His truth, but more often we become careless with the truth – we don’t pay attention – we allow ourselves to get wrapped up in the day-to-day – and suddenly we find ourselves off course – confused by the “truths” that are being tossed about in Christian circles and in the world.  

If we find ourselves in a state of spiritual stagnation or stasis, then we need to examine the truths that are guiding our lives. Are you living in alignment with the truth of God or are you allowing the “truths” of the world to shape your thinking, your values, and your behavior?

Are you being daily shaped and molded by the Truth of God’s Word into the image of Jesus Christ?

“We are either in the process of resisting God’s truth

or in the process being shaped and molded by His truth.”

Charles Stanley

“Truth has no degrees or shades.

A half-truth is a whole lie, and a white lie is really black.”

John MacArthur

If the truth of the world does not line up with the Truth of Scripture, then

The world’s truth is NOT the truth that it claims to be.

Whose truth is shaping your life?

The “truth” of the world? Or the Truth of God?